GENDER MAINSTREAMING OF SMALLHOLDER FARMERS AND FOOD SECURITY IN SIAYA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

How gender mainstreaming among smallholder farmers contributes to food security remains a key challenge not only in Kenya but even globally. Despite the fact that smallholder farmers are the main rural actors in agriculture, they still experience food insecurity due an array of socioeconomic challenges that exists. The study was set to establish the contribution of gender mainstreaming of smallholder farmers to food security in Siaya County, Kenya. Correlation design was used. The target population was 199,034 smallholder farmers selected from 6 Sub Counties of Siaya. Sample size of 384 was arrived at through Fisher‟s model. Sampling technique was stratified random sampling. The research tool was structured questionnaire, which was tested for validity and reliability before administration. Gender mainstreaming had a statistically significant weak positive correlation (R = .371; p<.05) with food security. Gender mainstreaming had a statistically significant contribution to food security (F ratio = 55.810; p< .05) attributing 13.8% variance. It showed that for every one standard deviation increase in gender mainstreaming initiatives, food security improved by .371 units. In conclusion, gender mainstreaming among smallholder farmers attributed to a small contribution in food security in Siaya County, Kenya. The study recommended intensified use of gender mainstreaming interventions in enhancing food security not only in Siaya County but globally. The study was justified because it informed better gender mainstreaming interventions that supports the realization of smallholder farmers‟ food security situation not only in Kenya but globally. The results have also extended knowledge base of gender mainstreaming and food security.