Is The Participation of Women Smallholder Farmers in a Food Production Program The Panacea to Household Food Security?

Abstract

The quest to ensure food security at the household level in rural Africa continues to attract attention through robust research under the ambit of sustainable development goals. With the increasing subdivision of agricultural land, the smallholder farmers, many of whom are women, are now at the center of the food production ecosystem. Thus, women’s participation aimed at meeting family food needs can no longer be ignored. In response to this, this study set out to examine a specific strategy of prioritizing women household heads (WHHs) in the Bungoma County Farm Input Support Program (FISP). The study adopted a descriptive design guided by a theoretical perspective premised on a participatory framework. Data was obtained from 464 respondents including 450 beneficiaries whose responses gathered quantitative data while 8 key informants and 6 Focus Group Discussion (FGD) responses gathered qualitative data. Systematic random sampling was used to select respondents, while purposive sampling was used to identify FGD members and key informants. The data were obtained using an interview schedule, FGD, and Key Informant Interview (KII). Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics while qualitative data, by content analysis. The findings indicate that women’s participation in the program has a positive impact on food production at the household level and that middle-aged women tend to be more productive. Furthermore, women beneficiaries used their involvement in the program to improve their social relationships more than men did. The study concludes that women’s participation in an agriculture program increases the yield per household, thereby enhancing food security. The study recommends an increase in the number of women among the beneficiaries and, to provide psychosocial support through capacity building.