The khat industry at full capacity in eastern Africa

Khat (Catha edulis), a plant found across much of highland eastern Africa, is chewed for its stimulant and euphoric qualities. It is legal in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Kenya and Uganda, but is illegal in Tanzania. It is imported into Somalia daily, but has been blamed for fuelling the war and chaos there.

Controversy surrounds khat with some arguing that using it seriously affects the health, sanity and social well-being of consumers and their families. Others deny that khat causes any significant harm, arguing that it provides much needed income to those who produce and trade the plant.

As the consumption of khat has increased, the supply of khat leaves and twigs has kept pace with growing consumer demand. In the Ethiopian region of Harerege the production of khat has grown steadily over the past 50 years, while coffee production has declined over the same period. In 1975, khat and coffee each covered 6.6 percent of the land under cultivation. By 2000, khat had risen to 18.4 percent compared to 4 percent for coffee. Ethiopian khat farmers have been found to have a higher level of food security than non-khat growers. In 2004, 25.4 percent of Ethiopian khat growers were self-sufficient compared to 11.4 percent of non-khat growers.

In Kenya, khat production, centred mainly in the Nyambene Hills, is responsible for the economic prosperity of the Igembe and Tigania clans of the Meru. However, growing areas in Kenya are spreading beyond the Nyambene Hills and drawing more people into the industry. Wild khat is also harvested in parts of Kenya and Uganda.

One striking aspect of the khat industry is the remarkable distribution system that links producer and consumer. Khat must reach consumers rapidly because cathinone, an active ingredient, degrades within 48 hours of it being picked. It is transported by road and air to cities and remote hamlets. It is also exported from Nairobi and Addis Ababa to London and other markets in Europe and North America. The UK government recently decided to keep khat legal. However, upon reaching many European countries and North America, khat becomes contraband.

In its main production countries, khat is a legal substance that contributes to the local economy. Khat production, distribution and production takes place without the benefit of agricultural extension services, tax breaks, or any other conventional development assistance. The distribution system should be the envy of any logistics officer working in eastern Africa. It is an industry that operates at full capacity.

Rather than ignoring or trying to suppress the khat industry, governments should consider the potential economic benefits of supporting khat production. A well regulated industry will produce tax revenues and boost export income, as in Ethiopia. However, khat is not harmless and users require accurate information concerning the likely effects of prolonged heavy use.

Susan Beckerleg
Department of Public Health and Policy, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
susan.beckerleg@lshtm.ac.uk

See also

The Khat Controversy: Stimulating the Drugs Debate, Berg: Oxford, by David Anderson, Susan Beckerleg, Degol Hailu and Axel Klein, Forthcoming, April 2007
Link

'What Harm? Kenyan and Ugandan Perspectives on Khat', African Affairs 105(419), pages 219-241, by Susan Beckerleg, 2006
afraf.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/105/419/219

'A View from the Refugee Camps: New Somali Khat Use in Kenya', Drugs and Alcohol Today 5(3), pages 25-27, by Susan Beckerleg and Nuur Sheekh, 2005
www.pavpub.com/pavpub/journals/DAT/index.asp

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