PARTICIPATORY ANALYSIS OF POVERTY AND LIVELIHOOD DYNAMICS REPORT. LONDO VILLAGE. MUKUYUNI FOCAL AREA.
INTRODUCTION
Participatory analysis of poverty and livelihood dynamics study was carried out in Londo village Kuywa location Mukuyuni Division in Mukuyuni focal area. It was held on 21st, 22nd and 25th October 2010 at Kuywa PCU church. The study team comprised of 7 extension officers experienced in conducting surveys.
The study was conducted to asses the livelihood trends, social and economic status of farmers in Londo village. It was also to identify and isolate the resource poor farmers and other vulnerable groups as well as identify the types of support needed that could improve the uptake of technologies by those groups. 56 farmers were interviewed.
BANKGROUND INFORMATION
The study was done in Londo village, Kuywa sublocation, Kuywa loation, Mukuyuni division, Mukuyuni focal area. The village is located along the Chwele-Kimilili road, borders Kibisi river to the east, Chwele division to the south sandwitched between Kuywa and Baraki villages to the west and north respectively. The site was identified by farmers during a baraza held on 18th/8/2010. Average farm size range between 0.25-1acre with 90 households. Ownership through registration is with very few individuals. Population of 720 persons.
Soils: the soils are clay loam
Crops: the village is predominantly covered by maize that serve both as a foodcrop and cash crop. Other crops are beans, kales, tomatoes, avocados, sweet potatoes, finger millet and bananas. Cash crops are coffee and industrial cane.
Slope: the general slope is above 5.5% with few trees as farm forest cover.
AEZs: the village fall in UM
Rainfall: Rainfalln pattern is bimodal where long rains are received in April – July, short rains August – October.
BRIEF HISTORY OF MUKUYUNI FA
Mukuyuni Focal Area is in bungoma Central district in Mukuyuni division. The FA has an area of 4040Ha(40.4km) with 4618 households, 4381 farm families. The farthest point from the divisional office is 20km
RECONNAISENCE SURVEY
The transect walk was random where the Det team divided itself into two groups. Through the survey, the administration and opinion leaders in the village were identified.The mission and objective of the exercise was explained to the farmers. The extension staff visualized challenges and constraints related to Agricultural sector. Farmers were invited for a meeting to share with staff the collective memories about different households conditions then and past years. The meeting comprised of women, men, youth and vulnerable groups.
COMMUNITY ENTRY PROTOCOL
PAPOLA baraza was organized where sample households identified earlier during the survey were taken through the mission and objectives of the study. The team leader guided the meeting in discussing issues pertaining the challenges and constraints experienced in Agriculture in Londo village. During this meeting a list of living households heads were captured. Through this Baraza the teamleader explained to farmers that no tangible or material benefit would be accrued for participating except knowledge.
DEFINITION OF POVERTY
Participants defined poverty as the state of having inadequate knowledge and resources to perform activities (technologies) that generate income to improve the living standards.
CATEGORIES OF POVERTY
The participants described poverty status in four classes according to their perception as indicated below:
i. Omubanani (very poor)
ii. Omutambi (poor)
iii. Kaikai (moderate)
iv. Omuinda (rich)
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE POOREST OF THE POOR (OMUBANANI)
Unstable family or no family
No land
Small grass-thatched leaking house
No food / eats irregularly (borrows food)
Has rags or patched clothes (tattered clothes)
Lacks know how
Usually relies on casuallabour
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROGRESSIVE POOR HOUSEHOLD (OMUTAMBI) POOR
Small piece of land 0.75 acres
Small hut (grass-thatched)
Eats once or twice a day
Does not use farm inputs
Has a family of upto 10
Have few local chicken
Does some casual labour
Lacks farm impliments
Indulges in alcohol and drugs
Has a small radio
Has no sanitary facility.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A PROSPEROUS HOUSEHOLD KAIKAI (HOUSEHOLD)
Has a piece of land 3acres
Has a semi – permanent house
Have three meals a day
Has better clothing
Keeps sheep and goats
Has a Zebu cow
Has a bicycle
Has a better radio
Takes children to public schools
To children to public secondary upto tertiary level
Use certified inputs
Operates a small business
Lease extra land about 1 acre
Has a dog
Has oxen for draft power
Pays dowry
Has an ox-cart
Has a motorcycle for local taxi
Has a live hedge fence
Access to private medical attention
Has a plot in the local market
Aspires for a leadership post.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A RICH OUSEHOLD OMUINDA (RICH)
Has five acres of land
Has a permanent house
Have grade dairy animals (zero grazed)
Has casual labour as well as hiring
Has a vehicle
Has a grinding mill
Takes children to a boarding private school
Has a business and processing
Has a developed commercial plot in town
Can vie for a local authority post.
STAGES OF PROGRESS
The participants deliberated on how a poor person will progress from the state of poverty to that of prosperity and 46 stages were stages were developed. The stages are shown below:
1. Buy food
2. Buy fair clothes
3. Build a small grass thatched house
4. Buy a small radio
5. Marry and have a family
6. Buy and keep local poultry
7. Buy household items (furniture & bedding)
8. Initiate a small business (vegetable)
9. Keep a sheep/goat
10. Build a bigger grass thatched hat
11. Take children to a public primary school
12. Buy a bicycle
13. Lease about 0.5 acres
14. Plant certified seed and use fertilizers
15. Buy household items
16. Buy a local cow (Zebu)
17. Take children to a day secondary school
18. Increase leasing acreage (2 acres)
19. Buy oxen for draft power
20. Buy a small piece of land 0.5 acres
21. Pay dowry
22. Buy a small cross cow
23. Build a big semi-permanent
POVERTY LINE
24. Access to private medical treatment
25. Expand business
26. Send children to nursery school
27. Buy a motorcycle for taxi business
28. Buy extra land 2 acres
29. Hire labour
30. Have a plotin the local market
31. Take children to college/ university
32. Hire labour / casuals
33. Buy dairy grade cow zero grazed
PROSPERITY LINE RICH
34. Buy / install a grinding mill
35. Build a permanent house
36. buy a commercial plot
37. Buy a pick up vehicle
38. Take children to private school
39. Buy land 10 acres
40. Buy a commercial plot in a big town
41. Develop a commercial plot in a big town
42. Employ security
43. seek leadership positions (local council)
44. Seek for parliamentary seat
45. Send children abroad for education
46. Starts touring abroad
Remarks
The poverty cut-off line is the economic level that demarcates the poor from the middle class determined by the participants to pass between stages 23 and 24.
Whereas the prosperity line indicates that one is economically stable, this was determined between stages 33 and 34.
HISTORICAL EVENTS
The respondents were taken through the exercise of remembering significant events that took place during the period in study which were :
20 years ago 1990
Cholera outbreak in 1990 as well as jiggers epidemic
Migration to Londo village by some members due to the 1991-92 ethnic clashes from Mt. Elgon
Hunger in 1996 reffered to as “Enjala ya Makhanya” where people survived on chewing cane.
Falling of heavy rocks from Mt Elgon slopes in 1998, resulting from heavy rains
1996 – heavy hailstones fell which resulted into total crop failure
10 years ago
2007 – post election violence
Present period (now)
No event was recorded.
CATEGORIES OF HOUSEHOLDS
The team leader guided farmers to categorize households as follows;
a) Poor 20 years ago and poor today – remained poor
b) Poor 20 years ago and not poor today – escaped poverty – survival
c) Not poor 20 years ago but poor today – embraced poverty
d) Not poor 20 years ago and not poor today – remained non poor
TABLE A: CATEGORIZATION CLASSIFICATION OF HOUSEHOLDS
NO H/H NO FARMERS NAME H/H NAME SEX AGE LAND SIZE IN ACRES CATEGORY STAGE OF GROWTH DEGREE OF CHANGE REMARKS
20YRS AGO 10 YRS
AGO NOW 20YRS-10 YEARS AGO 20YRS-NOW
1 36 F1 M 65 3.5 A 22 22 22 0 0
2 22 F 2 M 56 1 D 15 21 21 +6 +6
3 47 F 3 M 49 0.75 B 28 28 28 0 0
4 15 F 4 M 52 1.25 A 21 21 21 0 0
5 51 F5 F 62 3.5 D 31 31 31 0 0
6 24 JWN F6 M 35 0.75 B 19 28 28 +9 +9
7 24 F7 M 34 0.75 B 31 31 31 0 0
8 11 F8 M 44 1 D 17 17 17 0 0
9 52 JM F9 M 38 1 B 25 18 18 -7 -7
10 14 F10 M 71 1 C 31 31 31 0 0
11 16 F11 F 61 5 A 16 24 24 +8 +8
12 36 F12 M 72 10 C 20 19 19 -1 -1
13 8 F13 M 51 5 A 15 16 16 +1 +1
14 29 F14 M 39 5 C 26 22 19 -14 -11
15 18 F15 M 37 0 A 19 19 15 0 -4
16 7 F16 M 40 10 C 23 23 19 0 -4
17 21 F17 M 82 11 C 26 26 21 0 -5
18 42 F18 M 59 7 A 17 20 22 +3 +5
19 1 F19 F 34 0.2 A 15 15 15 0 0
20 23 F20 M 38 0.5 A 11 11 13 0 +2
ANALYSIS TABLE A
7HH Were in category A – They were poor 20 years ago and poor today i.e they remained poor
4HH were in category B. they were poor 20 years ago and not poor today – they escaped poverty
5HH not poor 20 years ago but poor today. They embraced poverty
3HH were not poor 20 years ago and not poor today. – They remained non poor.
TABLE A1
Determination of reasons for remaining /becoming poor and livelihood strategies for escaping/ remaining non poor - potential linkages.
NO CATEGORY LIVELIHOOD STRATEGY REASONS LINKAGES
1 A Maize,beans,coffee, oxen,woodlot, s/potatoes, local cows,G/nuts, passion, local poultry - Poor enterprise mix
- Low production - Seed companies e.g. Kenya Seed and / all Western for suitable varieties
2 D Maize, beans , coffee, s/potatoes, local veget, sheep, goat, local chicken, cross cows, finger millet and bananas - Use of certified seed
- Observe proper crop/animal husbandry practices
- Farming business - Credit facilities like AFC to uplift his capital base
3 B Maize,beans, coffee, s/potatoes, sorghum, local vegetables, sheep, chicken, cross cows, finger millet, bananas, goats, and woodlot - Farming as a business (commercial farming) KACE to assist in provision of marketing situation and prices
4 A Maize, bananas, cassava, local vegetables, local cattle and goats - Unsuitable use of plant and animal variety breeds Attend Nalep’s training on crops and livestock opportunities
5 D Maize,beans,sweetpotatoes, coffee, crosscows, local chicken, bananas, g/nuts, cassava - Practiced commercial farming
- Used certified inputs Attend Nalep trainings to gain more knowledge
6 B Maize, beans, cross cows, sweetpotatoes, sheep, local chicken, cow peas, tomatoes - Used improved husbandry practices
- Accessed credit - Attend Nalep trainings, demonstrations
- KACE commodity market prices
- Media – radio to get market prices
7 B Maize, beans, sheep, cassava, lacal chicken - Use of certified seed with inorganic fertilizer
- Attended agri –related education information days e.g. F/days - Eguity bank to provide input credit
- Join CIG or form a CIG to mitigate information gaps in production or value chain
8 D Maize, beans, cassava,bananas, mangoes, sorghum, zebu cows, avocado, local chicken, goats, tomatoes, sweet potatoe - Diversification of enterprises
- Use of improved farming methods/ technologies - Equity/ AFC for for credit
- KACE – market prices
9 C Maize, beans,soya beans, sorghum, s/potatoe, cassava, sugarcane, local vegetables, avocado,kales, woodlot, local cows, g/nuts,local poultry, coffee, bananas, - School fees burden
- AFC debts
- Poor enterprise mix
- Small land size - Equity to provide financial education
- To attend Nalep trainings on enterprise mix and home management
10 D Maize, beans, fingermillet, bananas, coffee, g/nuts,kales, local chicken, sweet potatoes, zebu cows, - Diversification of enterprises
- Use of improved farming methods/ technologies - Equity/AFC for credit
- RSP for greenhouse
11 B Maize,beans, finger millet, bananas, green peas, local chicken, sweet potatoes, sheep - Learnt new technologies from MOA/L - Attend Nalep, & shomap training and demonstration
- Microfinance institutions like Faulu Kenya
12 C Maize, beans, coffee, bananas, potatoe, napier, sukuma, local cow, local chicken, cereal trade and noble cane - Negligence of farming opportunities/ poor enterprise mix
- Misappropriation of funds accrued from coffee, cane and cereal trade - To attend Nalep sida training on farming businesss and house management
- Join a merrygo round group
13 A Maize, beans, coffee, bananas, sweet potatoes, sugar cane(noble), cassava, fingermillet, sorghum, zebu(oxen),sheep, local chicken, cereals trade - Poor enterprise mix
- Production is low - Attend Naleptraining on good husbandry practice and enterprise choice and home management practices
14 C Kales, bananas, cassava, sweet potatoes, chewing cane, beans, avocados, nappiergrass, goats - Low production
- Uncultivated part of the land - Attend Nalep Sida trainings on crop husbandry practices, farming as a business and homemanagement
15 A Maize, soya, s/potatoes,kales, local vegetables, kales, sheep, local chicken, zebu cows, - No own land
- Hosted by step brother
- Attend Naep training on local poultry(chicken) keeping and utilization
16 C Maize,soya,sweet potatoes,kales, local vegetables, goats, sheep, local chicken, zebu cows - Low production – moved to town
- Use of unsuitable maize and beans variety
- Poor management of livestock - Attend Nalep trainings on enterprise mix, livestock feeding and disease control and family feeds habits(good nutrition)
- To visit KACE to seek market information
17 C Maize, soya, sweet potatoe,kales, local vegetable, goats, sheep, local chicken, zebu cows - Low production
- Use of uncertified seed - Kenya seed/ western seed to provide certified seed
- Attend Naleps trainings on crop husbandry practices and livestock feeding and disease control
- To access home management services from HEOs
18 A Maize, soya, sweet potatoes, kales, local vegetables, goats, sheep, local chicken, zebu cows - Low production
- Use of uncertified seed
- Poor farming practices - Kenya seed/ western to get cerified seed
- Attend Nalep trainings on proper land / crop husbandry PRACTICES to improve yields
19 A Maize, beans, coffee, bananas, cassava, sorghum, zebu(oxen), goats, sheep, local chicken. - Small land size
- Low production
- Use of uncertified seed
- No kitchen garden - Attend Naleps trainings and demonstrations on farming as a business and kitchen garden establishment and utilization
- Livestock feeding
20 A Maize, soya, s/potatoes, kales, local vegetables, sheep, local chicken, zebu cows. - Small land size
- Low production - Attend Nalep training on enterprise mix and crop/ livestock husbandry practices
ANALYSIS OF TABLE A1
1. Farmers make poor enterprise choice
2. Some farmers use uncertified seed
3. Majority have small pieces of land
4. Production is low
5. Farmers lack knowledge on farming as a business and good crop husbandry practices
6. Some farmers access credit but repayment is poor
7. A few farmers diversify their enterprises
8. Some farmers attend field days
9. Some farmers misappropriate proceeds from farm produce instead of ploughing back into farms for increased production
10. Need for financial education from credit facilities like Equity, AFC, and other micro finance institutions to enable the farmers improve their capital base.
11. Capacity building by MOA/L and other service providers through Nalep is required to improve their knowledge on production for food , employment creation and income generation hence reduce poverty.
TABLE B. HOUSEHOLD LIVELIHOODS STRATEGIES OVER TIME AND ECONOMIC VALUE
H/H NO NAME OF H/H1 HH CAT LHS 20 YEARS VALUE 20 YEARS LHS 10 YEARS VALUE 10 YEARS KSH LHS NOW VALUE NOW KSH OPPORTUNITIES / REMARKS
1 F1 A Farming (maize) salary 600 Farming (maize) salary 800 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification to other crops
2 F2 D Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1000 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
3 F3 B Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
4 F4 A Farming (maize) 400 Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 1600 Diversification
5 F5 D Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1200 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
6 F6 B Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
7 F7 B Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 2200 Intensity Diversification
8 F8 D Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 1200 Farming (maize) 2400 Diversification
9 F9 B Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1000 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
10 F10 C Farming (maize) 850 Farming (maize) 1000 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
11 F11 A Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
12 F12 C Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1000 Farming (maize) 2400 Diversification
13 F13 A Farming (maize) 400 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 2000 Diversification
14 F14 C Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 1000 Farming (maize) 2200 Diversification
15 F15 A Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1000 Join CIG
16 F16 C Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1000 Diversify
Join CIG
17 F17 C Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1000 Diversification
Join CIG
18 F18 A Farming (maize) 400 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1600 Diversification
Group/individual visits
19 F19 A Farming (maize) 600 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1600 Diversification
Individual farmer to farmer follow up visits
20 F20 A Farming (maize) 400 Farming (maize) 800 Farming (maize) 1600 Diversification
Remarks
Farming of maize is common in every household
Mixed farming practiced where local chicken is common in almost all households
TABLE C: LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES AND ACTORS
Strategy Actors Ativity Who do they work with/ how Level of involvement % Challenges/ constraints/ remarks
Food ccrops: maize, beans, s/potatoes, sorghum, f/millet Men, women, youth(m& w) Land preparation, planting, weeding, harvesting, storage All actions 50% Youth participation in farming activities is low they prefer bodaboda
cash crops coffee Men, women, youth picking Men, women Proceeds controlled by men
Noble cane Do weeding All actors using farm tools
Sugarcane Do Weeding Do
Bananas Do Weeding/ establishment Do
Kales Do Establishment Do
Tomatoes Do Establishment/ maintenance Do
Onions Do Establishment/ maintenance Do
Woodlot Men, women Establishment All actors
Sales and trade kiosks Men, women Selling Men Inadequate security in the village
Bodaboda Men, youth Transport service Men, youth (m)
Hawking Women , youth Selling All actors
Tailoring Men, women, youth
Craftsmen Men, youth
Firewood selling Men, women Energy provision Inadequate trees
Londo runders (maize) Men, youth Avail maize to buyers from Mt Elgon Men, youth(m) display at strategic points to sell (posho mill)
TABLE D: MAGNITUDE OF INVOLVEMENT FOOD STRATEGY
Livelihood strategy USE SCALE
Food Sale Food sale
Maize
3 3 3 1
Beans 1 4 3 1
Cassava 4 1 3 1
Bananas 1 4 2 2
Groundnuts 1 4 2 1
Sweet potatoes 4 1 3 1
tomatoes 1 5 1 3
Analysis
Maize farming is both for food and trade and is practiced by everyone
All crops produced are majorly for food except tomatoes which is sold
Sweet potatoes is very important, used as a security food crop as well as cassava
Banana growing is produced by few households for food and for sale
TABLE E: LIVELIHOOD STRATEGIES OVERTIME
Strategy 20 years ago 10 years ago Now Future Remarks
Food crops 3 3 3 2
Cash crops 3 2 1 1
Woodlot 2 1 1 3
Cattle 3 3 3 3
Local poultry 3 3 3 3
Maize trade 1 1 3
Oxen 3 3 3 3
Brick making 0 0 1 1
TABLE F: ASSETS REQUIRMENTS
STRATEGY ASSETS CONSTRAINTS OPPORTUNITIES
Food crops Land, certified seed, oxen, fertilizer, labour, tools, pesticides High cost of inputs, pests and disease, inadequate knowledge on agrochemical practices - Access credit from Equity, AFC
- Attend Nalep trainings on pest and disease control
Cash crops Land, certified seeds, oxen, fertilizer, labour, tools, pesticides High cost of inputs, pests and disease, inadequate knowledge on agrochemical practices and marketing - Credit, buy inputs through a group, attend Nalep training on marketing strategies and pesticide use
Cattle Land, cows,feeds, vetinary service provider, agrovets, supplies, labour Inadequate land for forage, pasture/ fodder, disease prevalence - Attend trainings on disease control and livestock feeds and feeding
Local poultry Land, feeds, vet services, providers, labour, agrovets Disease prevalence, poor housing, inadequate feeds - Attend training on disease control and on poultry housing and feeding
Sales/trade (maize) Start up capital, storage, transport. Inadequate capital or lacking, cost of storage, poor infrastructure high transport cost) - Merry go round, access credit from micro finance facilities e.g KWFT, Faulu, Equity bank etc.
- Attend training on post harvest handling of maize
Oxen Land, pasture, vet services, equipment, labour Cost of oxen tools is high (ox ploughs) equipment calibration and choice - Access calibration training at Mabanga ATC and other accompaniment
Brick making Soil, water, fuelwood and labour. High cost of fuel wood, storage facility lacking - Build storage facility
- Access credit to have enough capital base from microfinance institutions e.g KWFT
ANALYSIS OF TABLE F
- Food crops are essential to every household but high cost of inputs cause farmers to plant late or even plant uncertified seed or without fertilizer. There is need to attend trainings on how to access credit and on good husbandry practices
- Marketing of cash crops strategies not known . farmers need training on marketing channels and challenges
- Local poultry common in every household but mortality rate high due to frequent disease outbreak
- Start up capital is inadequate causing most actors not to venture well in trade (business)
- Draft power equipments not well identified and even calibration of the same is a constraint
- Type of soil and storage facility for bricks is a constraint.
WAY FORWARD
Opportunities Flagged Actions to be taken Time frame
Local poultry keeping Improve the existing CIG Immediately
Tree nursery establishment Farm CIG’s By October 2010
Dairy goats Farm CIG’s By October 2010
Energy conservation Form extension groups By October 2010
Banana production Farm CIG’s By October 2010
Capsian production Farm CIG’s By October 2010
Tomatoe production Farm CIG’s By October 2010
CONCLUSION
Farmers need to embrace group activities that generate income and that can enable them access help from the NGOs/government. Londo farmers need to access credit facilities from AFC and or Equity bank and /or other microfinance institutions to enhance their capital base . Finally, they need to diversify their enterprise production to fill hunger, income shortagegaps at household level. Above all, they need (farmers) to do farming business to enable them improve their income levels hence reduce their poverty levels.
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