Assessment of Factors Influencing Food Security in Wenje Division, Tana River County – Kenya

Access to food is recognized as a right as stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948). However, food security is still not universally treated as a basic human right. Despite the various progressive measures adopted by the Government of Kenya and Non-governmental organizations, the status of food security in Tana River County is appalling. This study was designed to assess the factors influencing food security in Wenje Division in Tana River County. The main purpose of the study was to assess the extent to which, climate change, governance, access to markets and land use affected food security. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. Stratified random sampling was employed to select 390 (10%) out of a total population of 3,908 households. Data was collected using a questionnaire and Focus Group Discussions. Descriptive statistics and regression modeling were used to analyze quantitative data. Qualitative data was presented in narrative form. The key results from the study show that climate change (p=0.001) and land use (p=0.001) had a significant effect on food security. These factors were also found to have a negative influence on food security in the area. Further, statistical findings show a significant relationship between access to markets and food security, while governance was not found to have a significant influence on food security perhaps due to the solitary nature of the farming households. The study concluded that climate change, market access and land use have a significant influence on food security in Wenje Division, while governance was found not to have a significant influence on food security in the area. The study recommended that the government in partnership with other stakeholders should develop strategies to reduce reliance on rain fed agriculture to mitigate the effects of climate change on food security. The study also recommended land use training and planning to empower farmers with skills in the area to enhance food production. Finally, deliberate efforts should be made by the government and other development actors to enhance market access as this was also found to significantly influence food security in the area

The Nexus between traditional food beliefs and nutritional status of children below two years A case study of the Giriama in Kilifi county Kenya

No Abstract

IMPACT OF SOCIOECONOMICS ON THE LOW ACCESS TO BASIC EDUCATION AMONG GIRLS IN BALI LGA, TARABA STATE NIGERIA

The best asset for developing any society lies on investing in human capital, especially through education. Free basic education has been viewed as a panacea to the development of human capital, especially in the third world countries. One of these countries, such as Nigeria in West Africa, has compulsory policy on free basic education. However, despite heavy investment in the sector, access to basic education for the girl child remains a challenge. The study sought to establish factors influencing low access of the girl-child to free primary education in Nigeria with a focus on Bali Local Government Area (LGA).The researcher used a cross sectional survey research design. An interview schedule and questionnaire were used to collect data. Data collected was analyzed using content analysis and with the help of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) computer programme respectively. Both qualitative and quantitative data was presented using descriptive statistics. The study has established that socio economic and cultural factors have huge influence in inhibiting the girl child’s access to basic education in Bali LGA. It was overwhelmingly (66%) reported that child labour was prevalent in the study area. However, the finding was a reflection of the economic living standards of the households in Bali LGA, where girls were used to support income generation for the households. It emerged during the study that child labour was necessitated by the economic hardships of the parents, drawing its root from poverty, which drives the girls to supplement and boost family income. High (60%) rates of early marriages were also reported in this study. The researcher recommends that the government of Nigeria should introduce new innovative initiatives to control child labour and enforce anti child labour laws.  Article visualizations

East African coastal forest under pressure

The Arabuko Sokoke dryland coastal forest along the East African coastline provides a unique habitat for many endangered endemic animal and plant species. High demographic pressure with subsequent land-splitting, soil depletion in combination with erratic rainfalls and the collapse of the tourism industry are negatively affecting food security and human livelihood quality in this region. Food crops were originally produced by subsistence farming, but have now to be purchased at local-and super-markets, constituting a major financial burden for the local people. In consequence, overexploitation of natural resources from Arabuko Sokoke forest (illegal logging, charcoal burning, poaching of wild animals) increased during the past years. In this commentary we document ecosystem heterogeneity leading to high species richness. We discuss direct and indirect drivers of habitat degradation of the Arabuko Sokoke forest, and critically reflect current and future solutions. Key drivers of habitat destruction and biodiversity loss are (i) illegal timber logging and removal of woody biomass, (ii) poaching of bush-meat, (iii) exceeding of the carrying capacity by the local elephant population, restricted to Arabuko Sokoke by an electric fence, and (iv) weak governance structures and institutional confusion exacerbating illegal exploitation of natural resources. Potential solutions might be: Provisioning of additional income sources; reforestation of the surrounding areas in the framework of REDD+ activities to create a buffer around the remaining primary forest; improving governance structures that formulates clear guidelines on future usage and protection of natural resources within the Arabuko Sokoke forest; and family planning to counteract human demographic pressure and the exploitation of natural resources

"No French Title"

Heroin use and abuse has become a widespread social phenomenon in Kenya. Heroin rehabilitation as a mitigating mechanism has emerged with the Civil Society Organizations (CSO5) taking the lead in the provision of such services than the mandated government agency namely National Agency for the Control Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) in Coast Province. However, the existence and provision of heroin rehabilitation services by the CSOs for over a decade in the country has been occuring against a backdrop of a lack of a legislative framework. This notwithstanding, demand for heroin rehabilitation services is overwhelming and escalating as documented in this work. This study therefore sought to examine the effectiveness of heroin centers in the rehabilitation and social reintegration of users.The main objectives of this study were three fold. First, was to identify factors that have a significant influence on the frequency of heroin use. Second, was to determine the factors that have a significant bearing on the predisposition of heroin users to seek professional help. Third, was to establish factors that account for the effectiveness of heroin rehabilitation centers.The study was an evaluation survey design based on a sample size of 459 informants comprising 384 heroin users, 60 participants in six (6) Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) made up of members of the rehabilitation centers management boards and counsellors as well as 15 key informants drawn from police, prison and medical departments in the studied areas. To ensure a representative sample was drawn both probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used."No French Abstract

Social impact assessment of livelihood promotion programmes in Coastal Kenya

https://www.sg.tum.de/ag/diversitaetssoziologie/forschungforschungsprofile/abgeschlossene-projekte/social-impact-assessment/cbm - Christoffel Blindenmission e.V

Conservation of cultural heritage for community socio-economic prosperity: The case of Lamu East and West Sub-Counties, Lamu County, Kenya

Worldwide, cultural heritage has become both an element and a tool for achieving socio-economic prosperity.This study assessed the contribution of conservation of cultural heritage as a resource for the development of Lamu County. A descriptive survey design was used to conduct the study. Proportionate and systematic random sampling procedures were used to sample key informants and households selected from a sampling frame obtained from Lamu West and East Sub-Counties. An interview schedule and a semi-structured questionnaire were used to collect data from key informants and households respectively. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and narratives. The results revealed that cultural heritage conservation contributes to job creation both directly and indirectly. However, cultural barriers contributed to observed exclusivity in benefitting from income generated from tangible and non-tangible activities. Revenue gains from the cultural heritage are also limited by the poor state of sites such as Pate and Ishakani ruins. The study recommends development and implementation of training programmes in cultural heritage conservation activities to ensure the community is educated and empowered to utilize cultural heritage for socio-economic development. The Government should also institute proper revenue sharing mechanisms to enhance socio-economic development of the Lamu County community

Lack of benefit sharing undermines support for nature conservation in an Eastern Afromontane biodiversity hotspot

Successful forest conservation in the tropics depends on various biophysical, socioeconomic, cultural, and political factors. Researchers, environmental practitioners, and local people recognize the need to resolve longstanding systemic weaknesses in environmental governance institutions, to make mainstream environmental policy and action, and to find locally informed and adaptive conservation measures. This also applies to the preservation of cloud-forest fragments of the Taita Hills in southern Kenya, a section of the Afromontane biodiversity hotspot. These forest remnants host many endemic and endangered plant and animal species, and suffer under deforestation and forest degradation. We conducted structured surveys with 300 smallholder farmers living around three forest fragments in the Taita Hills. Our results indicate a lack of knowledge about biodiversity and ecosystem functions among local people. We found an inverse relationship between the level of formal education and practical environmental knowledge, and a bias toward the protection of plant species, because of their provisional ecosystem services, as opposed to the protection of wild animals, because they are mainly associated with human-wildlife conflicts and large-scale tourism. Unresolved human-wildlife conflicts and missing benefit sharing from tourism has created an anti-conservation attitude. Our study underlines that nature conservation is only feasible if the local people benefit from it in the medium and long terms, and if the added value of conservation for high human-livelihood quality is clearly communicated

Patterns of Mangrove Resource Uses within the Transboundary Conservation Area of Kenya and Tanzania

Mangrove forests provide a wide range of goods and services that sustain communities around the world. This paper explores utilization patterns of extractable mangrove resources by communities within the proposed Kenya–Tanzania transboundary conservation area (TBCA). Some 152 household surveys and 12 nominal group technique discussions were carried out. At least 16 direct-use products were reported to be extracted from the mangroves, with 90% of households found to use mangrove products. Changing patterns of mangrove use in the areas and accessibility point towards unsustainable utilization and promote illegal activities. Mangrove use patterns also show a high level of mangrove dependence by communities for their livelihood. Overharvesting of mangrove wood products is reported to be the major threat facing the forests. There is a need to address the problems of open access through capacity building and awareness creation, development and implementation of harvest plans, and introduction of alternative livelihood options. The results of this study can be used to inform development of the proposed TBCA as well as the establishment of a conservation policy in order to contribute to sustainable utilization of mangroves. These findings are important within the TBCA as well as similar environments around the world.SCOPUS: ar.jinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

Food security and Land use changes Household Data.sav

   Land use changes, spurred by human growth, are still shaping biodiversity worldwide. However, land ownership rights and land use changes have not been sufficiently studied. This study examined land ownership rights and agricultural land usage in Mwatate Sub County, Taita County, Kenya. The study sampled 301 stratified disproportionate and simple random households using a cross sectional design. Data entry and analysis used SPSS 23.0. The Neo-Malthusian hypothesis is utilized to analyze the study results, which demonstrate higher population growth and increased anthropogenic forces on agricultural land. This was due to unsustainable land use practices such deforestation, tree logging, high fuelwood use, clearing bushes for human settlement and cultivation, traditional farming methods, and reliance on agriculture for livelihood. A 95%-confidence Chi-square investigation found a strong link between agricultural land use changes and land ownership rights. Agriculture as a primary sustenance led to deforestation, inefficient farming methods, and bush clearing for cultivation. The study suggests giving households the skills to diversify their income to reduce their dependence on agricultural land use. Land use policy and community education about environmental protection's benefits for agriculture are needed.</p