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Effects Of Urbanization In Kenya

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URBANIZATION AND ITS EFFECT ON FOOD PRODUCTION IN KENYA
A CASE OF KIAMBU COUNTY

ABSTRACT

Agriculture continues to be one of the key contributors to the Kenyan economy with a great contribution to national food basket directly , exports to major destinations in the world and as a key source of employment in this country. Over seventy percent of Kenya 's export in merchandise is from agriculture and one third of our manufacturing sector 's output is dependent on input from the agricultural products. In a country where over 80% of the population depends on agriculture and a sector which accounts for over 30% of the Gross domestic product it remains a sector that cannot be ignored and whose erosion will cause unimaginable havoc on the …show more content…

Urbanization is seen as an effect of the current globalization phenomenon, as people, through their view of urban centers as a rich source of employment and access to other economic activities, coupled with the fact that social amenities are available in urban areas as opposed to rural areas, continue to migrate to urban areas to access this facilities.

Urbanization is defined as the continued proportional increase of an entire population which live in urban areas and the surrounding sub-urban areas. It is a function of population increase, which can occur through natural growth within the existing population and rural-urban or urban-urban migration.(Owuor,2012).Urbanization is greatly linked to industrialization which took place in the mid 18th century in parts of Europe and which many countries continue to experience. As industries continued to grow, there was emergence of towns due to concentration of labor in the industrial areas and the emerging needs for housing and other social amenities for the factory …show more content…

1.3 Purpose of the Study
This research is meant to assess the impact of urbanization on agricultural land. The researcher intends to establish how the loss of fertile agricultural land to commercial and residential use is affecting food production in Kiambu county.
1.3.1 Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are:
1. To investigate if rapid urbanization has led to change in land use in Kiambu County.
2. To find out if there has been change in employment levels within the agricultural sector in Kiambu county.
3. To establish levels of food security in Kiambu county
4. To find out how the existing legal framework on land use is contributing to changes in food production.
1.3.2 Research Questions
1. Has rapid urbanization led to change in land use in Kiambu county
2. Have employment levels within the agriculture sector in Kiambu county changed significantly due to

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