| dc.description.abstract | Researchers, policy makers and donors have in the recent past developed great
interest in resilience approach as a way of achieving sustainable development of
communities. For pastoral communities however, opinion is still divided on
what makes pastoral households less resilient and on what can be done to
enhance their resilience. Inadequate understanding of pastoral livelihoods has
led to implementation of sub-optimal interventions, and thus achievement of
pastoral resilience has remained a mirage.
This study sought to explore the linkages between poverty, livelihoods and
resilience to food insecurity among communities residing in pastoral areas of
Turkana and Mandera, Kenya. The three specific objectives of this study were:
i) to establish how pastoral communities of Turkana and Mandera have moved
in and out of poverty between 1993 and 2013, ii) to determine drivers of
livelihood diversification among Turkana and Mandera households and iii) to
identify the key indicators for computation of household food security resilience
index.
Household survey was conducted in 662 households in the two Counties.
Further data were collected through Focus Group discussions and key Informant
Interviews. The study found out that 71% and 58% of the households in Turkana
and Mandera respectively could be classified as poor in 2013. Loss of livestock
through drought, diseases and raids was the main reason for increased pastoral
poverty. Pastoral households escaped poverty through diversification, receipt of
remittances and employment. Agro-pastoral households (though few) were
relatively more resilient compared to both pastoral and off-farm households.
The number of income sources, distance to water source, education level of
household head, total livestock units (TLUs) held, durable index (a measure of
physical asset ownership) and age of household head influenced the ability of a
household to pursue particular livelihood strategies. Diet diversity score,
durable index score and education level of household head were the most
important indicators determining household food resilience. Pastoral resilience
can be improved through policies and interventions that protect and facilitate
accumulation of livestock, while at the time supporting individuals who exit the
pastoral economy to take up other non livestock-based opportunities. Improved
education levels and better access to water are important factors in encouraging
adoption of non-livestock based income generating activities. To achieve
enhanced resilience against food insecurity, interventions should seek to
improve household incomes. | en_US |
