Role of Kale in Kenya’s Food security

When most people talk about food security, the emphasis is on a country’s productivity of cereals like maize, beans, rice, sorghum and millet.

Other food crops like potato, cassava, taro, tomatoes, sunflower, cabbages, kale are rarely mentioned as are important because of the role they play in making a diet balanced.

For instance, maize is the most important cereal in Kenya because over 80% of population consume it.

Furthermore, it is considered as a strategic crop; thus  the government reserves 8 million, 90 kg bags through the National Cereals and Produce board.

On the other hand, potato is a vegetable  whose consumption in terms of volume is second to maize yet it isn’t considered a strategic crop.

Any shortfall in production of potato will lead serious food shortage and economic problems just like maize;such is the fallacy of focusing food only on cereals 

Kale is the most consumed green leafy vegetable in Kenya as it is easy to prepare and affordable to the consumer. 

Our focus in this article is to examine the role of kale in Kenya’s food security. 

History of Kale in Kenya

This vegetable was introduced in Kenya by the European settlers in the Early 1900  mainly as a fodder crop for their animals with limited consumption for humans.

During those times Africans relied on indigenous vegetables such as Amaranths, and Spider Plant and Black nightshade which to date are often regarded as weeds.

The advent of Europeans heralded the settlement of people in towns and cities or concentration camps.

The land in cities, towns and concentration camps This brought it sets of challenges where vegetables and cereals were sourced from far off areas.

Cabbage could only grow successfully in  the highland areas which were under European control. The production in this areas was geared to producing crops like coffee and tea.

Reasons for popularity of Kale in Kenya

1. The best  vegetable for urban population in Kenya is  kale because it is affordable.
2. Its growth under tropical conditions is very vigorous.
3. It could be grown in every agro-ecological zone in Kenya and at all attitudes
4. Kale has a preferential taste when compared to cabbage and many exotic vegetables

market survey on popularity of kale

A market survey was conducted over a period of 3 months in 15 vegetable/Fresh produce markets in 3 cities and 7 towns in Kenya.

The cities in the survey were Nairobi, Kisumu and Mombasa. The number of vehicles i.e. lories and pick-ups that were carrying kale to be sold in the markets was recorded. 

It was assumed that since the markets were far from the residential areas or places where farming is likely to take place, the preferred way that kale could make it to the market is through transportation in a lorry or pick-up.

Counting the number of vehicles carrying kale when compared with other green vegetables would be a fairly accurate way of knowing which vegetable is popular.

Another assumption was that since the markets were free markets, The law of supply and demand would apply.

The volumes [lories or pickups] with produce will indicate the popularity of the vegetable.

Observations

85% of those vehicles that delivered vegetables in the markets were carrying kale with spinach occupying 8%.

This result indicates that kale takes the pole position of vegetables are delivered in various markets in Kenya.

A number of traders who were selling amaranths, Black nightshade, spider-plant, Cowpea. It was established that these traders bought the vegetables from farmers located in the outskirts of the towns/cities.

After buying the vegetables, they packed them in gunny bags and transported them to the markets very early in the morning at around 0400Hrs using public transport. The time was suitable for them since its not rush hour.

I sought to establish why the lorry and pickup traders do not deal in indigenous vegetables despite the fact that they were of high value.

They said “dealing in this vegetables is difficult they go bad very quickly! i can’t risk my capital on those vegetables says Mwema” “that area is the specialty of women traders who bring about 1or 2 bags of vegetables” quips Mutembei!

Luckily, the nutrition value of this indigenous vegetables has been established and at certain instances they have been proved to contain more vitamins and minerals compared to exotic vegetables.

The ministry of Agriculture recognizes the economic benefit these vegetables and has drafted a policy of emerging crops where such are handled.

Because of the above characteristics of kale, it is an important vegetable, especially for the urban poor those whole live in slums for their daily nutritional requirements. The vegetable can be grown throughout the year in every part of the country.

Because of the versatility of this crop, there is need for the government and stakeholders to fund more research initiatives so as to find ways of value addition of the vegetable.

During peak production times i.e. rainy season, the vegetable floods the market. I believe if more research is done, a useful industrial product may be discovered in the crop.

That will go a long way in improving the earnings of farmers and providing a year round market for them.