Household Coping and Adaptive Strategies Undertaken by Households to Enhance Food Security in Makueni County, Kenya
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Date
2020-06
Authors
Kathuri, James Ndwiga
Obando, Joy A.
Kisovi, Leonard M.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies
Abstract
Food insecurity remains a key problem in the World in general and in the low income countries in particular. Examining
how households deal with the challenge of food insecurity is therefore important in order to have more informed policy
interventions. This study examined coping and adaptive strategies undertaken by households to enhance food security in
Makueni County, Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive research design and used a semi-structured questionnaire to
gather data. Observation and photography methods were also used to compliment the questionnaire. While food
insecurity was the dependant variable, the predictor variables were the coping and adaptive strategies used by the
households to deal with food insecurity situations. From 400 respondents selected in Makueni County, Kenya, the study
results revealed that nearly all (98%) of the farmers are resilient and uses a number of coping and adaptive strategies to
deal with food insecurity. The coping strategies used include engaging in small scale business, engaging in causal labour
jobs, food aid, food rationing and borrowing from relatives and friends to be able to acquire food among others. The
adaptive strategies on the hand include keeping of livestock, agroforestry, seeking formal employment and undertaking
small scale irrigation among others. The study further established that the coping and adaptive strategies used were not
successful in making households food secure but they were a means of minimizing the effects of food insecurity. The
respondents indicated that the coping and adaptive strategies were not successful in addressing food insecurity due to
factors such as death of livestock due to drought, lack of dams for water, lack of employment opportunities, and lack of
adequate support by the government. This implies that despite use of various coping and adaptive strategies, the farmers
are still vulnerable to food insecurity because the strategies applied merely minimized the effects of food insufficiency.
The study recommends the need to address the households’ food insecurity through strengthening of households coping
and adaptive strategies such as through credit facilities, training, use of technology, creating job opportunities,
enhancing government support through for example extension services and a shift from food aid to inputs for work as
well as diversifying farmers’ livelihood activities.
Description
A Research Article in the The International Journal of Humanities & Social Studies
Keywords
Food insecurity, Coping and adaptive strategies, Drought, Households, Makueni, Kenya
Citation
Kathuri, N.J, Obando, J.A & Kisovi, M.L (2020) Household Coping and Adaptive Strategies Undertaken by Households to Enhance Food Security in Makueni County, Kenya Published in ‘The IJHSS’ Journal, Volume VIII, Issue 6, June, 2020 DOI No.: 10.24940/theijhss/2020/v8/i6/HS2006-066