Volume 9, Issue 2, November 2014, Pages 797–807
Susan M. Kamuru1, S.T. Kariuki2, N.W. Mungai3, B.O. Bebe4, W. Chiuri5, M. Ngigi6, and F.K. Lelo7
1 Department of Applied Community Development Studies, Egerton University, P.O Box 536,-20115 Egerton, Kenya
2 Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya
3 Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
4 Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya
5 P.O Box, 35074-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
6 Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness management, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
7 Laikipia University, P.O Box 1100-20300, Nyahururu, Kenya
Original language: English
Copyright © 2014 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Food insecurity in Kenya has been experienced over the years and is getting worse. The phenomenon is partly attributed to accelerating global Climate change and variability. This study investigated smallholder farmers' perceptions on climate change; food access and consumption across seasons, and food management strategies for coping with food insecurity, with the aim of identifying promising cases that can be up-scaled to enhance food security. Five sites representative of Kenya's major agro-ecological systems were purposively selected. Three Participatory workshops and focus group discussions for 30 smallholder farmers were held in each site. The participants' collective views showed that frequent droughts, shift in the rainfall season and unpredictable rainfall pattern were climate change indicators common to all sites. Foods widely accessible and consumed were maize, beans, sorghum and cowpeas, with the former two being increasingly consumed due to their adaptability to various climatic conditions, relatively high yield and comparably cheap. In a favorable season, excess food is added value, preserved and stored for an adverse season, in which food is rationed in order to carry the family through for a longer period. There is therefore, need to equip smallholder farmers with knowledge and skills on food processing and preservation, in order to benefit from favorable seasons, by reducing post harvest food losses and spoilage.
Author Keywords: Agro-ecosystems Climate change, Participatory workshop, food security.
Susan M. Kamuru1, S.T. Kariuki2, N.W. Mungai3, B.O. Bebe4, W. Chiuri5, M. Ngigi6, and F.K. Lelo7
1 Department of Applied Community Development Studies, Egerton University, P.O Box 536,-20115 Egerton, Kenya
2 Department of Biological Sciences, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya
3 Department of Crops, Horticulture and Soils, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
4 Department of Animal Sciences, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115 Egerton, Kenya
5 P.O Box, 35074-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
6 Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness management, Egerton University, P.O Box 536-20115, Egerton, Kenya
7 Laikipia University, P.O Box 1100-20300, Nyahururu, Kenya
Original language: English
Copyright © 2014 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Food insecurity in Kenya has been experienced over the years and is getting worse. The phenomenon is partly attributed to accelerating global Climate change and variability. This study investigated smallholder farmers' perceptions on climate change; food access and consumption across seasons, and food management strategies for coping with food insecurity, with the aim of identifying promising cases that can be up-scaled to enhance food security. Five sites representative of Kenya's major agro-ecological systems were purposively selected. Three Participatory workshops and focus group discussions for 30 smallholder farmers were held in each site. The participants' collective views showed that frequent droughts, shift in the rainfall season and unpredictable rainfall pattern were climate change indicators common to all sites. Foods widely accessible and consumed were maize, beans, sorghum and cowpeas, with the former two being increasingly consumed due to their adaptability to various climatic conditions, relatively high yield and comparably cheap. In a favorable season, excess food is added value, preserved and stored for an adverse season, in which food is rationed in order to carry the family through for a longer period. There is therefore, need to equip smallholder farmers with knowledge and skills on food processing and preservation, in order to benefit from favorable seasons, by reducing post harvest food losses and spoilage.
Author Keywords: Agro-ecosystems Climate change, Participatory workshop, food security.
How to Cite this Article
Susan M. Kamuru, S.T. Kariuki, N.W. Mungai, B.O. Bebe, W. Chiuri, M. Ngigi, and F.K. Lelo, “Food Management Strategies for Coping with Food Insecurity in a Changing and Variable Climate by Smallholder Farmers in Kenya,” International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 797–807, November 2014.
