| dc.description.abstract | Agricultural sector plays an important role in
the economy of Kenya. This sector has been developed
with the aims of attaining economic growth, assuring
equity in such growth and stability of farm incomes as
well as a wider participation by small scale farmers
and large scale farmers in cash crop production and
meeting the country' s domestic food requirements. The
most important cash crops in the study area are
coffee, tea, sugarcane and occasionally maize.
The study addressed itself to the food security
situations among households involved in sugarcane
farming in Belgut Division of Kericho District. The
study proceeded by assessing the food situation s of
these households as depicted by
and production of different crops and sugarcane land allocation
among different crops. Since women are the people
mostly engaged in farming activities in the rural
areas and are traditionally charged with the
responsibility of feeding household members, the study
was interested to know the effects of cash crop
farming on women's ability to feed their households.
The study uses data obtained from household based
field questionnaires administered to sugarcane
farmers. The study analyses data as pertains to the
socio-economic characteristics of farmers, the general•
farming systems in the Division, types of crops grown and acreage allocated to each crop before and after
sugarcane was introduced in the Division.
Analysis of the farming systems showed that there
are two types of farming systems in the Division,
namely food crop and cash crop farming systems falling
under the control of women and men respectively.
Analysis on the allocation of land holdings between
different crops shows that with the introduction of
sugarcane acreage under food crops has decline while
that under cash crops has increased with sugarcane
taking a higher portion of holdings. The study found
that there was a significant difference in acreage
under food crops before and after 1. he introduction of
sugarcane. Analysis of food output and acreage showed
that food output is dependent on acreage, as acreage
under food crops decreases food output also decreases.
The analysis has also shown that while food
demands are high due to family sizes food purchases
are low because of low and unpredictable incomes
accruing to sugarcane farmers. The availability of
factors of land to women who traditionally play an
important role in ensuring food security at the
household level was found to have declined with the
introduction of sugarcane because it is men who decide
what to plant on difference part of the farm. Since
men have more interest in cane production,
production suffers.
The study makes the following recommendation,
that due to high levels of food insecurity in the
Division, as result of sugarcane introduction,
households should be encouraged to produce food
sufficient to feed the households before venturing into
sugarcane. The formulation of agricultural policies
should also be integrated to minimize the opportunity
cost incurred in the process of trying to achieve cash
crop and food crop objectives. | |
