Assessment Of Household Land Size And Use For Sustainable Food And Livelihood Security In The Maize-Tea-Dairy Mixed Farming System: A Case Study Of Bogeche Sub Location In Kisii County

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of household land size and use on food and livelihood security in Bogeche sub location, Kisii County. The specific objectives of the study were as follows: to identify the current household land size and use, examine inter-generational transmission of land rights, analyze the factors influencing the size and use of household land, and propose appropriate policy interventions on land holding size and use that can ensure sustainable food and livelihood security for rural households in the mixed farming system of Kisii County. Data was collected using a structured questionnaire, which was administered to a sample of 137 household heads in the study area. Interviews and observation techniques were also used to enable triangulation of data and provide more information. Descriptive statistics provided statistical summaries while Pearson’s test was used to establish the relationship between agricultural land use and household food security. This study found out that cash crop production had a strong positive coefficient (0.650) that was significant with household food security status at p value of 0.000. Food crop production had a low but positive coefficient (0.302), whereas napier grass had a strong positive coefficient (0.570). Settlements had a moderate negative coefficient (-0.433) that was significant at 5% with household food security status. The socio-economic characteristics that had a significant influence on agricultural land use and household food security include the level of education of household head, farm size, and household income. To improve efficiency and productivity of the agricultural land, this study proposes a minimum land size of 1 acre. It also recommends clustered settlement pattern to address the challenge of land subdivision. Other recommendations include establishment of value addition factories to process agricultural produce and provision of market for the farm products among others