Institute for Development Studies, University of Nairobi

Within Kenya, Elgeyo Marakwet and west Pokot are two peripheral districts. Recently they are experiencing rapid changes and most probably they are heading towards a radical transformation in the 1980's. Not only in the high potential parts, but also in the semi-arid areas of the Kerio Valley. The keyword for the processes of change is 'Market integration’. Wage labour employment and local off-farm income are no longer of minor importance only. Agriculture and livestock production are commercialising. Land is enclosed and a land market is developing. Farm inputs are bought and many consumer goods and services are no longer only produced by the households themselves. External change agencies play a crucial role in these developments, especially government development projects seem to be important. This paper presents a joint research proposal about the regional and social differentiation of these processes of market integration. On a low level of scale, comparing 27 locations within the two districts, a historical study will be carried out about the relationship between the location of development efforts and the extent and kind of market integration. Within a number o f 'typical’ locations, households will be studied to find out the variation in market integration between them and the changes in tasks and in access to resources, income and decisions within the households.