Colonialism and The Agikuyu Women’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems on Food Crop Production in Kiambu, Kenya, 1902-1963.

Abstract

The interaction between the European colonialist in Kenya and the Agikuyu people influenced the indigenous Knowledge systems related to food crop production. Particularly, the introduction colonial policies and practices undermined the vital role of the Agikuyu Women’s Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AWIKS) on food crop production and instead they viewed them as uncivilized and backward. Therefore, the purpose of study was to analyze the implications of colonialism on the AWIKS on food crop production in Kiambu County from 1902 to 1963. The main objectives of the study were; to explore the Agikuyu women’s indigenous knowledge systems on food crop production in pre-colonial Kiambu upto 1902, to examine the implications of European colonial policies and practices on the AWIKS on food crop production, and further to find out the effect of disregard of AWIKS on the availability of food in Kiambu. The study employed descriptive research design and it was also guided by the Neo-Marxist theory that looked at the relationship between women and the process of colonial capitalist development. The study was done in three sub-counties of Kiambu West, namely, Limuru, Lari and Kikuyu. The sample size was guided by the concept of data saturation in an interview based research. The main source of information was oral interviews, archival records analysis and secondary data. Oral interview data was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) and reported using basic simple descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencies, and tables. The study established that in pre-colonial set up, the Agikuyu women of Southern Kikuyuland (present Kiambu County) commanded detailed indigenous knowledge on weather observation and prediction, quality seed selection, indigenous farming methods, harvesting, storage and preservation in order to ensure enough food crop production in the households. In addition, the European colonial undermined the AWIKS on food crop production during the establishment of commercial crop production, land alienation and forced labour policies. Sixty (88.2%) of the respondents mentioned that between 1902 and 1963 most of the Agikuyu people were moved from their indigenous land and were pushed to poor, marginal and unproductive reserve areas where they did not have enough experience and accumulated indigenous knowledge system of the new agro-ecosystem. In addition, 29 (42,6%) of the respondents felt that the Europeans neglected most of the drought tolerant food crops in favour of fast growing commercial crops. Women were also forced to provide cheap labour in the European plantations and projects, a move that led to neglect and undermining of AWIKS on food crop production. The study also found out that during the period of political instability food crop cultivation was very little and this led to marginalization of AWIKS on food crop production. The research concluded that the integration of the Agikuyu women in colonial policies and practices undermined, neglected and pushed to the periphery the important role of AWIKS on food crop production. Therefore, the integration of AWIKS and western scientific agricultural knowledge on food crop production could be an effective way of ensuring food security.