Historical Analysis of Post-Colonial Food Security Policies in Kenya, 1963-2020

Abstract

This paper analyses Kenya’s food security policies since independence in 1963 to 2020. The country has faced persistent food insecurity due to volatile harvests, corruption, and poor roads, which lead to poor food distribution in some parts of the nation. While initial policies favoured large-scale export farming, the 1980s National Food Policy shifted focus to sustainable agriculture and smallholder support through fertilizer subsidies, irrigation programmes, and a keen focus on improving road connectivity in Kenya. Despite these interventions, challenges persist. These include inadequate infrastructure, climate change impacts, limited smallholder financing, and inequitable land ownership. COVID-19 further exposed supply chain vulnerabilities. This paper evaluates the effectiveness of government interventions in irrigation, subsidies, and road infrastructure development and proposes new strategies for Kenya’s food security.