Colonial transformation of the Aembu access to land and labour division systems on food crop production and food security, 1906-1963

Abstract

Expansion of British colonialists to Kenya and their interaction with the Aembu people changed the traditional system of access to land and labour division in food crop production. British colonial practices and policies undermined the Aembu land and labour systems in food crop production and replaced them with new policies. Thus, the aim of the study was to analyse the effects of colonialism on the system of access to land and labour division in food crop production on the Aembu in Embu County between 1906 and 1963. The study’s objectives were; to explore the Aembu pre-colonial land and labour systems on food crop production in Embu County up to 1906, to examine colonial transformation of the Aembu access to land and labour division in food crop production from 1906 to1963 and to analyse the influence of the co-existence of pre-colonial and colonial access to land and labour systems on food security from 1906 to 1963. The study used descriptive research design. Articulation of Modes of Production Theory was employed to examine the interaction between the pre-capitalist and the capitalist modes of production. The study was conducted in Embu Easts sub-county, Embu West sub-county and Embu North sub-county. Targeted population was16,144 people based on the 2019 Census from which a sample size of 50 respondents was used. Purposive sampling method and snowballing technique was utilized to reach out to the most resourceful respondents. Data was collected from oral interviews, archival records and secondary sources which were corroborated to guarantee validity and reliability of the study. Oral interviews and focus group discussions were used as instruments of data collection. Data was analysed using the Qualitative Data Analysis method. The study found out that the pre-colonial Aembu food crop producers had elaborate systems of land ownership and land use under clan heads which guaranteed all members land in different ecological areas suitable for production of crops. The land access system further accommodated practices like shifting cultivation and intercropping for increased food productivity. Further, the study revealed that the pre-colonial division of labour in food crop production incorporated all household members for enhanced food supply. However, when pre-colonial labour system was integrated into the colonial system through forced labour, low wages, migrant and communal labour it resulted to significant decline in food crop production. The study concluded that British colonialism transformed the Aembu land and labour systems while co-existence of pre-colonial and colonial access to land and labour systems on production of food crops exposed the community to food shortages. The study contributes to social, political and economic historiography of the Aembu people.