Labour conditions on large farms in Trans Nzoia District, Kenya

This report is the first in a series dealing with food supply and nutrition among labourers on large farms in Trans Nzoia District, Kenya. It examines two important aspects of the labourers' food and nutritional situation, i.e. the incomes they earn from their labour on the large farms and the extra provisions they enjoy. Data presented in the report were obtained during a survey of a stratified sample of 46 large farms in the district which was carried out in 1989 and which focused on the labour conditions on large farms. Questions were asked about the number of labourers, the wages the farm owners paid them, and the provisions they received, such as housing, sanitary facilities, medical services, a piece of land. Three categories of labourers were distinguished: permanent labourers, casual labourers, and resident casuals. The study shows that labour in Trans Nzoia was used in an exploitative manner by quite a number of employers. On average, the wages for both permanent and casual labourers were below the legal minimum. The labourers were also in a bad position legally. Although many casual labourers worked on a very regular basis on one and the same farm, it was difficult for them to obtain the status of permanent labourer. Moreover, the labourers living on the farms (the permanent labourers and the resident casuals) were faced with restrictions on land use and work outside the farms