Alleviating food insecurity and landlessness through Pelis in Kenya

Abstract

Although PELIS was established mainly to promote forest plantation development through enhancing forest establishment and the survival of plantation trees, it has also provided other significant benefits such as making available arable land for the landless and contributing to food production. This study investigated the contribution of PELIS towards alleviating food insecurity and landlessness. Selected forest zones, where PELIS is practiced were used. Communities residing near the forests were served with questionnaires to document arable lands given and food produced. Results showed that PELIS provided an annual average of upto 2,000 hectares of arable land to the landless, which contributed an annual total average of upto 3 million bags of potatoes from the forest zones investigated. This study recommends that management considers establishing PELIS in the other remaining forest zones in order to provide more arable land and consequently increase food production.