Role of livestock projects in empowering women smallholder farmers for sustainable food security in rural Kenya

Abstract

Women are a major human resource and assure adequate nutrition, health and cognitive development of their households and children in their formative years. However, women are over-represented among the poor, suffer heavy workloads and have little control over resources for family care. Poverty and food insecurity are enhanced by lack of access to, and control over assets, and lack of access to institutions that provide opportunities and buffer from shocks and crises. The need to improve household food security and empower women in households has seen the implementation of agricultural projects, particularly livestock projects that target women smallholder farmers. These projects are used as one of the major strategies to expand agricultural output in rural areas. Livestock contributes a higher share of income to rural households, improves food security and possibly enhances women's participation in civic activities. Livestock development projects seek to empower women through increased household incomes, improve household incomes of women and nutritional status of women and other members of the households. This paper sought to establish a link between participation in livestock projects, socioeconomic status and nutritional status of index women. A crosssectional survey with a case-control model was conducted to establish the link between participation in a livestock project. Socioeconomic and nutritional status of women from beneficiary and non-beneficiary households of livestock projects in Vihiga District, Kenya was assessed using both the Body Mass and the Brokas Index.. A total of 300 beneficiary and non-beneficiary women were interviewed and their heights and weights measured during the study. Results revealed better incomes, education levels and nutritional status among the beneficiary women. Development projects can attain their objectives when there is deliberate effort to ensure that the project goals are understood by all stakeholders, to create commitment to resource redirection and embrace the purpose of the project. There has to be proper understanding of the familial and community cultures and practices if the course of women is to be addressed profitably, with full support of their husbands and the entire household for the success of the project.

Association Between Duration of Community-based Group Membership and Sustainable Livelihoods for Kenyan Women Dairy Farmers

“…"Intermediate" was used to describe the dairy production and livelihood asset and outcome measurements for one-to three-year members. Other studies found higher milk production, average per-capita milk consumption, and income from milk sales among farmers involved in dairying for at least three years (Lwelamira et al, 2010;Walingo, 2009). We assert that this early period is needed to enhance women's capacity and confidence to use their limited resources for enhanced milk production.…”

“…Herd size for nonmembers reflected the median herd size of 1.3 animals reported for smallholders in the Kenyan highlands (Bebe, 2003). Increased milk production and incomes of smallholder farmers resulting from the use of cross-bred cows and better livestock management through farmer training, has been reported after two to four years in Ethiopia (Ahmed et al, 2000) and after three years in Kenya (Walingo, 2009). Sustained higher milk production with longer WDL membership may be attributed to the ability of WDL to market and pay for milk and to women retaining control of dairy income.…”

The Effects of Household Food Production Strategies on the Health and Nutrition Outcomes of Women and Young Children: A Systematic Review

“…Differences in rates of decline between intervention and control groups were not reported. Neither the HFP programme in Cambodia 46 nor a dairy project in Kenya 61 reported significant changes in women's weight or BMI.…”

“…In total, 17 articles reported on health and nutrition outcomes of women, usually the mother of an index child 30,33,34,36,42,43,45–47,49,55–59,61,62 All reported diet and/or nutrient intakes; three reported anaemia outcomes; three reported anthropometry and one reported morbidity data. No studies reported on the VA status of women.…”

Agricultural interventions for improved nutrition: A review of livelihood and environmental dimensions

“…Potato (5) de;Hagenimana et al (1999);Hagenimana et al (2001); Jones and de Brauw (2015);Low et al et al (2002b)/(Faber et al 2002a);(Laurie and Faber 2008);(Smitasiri et al 1999);(Vijayaraghavan et al 1997) Diversification (17) Home Production: Diversified (11) Bezner Kerr et al (2011); Bushamuka et al (2005); English et al (1997) / English and Badcock (1998); Greiner and Mitra (1995); (Kaufer et al 2010); Langworthy and Caldwell (2009); Schmidt and Vorster 1995; Marsh (1997) / Talukder et al (2000); Taher et al . (1999) / Kassa et al (2003); Hoorweg et al (2000); Miller et al (2014); Rawlins et al(2014);Walingo (2009) or add to food production activities, necessitate shifting or new food consumption behaviors, and fit into a complex political, economic and environmental context. As we develop and strengthen agricultural interventions that improve nutrition, our typologies provide a tool to differentiate among this set of interventions.…”