New Slow Food Earth Market in Kenya Brings Country’s Total to Six

Embu Earth Market will be held weekly on Fridays

The network of Earth Markets—farmers’ markets that follow Slow Food principles—continues to expand in Kenya. After Gilgil, Kagio, Molo, Muranga and Nakuru, Embu Earth Market  now joins the Slow Food network, bringing the total number of markets in the country to six, out of a worldwide total of 97.

The Embu Earth Market is located in Embu County (Kenya Eastern province), in Ena Town, which is 22 Kilometers drive from Embu Town, near Ena Vocational Training Center in Runyenjes Constituency. Embu County is home to Mwea National Reserve which is a major tourist attraction with elephants, crocodiles, hippopotamuses, zebras, leopards and monkeys. Other attractions sites include Nthenge Njeru and Mbui Njeru waterfalls.

Embu Earth Market will be officially launched on June 14.

It was proposed by producers who have surplus from their gardens and would like to be selling their produce. The community and partners have also requested for a centralized marketplace for easier accessibility of fresh, nutritious and diverse traditional foods. The voice of the consumers was also heard for a place where they could get the products from the farmers and a meeting point.

There has been close collaboration between members of the Cooks Alliance of Kenya, Slow Food Gardens members, the Embu County government, the media and other stakeholders, including the Mount Kenya Anglican Development Services. Consumers will get a steady supply of traditional and indigenous foods that are not common in the conventional market.

All stakeholders have been involved in Earth Market training and planning meetings.

The establishment of the Slow Food Embu Earth Market has been done with the support of Biovision Foundation.

Samson Ngugi of Slow Food Kenya declares: “Slow Food Earth Market will provide consumers with agro-ecologically produced food that is fresh, nutritious and safe for their health, and with the opportunity to have diverse food. The biodiversity of food will ensure that consumers get what they need locally grown. It will also provide a learning platform where there will be an exchange of information between producers and consumers. Producers will explain the source, location and process of production to gain the trust of consumers. This will enhance the traceability of food products.The Earth Market will be a place to create awareness about the importance of consuming agroecological food products”.

The market will allow local food communities to sell their agroecological produce directly to consumers. Indigenous food products from the Ark of Taste will also be featured in the Earth Market. The market will initially start with 20 producers who will be selling their locally produced, traditional products—including fruits and vegetables, dairy products, eggs, chicken and other meat, animals and craft—directly to consumers.

For more information, contact Samson Ngugi at [email protected]

Slow Food International Press Office

Paola Nano – [email protected] (+39) 329 8321285

Alessia Pautasso – [email protected] (+39) 342 8641029