Integrated small scale agricultural production and food security in rural Kenya: a case study of Suwerwa location of Transzoia east district

Abstract

Extreme poverty and hunger in many parts of Kenya is a common phenomenon. In recent years, there has been deteriorating food supply. In the year 2011, approximately 4 million people were facing severe hunger and starvation. This has been attributed to multiple factors: poor traditional agricultural practices, over reliance on maize and maize products as the major source of food, crop failure occasioned by erratic rainfall pattern, runaway food prices occasioned by a rise in global food price, poor logistics in distribution of food to needy people and influx of refugees from war torn neighboring countries. Another factor that has contributed to food shortage is diminishing land sizes as a result of increase in population. What used to be huge arable land suitable for large scale commercial agriculture has been fragmented making large scale farming untenable. This has led to diminishing returns in food production and its attendant consequences. With dwindling agricultural output, household incomes have also been made worse especially in arid and semi arid regions. This study therefore examines the capacity of integrated agricultural production in realization of food security in rural Kenya. The specific objectives of the study is to examine the features of integrated small scale production in Suwerwa Location of Trans-Nzoia District, to evaluate the capacity of integrated small scale agricultural production in realization of food security in rural Kenya, to find out the challenges facing integrated small scale agricultural production and to explore ways of enhancing it. The research was a case study of Suwerwa Location. The research instruments that were used included questionnaires, interview schedules and focus group discussions. The researcher used purposive and simple random sampling to generate a sample size of 200 respondents. The research used both descriptive and analytical methods of data analysis. Chi square test was used to test hypotheses. This study found out that integrated small scale agricultural production as is practiced in Suwerwa location has ensured food self sufficiency for all because of the numerous challenges that farmers face ranging from financial, technical as well as those posed by weather. The study concluded that it is important to reorient farming practices and lay emphasis on the need to integrate farming activities on tiny land holdings. At the same time, farmers must be taught new ways of integrating farm activities. In addition they must move away from rain fed agriculture to irrigation so that they can grow food throughout the year as well as be provided with credit facilities and extension services. The study findings are beneficial to policy makers at planning level for they not only inform them of the farming trends and food situation but also reflect the capacity of the country to attain food sufficiency through integrated small scale agricultural production