n Kenya, food loss and wastage amount to Ksh72 billion annually (Pedrotti et al., 2023). According to the 2021 Food Waste Index Report published by UNEP and the Waste and Resources Action Programme (WRAP), each Kenyan discards around 99 kilograms of food per year, contributing to a total annual waste of 5.2 tones for the country (UNEP, 2021). Despite the persistent food wastage, Kenya continues to face challenges in attaining SDG Goal 2: Zero Hunger. It is estimated that about 1 million people were severely food insecure in the last five years in the country (Gyimah et al., 2023).
Persistent issues of food insecurity and malnutrition afflict millions of Kenyans daily, with an estimated one in three individuals experiencing food insecurity, equating to 33 per cent of the population. The food system in Kenya exhibits significant disparities in distribution, leading to notable levels of wastage.
The food system in Kenya exhibits significant disparities in distribution, leading to notable levels of wastage. This imbalance results in insufficient access to food, especially fresh fruits and vegetables, for urban populations experiencing economic difficulties. Informal settlements predominantly rely on informal traders to obtain fresh produce.
Inadequate packaging of fruits and vegetables like use of non-permeable materials accelerates spoilage by trapping moisture and promoting bacterial growth
The research is guided by the following objectives to address the policy issue regarding fruits and vegetables waste in the informal food markets in Kenya.
- To identify the main determinants contributing to the wastage of fruits and vegetables within Kenya’s informal food markets
- To evaluate the effectiveness of interventions aimed at reducing fruit and vegetable waste within the informal food markets