ABSTRACT
This chapter examines some of the most important recent trends in Kenyan food production. It suggests that International Monetary Fund and government policies have exacerbated a food crisis in Kenya characterized by a steady decline in stable food production over the last decade. The chapter deals with a brief historical overview of British colonialism in an attempt to locate the current food crisis in proper perspective. It attempts to show how the majority of peasant farmers are unable to rely on subsistence farms to feed their families. Kenyan food production can best be understood by locating the current food crisis in proper historical setting. The collapse of the Kenyan food system is related to several factors. First, land in Kenya is highly unequally distributed. It has been estimated that 0.1 percent of holdings contain 14 percent of the arable land, while 2.4 percent of the holdings contain 32 percent.
