The Politics of agriculture in East Africa : policy challenges for a sustainable future

Agribusiness or cash crop production was introduced to East Africa - i.e. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania - along with European political and socio-cultural systems, by colonialism. East African traditions and customs had ensured relative stability and peace among the various ethnic societies that were lost when the Europeans invaded the region. Agribusiness took up the best land and people lost the ability to feed themselves, a problem that exists to date. As they became marginalized, people devised their own survival strategies which merely helped them live within the imposed structures. The problem of hunger grew through the colonial era to become a crisis in the post-colonial period. Attempts to alleviate the suffering worsened the situation, mainly because these solutions always came "from above." For any solutions to work, they must take into account the diversity of East African societies. This thesis examines available literature on East Africa, 'and Africa in general, to establish neorealistic pluralism as the most appropriate approach to the problems in East Africa. A plan of action, to be implemented as a pilot project, is proposed to start the process of recovery by re-introducing traditional crops and farming practices throughout East Africa.