An Evaluation of Dairy Goat Restocking on Household Food Security in Molo and Kipkelion Sub -Counties In Kenya

Abstract

Food insecurity has been demonstrated to be both a cause and a consequence of violent conflict. Various food security interventions are appropriately employed to either prevent or mitigate consequences of violent conflict. This study compared data collected from two groups; dairy goatrestocking beneficiaries and a counterfactual control, to determine what changes the intervention had on post conflict household food security. Bothcategories belonged to a common group of 5,000 households, selected for sharing baseline circumstances as victims of the 2007/8-post elections violence (2007/8-PEV), having suffered displacement, loss of most household livelihood assets and some death, of especially breadwinners, in Molo and Kipkelion Sub-counties in the Rift Valley. Only 400 households were targeted by the project due to budget limit.The overall studyobjective was to determine the change the intervention had on household food security by employing an ex-post evaluation methodology. The list of 400 beneficiaries and the remaining original 4,600 served as sampling frames from which respondents were selected.Study respondents comprised 100 beneficiaries and 101 controls. Three enumerators collected primary data in April 2014, using a questionnaire, two Focused Group Discussions and Key Informant Interviews with line ministries in both Sub Counties and project staff members. Quantitative data was processed and analyzed using Excel and SPSS programs and graphically presented in charts and tables. Voice recorded qualitative data was transcribed into specific themes, providing background and triangulation to the quantitative findings upon which conclusions were drawn and recommendations made. The study found a positive correlation between dairy goat restocking and improved household food security in the four pillars: availability through own production, access through age equitable and gender equality household member milk distribution, utility through better Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices, and stability assured upon building social capital and networks through dairy goat owner groups formation and hope in the new constitution ensuringrespondents’ access to own productive resources and security. It recommends restocking as a food security intervention under similar conditions to promote household food security through improved sustainable agriculture. Such package should comprise case tailored livestock health services,beneficiary-focused insurance policy terms andelaborate awareness v creation on drug withdrawal period observation and zoonosis control emphasisto promote food safety.