The Unwritten Rules of Marikiti Market

Kevin Kamau learned this the hard way when he arrived at Nairobi's Marikiti Market with a truckload of potatoes, ready to sell. After queuing from 3 a.m. to secure a spot, he discovered that getting into the market was only half the challenge. Traders could tell he was an outsider, buyers kept passing his truck, and hours went by without a sale. His experience reveals a side of agricultural trade that rarely gets discussed: beyond producing quality crops, farmers still have to navigate market access, established relationships and the unwritten rules of doing business.