Stakeholder Empowerment and Implementation of Sustainable Community Food Security Projects in Nyando Basin, Kenya

Onyango George Nyakoyo ,Abuya Isaac Odhiambo

doi:10.7176/jesd/11-4-15

Abstract

Implementation of sustainable community food security projects is a major challenge not only in Kenya, but also in many developing countries affected by acute food insecurity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that stakeholder empowerment may have an influence on implementation of community food security projects. However, few studies have established the association between stakeholder empowerment and implementation of community. The study was conducted in the Nyando basin of Western Kenya. The Nyando basin is one of the regions in Kenya that experiences serious food insecurity. The perennial flooding and with the basin exposes the families and communities in the Nyando Basin not only to food insecurity but also to diseases that cumulatively affect the productive capacity of the families and communities living within the basin. A cross-sectional study design was used. The target population was 769 people composed of members of three food security projects (cassava, sorghum and sweet potato projects), agricultural extension officers, county government officials, managers of non-governmental organizations providing technical support to community food security projects within the basin. A sample size of 260 was computed using Krecjie and Morgan (1970) sample size estimation. Data was collected using questionnaire. Simple random sampling and stratified sampling procedures were used. Descriptive and inferential data were analysed. Descriptive statistics included frequencies, means and standard deviation, while inferential statistics included Pearson product moment correlation coefficient, coefficient of determination, ANOVA and regression coefficients. There was statistically significant relationship between stakeholder empowerment and implementation of sustainable community food security projects ((r = 0.292 and p = 0.000; thus, p value of 0.000 < 0.05). It is recommended that stakeholder empowerment processes should be prioritized in community food security projects to make them sustainable. It is also recommended that stakeholder empowerment should be integrated in community food security policies and projects. Keywords : Stakeholder Empowerment, Food Security, Sustainable Community Food Security Projects, Nyando Basin. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/11-4-15 Publication date: February 29 th 2020

Highlights

Implementation of sustainable community food security projects is a major challenge in Kenya, and in many developing countries affected by acute food insecurity
The purpose of the study was to establish the relationship between stakeholder empowerment and implementation of sustainable community food security projects
The findings indicate that there is significant relationship between stakeholder empowerment and implementation of community food security projects

Summary

Introduction

Implementation of sustainable community food security projects is a major challenge in Kenya, and in many developing countries affected by acute food insecurity. Anecdotal evidence suggests that stakeholder empowerment may have an influence on implementation of community food security projects. To address food insecurity in the country in a more sustainable manner, the government developed the National Food and Nutrition Policy in 2011.The National Policy proposes a number of policy interventions to address the food and nutritional challenges in Kenya. Mobilization of community support to address the growing food and nutrition challenge in the country is identified by the national policy as a critical pillar of sustainable food and nutrition in Kenya, thereby centering sustainable community food security projects in the national policy discourse and interventions. The subsequent section presents review of literature on the concept of community food security and presents a rationale for stakeholder empowerment in community food security projects

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Methods

Conclusion