Population and nutrition in central and western Kenya

Abstract

Population Geography has long identified its methodological objectives as being the determination of the earth's ability to support populatiol1o But development has been largely restricted to the distributional aspects of demographic characterization , Such attempt s as have been made to meet the ideals have been general considerations of the problem This work follows Stamp's lead in approaching the problem through nutrition The validity of measuring the nutritional status of populations in calories alone is questioned but found generally satisfactory £or Western and Central Kenya A measure termed the Calorie Adequacy Index is developed which relates the population theoretically supportable on given agricultural production to the actual population The Calorie Adequacy Index shows the potential of calorie consumption in an area dependent on home production of food , and can be related to the adequacy of other nutrients The Calorie Adequacy Index can be used to compare the self-sufficiency of areas in food production but it becomes less meaningful the more an area relies on external. food sources It is most useful in comIBring subsistence economies though it cannot indicate the origin of such differences as may be found to existo However 9 it is shown that the Calorie Adequacy Index fairly closely reflects che per capita producti vity of food which is itself a reflection of population pressure on land planted in foodcropso To a lesser extent, it also reflects land productivity'i1with productivity of calories per cultivated foodcrop acre and the Calorie Adequacy Index declining as population pressure on cultivated foodcrop land decreaseso Whilst the Calorie Adequacy Index is at the moment a measure of pressure of population on home production of food there are grounds for believing that further develop ment of the concept might yield a more useful index measuring the relationship between population and the total resources available for its support.