Digital Mapping Of Food Banks In Kenya

Abstract

This research presents a case study of food banks for local level use to help identify suitable geographic location areas with inadequate distribution of food aid. Kenya is affected by periodic drought seasons, which have a profound effect on seasonal food crises. Inefficiency in the food distribution system may be hindering the realization of the full benefits of food bank programs. This study was rooted in food aid distribution problem arising in Kenya, and the solutions provided can be applied to other developing countries. The aim of the study was to investigate and demonstrate food bank distribution by using GIS technology. The methodology employed included determination of various criterion for each of the four involved fields and a criterion for suitability was determined for each of the factors. By using Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) pair-wise comparisons, each criterion was assigned a weight with rainfall being considered as the most important factor. Weighted overlay analysis was performed in ArcGIS and determination of suitable food bank site was done from the summation of weight of each contributing factor. The final suitability map for proposed food banks was obtained from the results of integration of the four suitability maps. From the results, it is evident that integrating GIS with AHP Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis has been successful in arriving at a suitable food bank locations. Bearing in mind that weight assignment affects the overall results, determining which weights to be given to a certain factor is an individual judgment which is subjective and therefore may be bias was the limitation noted in the study. The study will be beneficial to needy citizen, policy makers/Government and researchers and recommends adoption of this criteria by the NGO’s in setting up future food banks as it guarantees accuracy and an easier decision making process for suitable location and effectively making use of GIS as decision support system. The major limitation was determining which weights to be given to a certain factor is an individual judgment which is subjective and therefore may be bias bearing in mind that weight assignment affects the overall results and having no similar studies done of Kenyan food banks within the study area hence no validation of the resulting suitability map. Keywords: Food Distribution, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Food Banks, Food Security.