Gendered Implications of Food Trade Regulations in Kisumu City, Kenya

The aim of this study is to link governance and gender in the informal food markets which have been overlooked by research and global policy agendas. Specifically, the study sets out to establish the effect of regulations on men and women trading food in the main informal markets of Kisumu City Kenya. Cross-sectional study was employed in Kibuye and Jubilee Markets from June - September 2019. A total of 366 traders were interviewed. Data was collected electronically using Kobo-Collect then analysed using Microsoft Excel to generate chi square analysis. The study found a skewed distribution of men and women in management with men dominating at 61%. In addition to male dominance, men in authority enforce regulations differently for women through intimidation and negative attitudes. A chi square analysis where P = .001 confirms that women significantly spend more time than men when meeting regulations. The study concludes that women bear the brunt of regulations that are not gender sensitive necessitating sensitization efforts towards the same. Informal food markets are critical for urban food security and female livelihoods therefore revitalization of the regulations governing them is key to urban food security.