The socio-economic, food security and nutritional status of urban farmers in Nakuru town Kenya: a comparative study of programme and non- programme households

Abstract

A comparative cross-sectional survey was conducted from October to December 2000, to assess and compare the socio-economic and food security status as well as the nutritional status of children less than five years and their mothers in households participating in the Agricultural and Rural Development Programme, of the Catholic Diocese of Nakuru, visa- vis their non-programme neighbours in the urban and peri-urban area of Nakuru Municipality, akuru District. The study sample comprised 29 purposively selected households of the target group from the Agricultural and Rural Development Programme (ARDP) and the control group comprising 48 households who were neighbours of the target group. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection while interviewing and observation were the main data collection techniques. Forty-eight hour dietary recall and food frequency questionnaire were used to estimate food security. Nutritional status was determined from anthropometric measurements taken from the mother (weight and height) and one child 6 to 59 months of age (weight, height, age and Mid Upper Arm Circumference -MUAC) in the household. Amount of proteins and kilocalories consumed as well as anthropometric indices for children and mothers were computed and compared for the two groups. A welfare index was obtained from scores allocated to selected household assets and the construction material of the main house. There were no significant differences in socio-economic status (demography, income, house quality and occupation status) between the two groups. In addition, there were no X1ll significant differences in dietary diversity and the caloric and protein intake between the study groups. In both groups, purchasing in combination with urban agriculture were the main sources of food. High levels of malnutrition were noted in both groups. The Global Acute Malnutrition (GAM) was 9.9% in programme households compared to 21% in non-programme household. Stunting was 20% and 40% respectively in the programme and nonprogramme households while the rate of underweight 20% and 30% in the programme and non programme households respectively. For women of children bearing age, the mean Body Mass Index of the programme (26.3 kg) and non-programme mothers (25.2 kg) with a mean difference of 0.9 kg . No significant differences (P>0.05) in nutrition status (stunting, wasting, underweight and mean Body Mass Index for mothers) were found between the two groups. The mothers' nutritional status reflected a high caloric intake in the households but poor intra household food distribution and care practices might have led to poor child nutrition. In both groups, a positive and significant correlation (P < 0.01) was found between incomes from agriculture and stunting, which suggests that increased commercialisation of agriculture may have led to decreased food availability for the children 6 - 59 months. The study concludes that there is no difference between the programme and nonprogramme households in terms of socio-economic, food security and nutritional status. It is likely that the programme farmers were worse off at the beginning of the programme but without a baseline survey it is not possible to make a strong conclusion as such. XIV Moreover, the interventions to support the programme households may not have been suitable for urban setting given that the ARDP programme started as a rural programme and did not revise its strategy when urban farming households were included in its programme. It is recommended that the programme focus on interventions suitable for the urban setting. These include multi-storey vegetable gardens and dairy goat, poultry and rabbit keeping as sources of milk eggs and meat respectively. Moreover, nutrition education, training on food processing, preservation and utilization in its intervention strategy would improve utilization of the farm products hence food and nutrition security xv