In the west of the country the industry has paid for hospitals and schools.

But one of the oldest factories now is empty after going into liquidation - closed by a combination of debts, bad management and the falling price of sugar.

The sugar cane has come at a heavy price. Action Aid estimates that the sugar industry has lost 16,000 jobs and a further 20,000 have gone in transport and packaging.

Unable to compete

The problem stems from Kenya opening its markets to other African sugar producers - producers whose prices are influenced by the world market.

The price of sugar on the world market, some may argue, is kept low because of sugar from heavily subsidised European sugar beet farmers.

Most of the sugar being imported into Kenya is surplus sugar from other countries. It is being sold at a much lower price than Kenyan sugar costs to produce - leaving the local sugar farmers unable to compete.

The European Union says it helps developing countries by buying some of their sugar at higher EU prices. But in reality, the amount of sugar bought from Kenya by the EU is not enough to make a significant difference.

There are strict rules for importing food into the UK. For details please visit the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website.

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