Communicating Food Quality and Safety Standards in the Informal Market Outlets of Pastoral Camel Suusa and Nyirinyiri Products in Kenya

Abstract

The foods pastoral women process using indigenous knowledge have potential to enhance food security to households and health benefits to consumers but safety and quality concerns of consumers presents market barriers. This could be addressed through communicating food quality and safety standards. However, there are challenges in reaching the actors producing, processing and trading camel Suusa (spontaneously fermented milk) and Nyirinyiri (deep fried meat) because they are predominantly in the informal markets. This study identified communication strategies used to promote uptake of food quality and safety standards and level of awareness of actors along the value chains using data from survey, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Participatory appraisal. Results indicated low level of awareness among actors in the informal markets of Camel Suusa and Nyirinyiri. This can be attributed to underutilization of communication strategies to promote uptake of food quality and safety standards in the informal markets.