It is time for Kenya to invest in, and consume indigenous foods
Kenyan agriculture has evolved greatly over the past few centuries, driven by the steady modernisation of agricultural production, and the growing globalisation of food systems. In tandem with these changes, the food and nutrition habits of Kenyans, and Africans at large, have transitioned from a reliance on traditional food species and preparation techniques, to more exotic food preferences.
While the adoption of non-indigenous food crops and diets is not necessarily a bad thing, one of the consequences has been an over-reliance on a few staple crops, such as maize and rice. Over the past few decades, in particular, this has led to negative impacts on both human, and environmental health, due to the consumption of a less nutritious and varied diet, unsustainable farming practices, and reduced resilience to climate change.
Maize, Kenya’s current grain of choice, was cemented as a staple crop in the early 1900s, when Kenya was a British colony. Africans in ”reserves” would provide labour to white settlers in ‘White Highlands.’ and they were often paid in kind, rather than cash, such as through sacks of maize. This cheap, readily available, and easily accessible food, hence became their main source of sustenance.
With Africans only allowed to practise subsistence agriculture in their enclaves, to produce what they had become used to consuming, they gradually replaced indigenous grains, such as millet and sorghum, with maize. The widespread cultivation of maize at the household level was to cement the position of maize as the most cultivated and consumed cereal to date.
According to the Food Balance Sheet 2014–2018, produced by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the top three cereal foods today are maize, wheat and rice. The report showed that, at an annual average, each Kenyan consumed, respectively, 69.5, 41.3, and 20.6 kg of each grain. On the other hand, the average per capita consumption of sorghum was a staggering 1.6kg, while millet was just 1 kg. This dietary transformation highlights the extent to which Kenyans have abandoned indigenous grains, despite their higher nutritional quality, and adaptation to local soils and climatic conditions.
Not only is the average Kenyan diet dominated by a few simple carbohydrates, but most consumers have developed a taste for overly-refined wheat flour, maize, and sugars, among other processed foods. In addition to neglecting indigenous grains, Kenyans are also consuming a smaller variety of vegetables, such as cabbage, while neglecting vitamin-packed local vegetables, such as managu (Black nightshade) and terere (amaranth). Indigenous fruits, such as mulberry and guavas, have also, over the years, left Kenyan plates.
In order to reverse the negative consequences of these dietary shifts, it is essential to be aware of, acknowledge, and address the factors that have contributed to this change.
With Covid-19 focusing ever-greater attention on health and nutrition, the following facts can contribute to this shift.
Indigenous foods are more nutrient dense
For the past 30 years, Prof. Mary Abukutsa — Onyango, based at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, has conducted research to promote the production and consumption of indigenous vegetables. Her overall objective is not only to boost food and nutrition security, but to also contribute to more sustainable management of smallholder agricultural systems.
In a captivating TED Talk, Abukutsa — Onyango explained that mrenda (Jute mallow) is twenty times more nutritious than cabbage, and five times more than sukuma wiki. (Collard greens). Yet, the less nutritious vegetables are favoured by most households. This concern is reflected in the government’s nutritional recommendations for coping with Covid-19. The Ministry of Health underscores the value of consuming a diverse and balanced diet, including an abundance of indigenous dark green leafy vegetables such as kunde (cowpea leaves), pumpkin leaves and saga (spider plant), to boost overall immunity to infection.
Health wise, it is evident that the transition from a wholesome indigenous based diet has manifested in the increase in prevalence of lifestyle diseases. As a result of consuming ultra-processed foods; hypertension, obesity and diabetes is the new unfortunate norm. There is therefore a need to increase awareness on the benefits of traditional foods in curbing lifestyle-related illnesses.
Indigenous foods for climate resilience
The impacts of climate change, characterised by rising temperatures and irregular rainfall, among other signs, continue to affect our food production systems. Millet and sorghum have proven to be superior to maize since they are drought resistant and climate resilient. Millet matures in three to four months, which is almost half the average production period for maize in Kenya. Millet requires 30% less water than maize, and 70% less water than rice. The hardy plant requires minimal, or no fertilisers and pesticides, as it is much better adapted to the dryland conditions that characterise most of the country.
Breaking the negative relationship between agricultural practices, diet, and health, will be no easy feat, however. It requires going back in time to understand the political economy of colonisation, which led to nutritionally superior indigenous foods being perceived as inferior to exotic foods. Even in today’s post-colonial African states, this view still drives food production and consumption preferences. The ease of accessibility of non-indigenous foods in formal and informal markets has further promoted this consumer habit.
In order to transform consumption patterns in favour of healthier, and more sustainable, indigenous varieties, there is need for concerted efforts at all levels. Governments, communities, private companies, and individuals, all bear collective responsibility of promoting indigenous crops in agricultural production, utilisation, and income generation. We must all play our part in ensuring that we grow and consume these foods, and disseminate them to the future generations.
Written by Sharon Cheboi
This article is part of Covid-19 Food/Future, an initiative aiming to provide a unique and direct insight into the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on national and local food systems. Central to our approach are the experiences of young, urban and peri-urban farmers, street vendors and informal retailers, and low-income consumers. Follow @CovidFoodFuture on Twitter. Covid-19 Food/Future is an initiative by TMG. ThinkTank for Sustainability (www.tmg-thinktank.com), or on Twitter @TMG_think. Funding for this initiative is provided by BMZ, the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
