Food Survival Strategies Among Households in Land Limited Rural Areas in Kenya
Main Article Content
Keywords
Food security, food survival strategies, households, land, rural area
Abstract
Reduced land sizes in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa have contributed to reduced household food production and consequently heightened food insecurity. The practice of land sub-division and generational land inheritance ranks among the common causes of shrinking land in the region. Since human survival depends on food among other basic needs, households have to devise strategies to enhance access to food. Therefore, this paper examines the food survival strategies that households in Nyamira North Sub County have adopted to circumvent food insecurity resulting from shrinking land sizes. Specifically, the paper explores the food survival strategies among households, factors influencing household adoption of food survival strategies, and challenges households face in the process of ensuring their food security in the study area. The paper ends by providing recommendations on how households’ food survival strategies can be strengthened to foster the attainment of Kenya’s Big Four Agenda, the African Union Agenda, 2063, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
References
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Muraoka, R., Jin, S., & Jayne, T.S. (2014). Land Access, Land Rental and Food Security: Evidence from Kenya. Selected Paper prepared for presentation at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association’s 2014 AAEA Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, July 27-29.
Ndeyapo, N., & Martha, N. (2013). Food Deserts and Household Food Insecurity in The Informal Settlements of Windhoek, Namibia. University of Cape Town: Unpublished PhD Thesis
Obonyo V., Otieno, C., & Ang`awa, F. (2016). Land Fragmentation and Food Security in Ugunja Sub-County, Siaya County, Kenya. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences. Volume 19, No 1, pp 53-73.
Owino, F.O. (2019). Socio-cultural Determinants of Food Security and Consumption Patterns in Kisumu, Kenya. Journal of Food and Public Health 2019, 9(4): 119-124
Sakyi, P. (2012). Determinants of Food Accessibility of Rural Households in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Ghent University: Unpublished Msc Thesis.
Sarkar, S., & Shekhar, C. (2017). Household Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies in A Rural Community of West Bengal. Social Science Spectrum. Vol. 3, No. 1, PP. 16-26
Uddin, M.E. (2012). Household Food Security Status of Marginal Farmers in Selected Storm Surge Prone Coastal Area of Bangladesh. The Agriculturists 10: 98–103.
Wickramaarachchi, N.C., & Weerahewa, J. (2016). Land Fragmentation and Land Productivity: Empirical Evidence from Land Distribution Schemes of Sri Lanka. Journal of Business and Management. Vol. No.5 Issue No 1, Page No. 11-21.
Arega, B. B. (2015). Coping Strategies and Household Food Security in Drought-Prone Areas in Ethiopia: The Case of Lay Gayint District. Gjds, vol. 12, no. 1 & 2.
Auya, S. (2023). Emerging Role of Women in Household Food Access in Nyamira North Sub County, Kenya. African Journal of Education, Science and Technology, 7(3). https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2022/ajest.v7i3.840
Auya, S., Barasa, F. & Sambu, L. (2022). Land Sub-Division and its Impact on Household Food Security. Evidence from Nyamira North Sub County, Kenya. International Journal of Science and Research. Volume 11 Issue 4.
Auya, S., Barasa, F. & Sambu, L. (2021). Food Survival Strategies and Social Life in Households: A Critical Literature Review. IAR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 2(2): 24-31. DOI:10.47310/jiarjhss.v02i02.004
Awinda D, O. (2018). The socio-economic Impacts of Irrigated Smallholder Agriculture on Sustainable Household Food Security in Kenya. Kabarak Journal of Research & Innovation Volume 6 Number 2.
Bushara, M. & Ibrahim, H.H. (2017). Food Security Status for The Household: A Case Study of Al-Qadarif State, Sudan. Journal of Socialomics 6: 217. Doi:10.1472/2167-0358.1000217
Cohen, M. N. (1977). The Food Crisis in Prehistory. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Cordero-Ahiman, O.V., Santellano-Estrada, E., & Garrido, A. (2018). Food Access and Coping Strategies Adopted by Households to Fight Hunger Among Indigenous Communities of Sierra Tarahumara in Mexico. Sustainability, 10, 473.
Dunga, H.M., & Dunga, S.H. (2017). Coping Strategies Among the Food-Insecure Household in Malawi, A Case of Female and Male-Headed Household in South Eastern of Malawi. International Journal of Social Sciences and Humanity Studies. Vol 9, no 1.
Echebiri, R,N., Chigozirim,N,O., & Nwaogu, D.C (2018). Effect of Livelihood Diversification on Food Security Status of Rural Farm Households In Abia State Nigeria. Scientific Papers Series Management, Economic Engineering in Agriculture and Rural Development Vol. 17, issue 1.
Elmerinda, M.F. (2016). Coping Strategies and Household Resilience to Food Insecurity in Chamwino and Manyoni Districts, Tanzania. Sokoine University of Agriculture: Unpublished PhD Thesis
Farzana F. D., Rahman A. S., Sultana S., Raihan M.J., Haque M.A., Waid J.L., Ahmed. T., & Choudhury, N. (2017). Coping Strategies Related to Food Insecurity at The Household Level in Bangladesh. PLoS ONE 12(4): e0171411. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0171411
Gilbert, J. (2017). Custodians of the Land: Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and Cultural Integrity. New-York: Transnational Publishers.
Kabui, I.B. (2012). Household Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies Among Small Scale Farmers in Tharaka Central Division, Kenya: Kenyatta University: Unpublished Msc Thesis.
Kassie, M., Ndiritu, S. W., & Stage, J. (2014). What Determines Gender Inequality in Household Food Security in Kenya? Application of Exogenous Switching Treatment Regression. World Development, 56:153–171.
Kazal, M.M.H., Villinueva, C.C., Hossain M.Z., & Das T.K. (2010). Food Security Strategies of The People Living in Haor Areas: Status and Prospects. American International University: Dhaka.
Kipkemboi, R. (2019). Land Sub-Division Hurting Kenya’s Farming, Nairobi: Nation Media Group, Sunday, July 7. Available at: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/analysis/columnists/Land-sub-division-hurting-Kenya-farming/4259356-5186516-ftonjj/index.html
Kiplimo,L.B., & Ng’eno, V. (2016). Understanding the Effect of Land Fragmentation on Farm Level Efficiency: An Application of Quantile Regression-Based Thick Frontier Approach to Maize Production in Kenya. Conference paper
at the 5th International Conference of the African Association of Agricultural Economists, September 23-26, 2016,
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Mbula, R. (2018). Land Dilemma in Nyamira, Kisii as Population Grows, Nairobi: Nation Media Group, Wednesday January 3: Available At: https://www.nation.co.ke/counties/nyamira/Land-dilemma-in-Nyamira--Kisii-as-population-grows/3444896-4249484-1kykrrz/index.html
Mbula. R. (2017). Food Insecurity Fears as Land Division Eats into Agriculture. Nairobi: Nation Media Group, Monday September 11. Available at: https://www.nation.co.ke/business/Food-insecurity-fears-land-division-agriculture/996-4090714-w1njscz/index.html
Messele. R. (2011). Food Security Status and Coping Strategies of Female-Headed Households in Addis Ababa: The Case of Woreda 01 In Gullelle Sub-City. Addis Ababa University: Unpublished PhD Thesis.
Molen,P.V. (2017). Food Security, Land Use and Land Surveyors, Survey Review, 49:353, 147-152, DOI: 10.1080/00396265.2015.113715.9
Muraoka, R., Jin, S., & Jayne, T.S. (2014). Land Access, Land Rental and Food Security: Evidence from Kenya. Selected Paper prepared for presentation at the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association’s 2014 AAEA Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, July 27-29.
Ndeyapo, N., & Martha, N. (2013). Food Deserts and Household Food Insecurity in The Informal Settlements of Windhoek, Namibia. University of Cape Town: Unpublished PhD Thesis
Obonyo V., Otieno, C., & Ang`awa, F. (2016). Land Fragmentation and Food Security in Ugunja Sub-County, Siaya County, Kenya. American Scientific Research Journal for Engineering, Technology, and Sciences. Volume 19, No 1, pp 53-73.
Owino, F.O. (2019). Socio-cultural Determinants of Food Security and Consumption Patterns in Kisumu, Kenya. Journal of Food and Public Health 2019, 9(4): 119-124
Sakyi, P. (2012). Determinants of Food Accessibility of Rural Households in the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Ghent University: Unpublished Msc Thesis.
Sarkar, S., & Shekhar, C. (2017). Household Food Insecurity and Coping Strategies in A Rural Community of West Bengal. Social Science Spectrum. Vol. 3, No. 1, PP. 16-26
Uddin, M.E. (2012). Household Food Security Status of Marginal Farmers in Selected Storm Surge Prone Coastal Area of Bangladesh. The Agriculturists 10: 98–103.
Wickramaarachchi, N.C., & Weerahewa, J. (2016). Land Fragmentation and Land Productivity: Empirical Evidence from Land Distribution Schemes of Sri Lanka. Journal of Business and Management. Vol. No.5 Issue No 1, Page No. 11-21.
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Published
Jun 19, 2023
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Auya , S., Sutter, P., & Barasa , F. (2023). Food Survival Strategies Among Households in Land Limited Rural Areas in Kenya. Journal of Frontiers in Humanities and Social Sciences, 1(1), Pg 1–10. https://doi.org/10.69897/jofhscs.v1i1.11
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