ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the distinct characteristics of the urban food system in Kisumu, drawing from findings of food retail mapping, a food retail survey, and a reverse value chain analysis of five key food items in Kisumu. These findings show that most of the food consumed in the city is imported from faraway areas in Kenya and, in some cases, across borders and continents, thereby dispelling the common assumption that cities are fed by agricultural activities in the city-region. The findings further reveal that the food retail sector in Kisumu is largely informal and mostly takes place in undesignated spaces despite the existence of municipal markets. The findings also show that Kisumu’s food retail sector is a source of employment and livelihood for many, but women in particular tend to dominate the sector. Furthermore, the findings suggest that the nature of the products sold and the nature of the operations of food retailers in Kisumu is a direct response to customer needs, the majority of which are poor residents. The chapter will conclude by addressing the specific infrastructural, financial, governmental, and economic challenges facing food retail in the city.
