- Land Loss: The key factor was a substantial loss of land for African farming. The Act enabled the colonial government to gazette and seize land deemed "vacant" or "unused," and most of these were lands occupied by African communities who lacked formal title deeds or legal documentation. This alienation created fragmented small land holdings for Africans and overcrowding, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.
- Forced Removals: The act led to the forcible removal of African communities from their ancestral lands. These displacements disrupted farming systems, social networks, and cultural practices, further impairing agricultural production and livelihoods.
- Taxation: Colonial taxation policies increased for Africans, partly to encourage them to seek labor in cash crop plantations and white-owned farms, further disincentivizing independent farming.
Impact on Settler Farming Economies:
- Increased Landholdings: The Native Lands Act solidified British settlers' control over large tracts of fertile agricultural land. The establishment of European settler farms and plantations expanded, increasing overall agricultural production and cash crop exports from Kenya.
- Labor Source: With the loss of land, many Africans became tenants on settler farms or moved to urban areas to become wage laborers. This cheap and plentiful labor force contributed to settler economy growth and development.
- Technological Advancements: The increased capital and resources available to settler farmers allowed them to invest in modern farming technologies, machinery, improved crop varieties, and agricultural research, increasing productivity and profitability.
While the Native Lands Act benefited the settler farming economy, it had devastating and long-term consequences for African farming economies, marginalizing them for decades and contributing to the current inequality in land distribution and access to resources in Kenya.