DIVERSIFICATION OF INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES AND IMPLICATIONS ON HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY: PRACTICES AND LESSONS FROM LOCAL COMMUNITIES OF BARINGO COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

An estimated 690 million people worldwide are hungry denying them the fundamental human right on food. Agriculture, which ought to play a crucial role of sustaining household food security is climate sensitive, hence suffer from the effect of climate change and variability.The fundamental elements of food security which include availability, access, utilization and stability have become untenable. This paper examined the indigenous agricultural diversification strategies and their implication on household food security in Baringo County, Kenya. Descriptive survey design was used in the study. A sample of 140 households and 12 Agricultural Extension staff were selected using purposive, proportionate and simple random sampling techniques. Questionnaire, Focus group discussion guide and observation checklist were used to collect data. The findings indicated that a wide range of diversification strategies including knowledge and skill based, enterprise based, diet based, food sources, farming routines and storage based diversification were adopted by households.The study concluded that diversification strategies were mitigation measure against climate change and food insecurity. The study recommended the up scaling best practices of diversification to improve household food security.