Declining sugar industry and implications on livelihoods in Western Kenya

Abstract

The sugar industry was in the 80’ 90’s and early 2000’s a major economic backbone that informed livelihoods and gender roles at household level in Western Kenya. However, the declining status of the industry has affected living standards and gender roles in the region. The main objectives of his study was to analyse qualitative economic impacts on livelihoods at household level in Western Kenya; to assess the reconstruction of gender roles in the context of the declining sugar industry in Western Kenya and to evaluate the emerging livelihood coping strategies at household level in Western Kenya. The study was informed by Sustainable Livelihoods Approach and Social Role Theory of Sex Differences and Similarities by (Eagly and Wood, 2012). It adopted phenomenological study design. The target population consisted of men and women in households that depended on sugarcane farming as their major source of income and livelihood. The sample size consisted of 36 households where 15 households were purposely selected from Mumias sugar belt zone and 7 households from each sugar belt zone in Nzoia, West Kenya and Busia. Methods of data collection included in-depth interviews at household level; focus group discussions; key interviews; observation and field notes to attain data triangulation hence a rich description of the findings. Data analysis was done by using themes and presented in verbatim. The findings of the 1 st objective revealed that the establishment of the sugar industry in Western Kenya led to urbanization, industrialization and structural adjustment programs in the region. The declining status of the industry has led to poverty; unemployment; crime and insecurity; inter- household conflicts and theft, stress depression and death; land sub-division; food shortage; cane-cutters migration; women engagement in microenterprise activities and renaming of business premises. The findings further revealed that women have taken over bread winning role; men do not recognize women as household providers; women still respect and hold dignity for their men; men are involuntarily performing household chores. The findings of the 3 rd objective revealed households have adopted table banking; microenterprise activities; income generating activities; community initiatives; social network and livelihood groups; leadership roles in community initiatives; casual labour; extra marital relations, mischief and harshness, drunkenness and alcoholism and investment in rental houses and business premises among the upper class in the region. The study concluded that the declining status of the sugar industry in Western Kenya has led to men’s inability to adequately provide for their household needs and livelihoods; changing gender roles and adoption of diversified coping strategies to manage risks and shocks at household level. The study recommends that the Kenyan policy on livelihoods and rural poverty reduction should consider allocating more financial resources for intensive agricultural services in Western Kenya and investment in human capital at community level for improved life skills. Kenyan gender policy should be reviewed to include women contribution to livelihoods welfare and wellbeing and consider allocating more financial resources in human capital to train more women in micro finance and business skills for improved and rewarding income at household level hence improved standards of living at household level.