Indigenous Farming Techniques Affecting House Hold Food Security in Lower Nyakach Division in Kisumu County, Kenya

Abstract

The Global community has made a commitment through the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 to ending hunger and achieving food security and improved nutrition by 2030. However, recent evidence points to increasing hunger and food insecurity in the world. A consortium comprising the World Food Organization (FAO) estimates that the number of undernourished people has increased from 784 million in 2015 to 821 million people in 2018, with around 22.8% of the population in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) facing chronic food deprivation. Whereas adoption of indigenous farming practices aligned to local climatic knowledge has recently been touted as a panacea to food crop production, the level of household food insecurity in some regions in Kenya keeps rising. In Lower Nyakach division of Kisumu County, Kenya, there has been a steady decline in Maize crop production over the last five year, with each household receiving approximately five bags of maize from their farms to feed an average of five persons per household each year. This questions the effectiveness of indigenous farming practices in influencing household food security in the area. The purpose of the study was to assess the influence of indigenous farming practices on household food security among households in Lower Nyakach Division of Kisumu County, Kenya. Specific objectives were to: assess the influence of indigenous pest control practices; establish the influence of indigenous ploughing methods, and to determine the influence of cultivation systemson food security among households in Lower Nyakach Division.The study was guided by the observation learning theory which depicts learning to be a function of observing, retaining and replicating behaviour executed by others. This was a descriptive research design on a target population of 3756 households. The researcher sampled 10% (250) households which was stratified based on population in each location. Questionnaire was used to collect data from household heads while interview schedule was used to collect data from agricultural officers and CBO/NGO leaders who have been assisting the farming families with inputs. Findings showed that indigenous farming techniques used by the households have determined food security to a moderate extent (M=2.9; SD=1.246) in the area. Pest control (65.6%; M=3.71), method of ploughing (48.3%; M=2.86) and adopted season of cultivation (45.6%; M=2.75) all had influence on food security. It was concluded that pest control being a major determinant of food security, the families in the study area have depended on multiple weeding using hand tools to control pests and weeds as opposed to mechanical or use of pesticides and herbicides. The study recommends that the farming families should be supported with sufficient farm implements as well as pesticides/herbicides. Further research should be done on contribution of farm implements subsidies to local farmers on household food security in rural areas