Influence Of Gender Inequality On Food Security: A Case For Usigu Division Of Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of gender inequality on Food Security in Usigu Division of Siaya County in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to: examine the extent to which gender inequality in land ownership and control influence food security; assess how gender inequality in access to information and education influence food security; establish how gender inequality in access to health services influence food security; analyze the extent to which gender inequality in access to paid employment opportunities influence food security and finally determine how gender inequality in access to credit facilities influence food security in Usigu Division of Siaya County in Kenya. This study adopted a descriptive survey design in describing the gender inequalities and their influence on food security. The study employed three types of sampling procedure; purposeful sampling in identifying key informants from known players in food security relevant to the study. Multi stage random sampling was used to select villages, sub locations and households for interview. Furthermore, stratified random sampling was used to determine the male and female respondents. Key study instruments were questionnaires and interview guides. Questionnaires were administered to selected male and female respondents along the food production chain while interview guide was used to collect data from key informants. Data was collected by Research Assistants under the supervision of the researcher. Data collected was analyzed both descriptively and inferentially. Computer statistical package for Social Scientists (SPSS) was used to analyze the quantitative data and graphical presentations generated. Qualitative data checklists was developed based on the research themes and interpreted along those thematic areas. The findings of the study indicate that with an exception of access to information and education, there exists gender inequalities in land ownership and control, access to health services, access to paid employment and access to credit facilities. The findings show further that the extent of influence of land ownership and control, access to information and education, access to health services, access to paid employment and access to credit facilities varies in male and female headed households. The study found that there was a significant association between land acreage in Male Headed Households and food security as indicated by 𝑥(2)2= 26.948, 𝑝= 0.000<0.05. However, in FHHs, there was no significant association between land acreage and food security as indicated by 𝑥(2)2= 4.465, 𝑝= 0.107>0.05. This implies that whereas land ownership was a determinant factor of food security in Male Headed Households (MHHs), it was not a factor in Female Headed Households (FHHs). In terms of access to information and educations, the study found that there was no significant association between level of education attained and food security in MHHs. Thus, [𝑥(1)2= 3.608, 𝑝= 0.058 >0.05]; implying that level of education was not a determining factor for food security in MHHs. However, in FHHs, there was a significant association between level of education attained and food security [𝑥(3)2= 13.863, 𝑝= 0.003< 0.05; implying that level of education was a determining factor for food security in FHHs. As regards access to health services, the study found that in both MHHs and FHHs, there was a significant association between access to health services and food security [𝑥(1)2= 48.166, 𝑝= 0.000< 0.05] and [𝑥(2)2= 6.968, 𝑝= 0.031< 0.05] respectively; implying that accessibility to health services had a significant role in determining food security in both MHHs and FHHs. In terms of access to paid employment, the study found that there was a significant association between access to paid employment and food security in FHHs: [𝑥(1)2= 5.872, 𝑝= 0.015< 0.05]; However, there was no significant association between access to paid employment and food security in MHHs: [𝑥(1)2= 0.013, 𝑝= 0.909 >0.05]. This implies that access to paid employment had a significant role in determining food security in FHHs but not in MHHs households. Finally, the study found that there was a significant association between access to xiv credit facilities and food security in both FHHs and MHHs. Thus, [𝑥(1)2= 7.017, 𝑝= 0.008< 0.05] and [𝑥(1)2= 21.429, 𝑝= 0.000< 0.05] respectively; implying that access to credit facilities had a significant role in determining food security in both FHHs and MHHs. The study recommends that the government, gender and human rights activists and development experts focus their attention on the implementation of legal measure that ensure men and women are entitled to equal rights to land, seek to support education for all, setup and widen access to reproductive health and seek to enhance credit programmes that target rural women farmers. More research is however needed to find out why access to land and not land ownership influence food security. Follow up research is also needed to find out the extent to which gender disparities in secondary and university education affect food security.