Assessment of Household Status and Determination of the Measures Used to Overcome Food Insecurity in Kuria East Sub-County, Migori County, Kenya

The issue of food security has been of fundamental importance in the world. As a basic need, food has been a major discussion issue in many round tables held by food organizations like FAO, WFP and governments in Kenya. The aim of this paper is to assess household food status and determination of the measures used to overcome food insecurity in Kuria East Sub County, Kenya. A sample of 316 households was picked through systematic sampling technique from Kegonga and Ntimaru divisions. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the required data from household heads. The assessment of household food status was assessed based on the proportion of household land under food production and the measures used to overcome food insecurity situation was assessed based on various means used by household to acquire food during food shortage. The assessment of household food status was analysed by descriptive analysis (cross tabulation and percentages) while the measures used to overcome food insecurity situation was analysed using descriptive analysis (percentages). The data analysis showed that majority of households owned small proportion of land (1.1-2.0 acres) under food production. 83.9% (majority) offered labour services in return for food, 81.9% sold cash crop/livestock to buy food while 66.9% purchased food by selling their assets, 66.9% bought food from their fellow farmers and 43.7% borrowed food from their neighbours and relatives. The study recommended that the County government to create adequate employment opportunities both on-farm and off-farm so as to improve food purchasing power among households in the study area. Keywords: Food security, Households, Food Productio

Access to Water among Slum Dwellers in Nakuru Town, Kenya: Lessons from Kaptembwa Location

Majority of urban residents in sub-Saharan Africa live in slums often characterised by lack of basic services such as water and sewerage.  With increasing pressures due to population growth, aging infrastructure, climate change, coupled with an unsustainable conventional water management, cities and urban areas in sub-Saharan African countries are facing enormous difficulties and will experience huge challenges in future in efficiently managing the scarce and increasingly unreliable water resources. This paper examines the level of access to water among slum dwellers in Nakuru town, Kaptembwo location, Kenya. The guiding questions the paper addresses are: (1) What is the level of households’ access to water? and (2) Has NAWASSCO met the demand for water by residents? A descriptive survey design was used and structured questionnaire administered to 280 households to collect the requisite data. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistical techniques and statistical software (SPSS) version 20. Results show that only 65.6% of the basic water requirements of the residents are met and that only 25% of the households access the minimum recommended 50 l/c/d. The low levels of investment in water infrastructure is the major explanatory reason for reduced access to water services. The paper shows that the domestic water supply in Kaptembwo is quite low according to the international standards. This situation is attributed to poor and inefficient water distribution system, unreliable and irrational rationing system, and poor management of water delivery services by NAWASSCO. This paper thus recommends that NAWASSCO should improve its distribution network and related infrastructure in order to facilitate adequate and reliable water provision to the study area. Other strategies including roof-harvesting and collection of run-off water if properly planned and managed could increase the water supply situation in the study area. Keywords: Access, water services, water supply, slums, household, water infrastructur