Essays on household food security among smallholder farmers and pastoralists in Kenya

Date

2019-12

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Abstract

This dissertation presents three papers on household food security and insecurity status of pastoral and smallholder farmers in Northern Kenya, effects of feed the future program on livestock production and food security and the effect of Maize Lethal Necrosis on food security in Kenya. The first paper uses Feed The Future Northern Kenya 2015 survey data collected in 1813 households to identify key determinants of food security among pastoral communities in Northern Kenya using ordered probit models. The study used US HFFSM modified 6-item short-form food security scale to come up with three levels of food security. From the sample, Turkana and Mandera Counties are the most food-insecure Counties with food security standing at 29 percent 44 percent, respectively. The results from ordered probit indicate that daily per capita daily food expenditure, water resource availability, education, and asset ownership increase the likelihood of household food security. However, household food security decreases with households living in rural areas. Household living in urban areas, an increase in per capita food expenditure, attaining a high level of education, and owning assets, reduces the likelihood of a household being low food secure. The increase in the number of livestock increases the probability of rural households being categorized as food secure, thus proving the importance of livestock production among pastoral communities in Northern Kenya. The second paper empirically determines the effects of USAID feed the future resilience and economic growth in arid lands program on livestock production and food security among households in Northern Kenya. This paper use Feed The Future Northern Kenya 2015 survey data collected on 1813 households. Results from Propensity score matching model (PSM) estimation revealed that participating in the REGAL-IR feed the future program increases the number of livestock owned by the household by about 5 animals, increases food security 13.9 percent and increases daily food expenditure of the household by shillings 45. Participating in the REGAL-AG program increases the number of livestock and food security by about 2 animals and 8.6 percent respectively. However, the REGAL-AG program does not affect daily food expenditure. Lastly, the third paper evaluates the effects of maize lethal necrosis (MLN) on food security and farm income of smallholder farmers in Kenya using data from the Tegemeo Agricultural Institute 2014 survey. The estimation procedure involves the use of propensity score matching to determine the effect of MLN on household food security and farm incomes. Results indicate that Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN) disease reduces household food security by about 13.6 percent while it reduces farm income by about shillings 814 per acre.

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Keywords

Food security, Smallholder farmer, Pastoralist, Maize lethal necrosis, Kenya

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