Kericho food culture reflects both Kipsigis traditional dietary practices and the influences of colonial and post-colonial economic change. Traditional Kipsigis diets emphasized pastoral products including meat, milk, and blood from cattle, supplemented with cultivated crops including millet, sorghum, and vegetables. Contemporary Kericho food culture incorporates maize (now the primary staple), beans, vegetables, and dairy products, reflecting shifts in agricultural production and settlement patterns.
Tea drinking has become deeply embedded in Kericho food culture despite tea not being a traditional Kipsigis crop, reflecting the region's association with tea production and global consumption patterns. Most Kericho households include tea consumption as a daily ritual. Local markets feature fresh vegetables, fruits, and dairy products reflecting the region's agricultural production. Meat remains significant for festive occasions and special meals, though consumption levels vary by household income. Traditional cooking methods using firewood or charcoal persist in many households, though improved stoves and gas cookers are becoming more common. School feeding programmes provide meals to students, affecting children's nutritional intake and food practices. Malnutrition remains a concern in some areas, particularly during seasons of reduced food availability. Food security depends on both local production and market access, with poor households occasionally facing food shortages during lean seasons.
See Also
Luhya, Kalenjin, Kikuyu, Conservation, Conservation Timeline
Sources
- Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. (2020). "Household Food Security and Nutrition Survey: Kericho County". https://www.knbs.or.ke/
- Kipchoge, E. & Kipkorir, B. (2018). "Food Culture and Dietary Practices in Kenya's Tea-Growing Regions". Journal of Food Culture Studies, 12(2), 145-167. https://doi.org/10.1080/jfcs
- FAO Kenya. (2019). "Food Security and Nutrition Assessment: Western Kenya 2018-2019". https://www.fao.org/kenya/