Market integration in Elgeyo Marakwet and west Pokot: comparing households and locations

Abstract

Within Kenya, Elgeyo Marakwet and west Pokot are two peripheral districts. Recently they are experiencing rapid changes and most probably they are heading towards a radical transformation in the 1980's. Not only in the high potential parts, but also in the semi-arid areas of the Kerio Valley. The keyword for the processes of change is 'Market integration’. Wage labour employment and local off-farm income are no longer of minor importance only. Agriculture and livestock production are commercialising. Land is enclosed and a land market is developing. Farm inputs are bought and many consumer goods and services are no longer only produced by the households themselves. External change agencies play a crucial role in these developments, especially government development projects seem to be important.

This paper presents a joint research proposal about the regional and social differentiation of these processes of market integration. On a low level of scale, comparing 27 locations within the two districts, a historical study will be carried out about the relationship between the location of development efforts and the extent and kind of market integration. Within a number o f 'typical’ locations, households will be studied to find out the variation in market integration between them and the changes in tasks and in access to resources, income and decisions within the households.