Kenya's push to promote traditional food is good for nutrition and cultural heritage

A man pairs Kenyan maize flour staple ugali with a traditional vegetable known as murenda (jute mallow). Tony Karumba/AFP via Getty Images

A few years ago, traditional vegetables and local foods in Kenya were largely perceived as foods of the poor and of the past. Local markets were dominated by three exotic vegetables: cabbage, kale (locally known as sukuma wiki) and Swiss chard (spinach).

Unhealthy ‘junk’ food was gaining popularity, especially among younger people. This trend was worrying because Kenyan communities risked losing their healthy traditional foods and the cultural heritage associated with them, including language, knowledge, skills and practices.