Colonial Agricultural Credit Dataset (LABK), Kenya, 1955–1958

This dataset is an original, structured compilation of archival records on agricultural credit systems in colonial Kenya, focusing on the institutional operations of the Land and Agricultural Bank of Kenya (LABK) and associated government credit schemes. It is based on systematic extraction from primary sources held at the Kenya National Archives (KNA), particularly the BV11750 series, as well as official LABK annual reports (1930s–1940s). The dataset consists of standardized observations derived from heterogeneous archival materials, including administrative correspondence, policy memoranda, financial reports, and statistical tables. Each record has been codified using a consistent schema that captures: (1) temporal variables (date, year), (2) institutional actors (e.g., District Commissioners, Agricultural Officers, Treasury officials), (3) thematic classifications (credit allocation, repayment, supervision, policy design), and (4) analytically derived variables, including tipo_control_credito (technical, administrative, financial, legal, political, social) and nivel_control (high, medium, low). Methodologically, the dataset was constructed through manual archival transcription, normalization, and coding procedures designed to ensure internal consistency and reproducibility. Data cleaning included standardization of date formats (ISO 8601), controlled vocabularies for categorical variables, and the assignment of source identifiers (source_ref) to ensure traceability to specific archival files and document sections. Missing or incomplete information was explicitly coded, and no synthetic or imputed data were introduced. The primary contribution of this dataset lies in its transformation of non-standardized archival evidence into a structured, interoperable format suitable for both qualitative and quantitative analysis. It enables systematic examination of credit allocation mechanisms, administrative control structures, and repayment dynamics within a colonial institutional framework. The inclusion of analytically constructed variables allows for comparative and replicable research on governance, financial control, and economic policy implementation. This dataset constitutes an original research output, suitable for academic reuse, and is aligned with current standards in data transparency, reproducibility, and open science in the humanities and social sciences. It is designed to support further research, including statistical analysis, comparative studies, and integration with other historical datasets.