Chapter 14
In: Agricultural Intensification, Environmental Conservation, Conflict and Co-Existence at Lake Naivasha, Kenya
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Abstract
The cut-flower and horticulture industry at Lake Naivasha has been witness to numerous unexpected and predictable crises in the last decade. The most notable of these include fluctuation of lake levels, the global economic crisis between 2008 and 2010, volcanic activity that disrupted airfreight across Europe in 2010, and shortage of inputs like fertilisers. However, the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented; it caught many off-guard and thus defied any form of preparation. In this chapter, we explore the social-economic effects of COVID-19 containment measures on the sensitive industry, the lessons learned, and different strategies that industry actors have deployed to prepare for the future. We approach these questions from the conceptual lenses of risk, uncertainty, and preparing for the future. We observe that exposure to risks and uncertainty plays an increasingly important role in the industry’s consciousness of the unknown and informs deliberate actions aimed at “controlling” the future.