The objectives of this study on dairy development in Kilifi District, Kenya, are, first, to assess the importance of - small-scale - intensive dairy farming as promoted by the Ministry of Livestock... Show moreThe objectives of this study on dairy development in Kilifi District, Kenya, are, first, to assess the importance of - small-scale - intensive dairy farming as promoted by the Ministry of Livestock through the National Dairy Development Programme (DDP) compared with other types of small-scale dairy farming; second, to assess the importance of intensive dairy farming for the household economy and nutrition of the smallholder households concerned; and, third, to assess the importance of this economic activity for the nutrition of the local community. For the purpose of this study five groups of households were designated: DDP-farmers, independent dairy farmers (neighbours of DDP-farmers keeping cattle), livestock farmers (traditional farmers in the drier part of the province), DDP-customers (rural households regularly buying milk from DDP-farmers), and a comparison group drawn from the general population of farming households. Field surveys took place from May till July 1987. The data collected concern household characteristics, dairy farming and production, milk sales, household food consumption, milk consumption and nutritional status of preschool children Show less
In 1983, the Ministry of Planning and National Development (MPND) of Kenya and the African Studies Centre, Leiden, started a programme of mutual studies whose objective was to analyse current... Show moreIn 1983, the Ministry of Planning and National Development (MPND) of Kenya and the African Studies Centre, Leiden, started a programme of mutual studies whose objective was to analyse current developments concerning food and nutrition in Kenya. The main subject areas are nutrition in rural development, regional and seasonal fluctuations in food supply and nutrition, and agricultural policies and agricultural production. Following the completion of several joint studies in Coast Province, a seminar on 'Sectoral discussions on seasonality, settlement and dairy development in Coast Province' was held in November 1990 at which the final results of several socioeconomic and nutrition surveys carried out during the period 1985-1987 were presented. The general objective of the seminar was to disseminate the study results among government officers concerned with the social and economic development of the area, to offer the results for discussion and to formulate recommendations for policy and planning purposes. This report contains a summary of each of the five main reports which were presented - a socioeconomic profile of the study populations in Kwale and Kilifi Districts, a study of seasonality in food consumption and anthropometry, a survey of economic and nutritional conditions at settlement schemes, a study of nutrition and dairy development and of women's groups - together with the seminar's recommendations. Show less
This is Part 4/5 of a series concerned with seasonality in the coastal lowlands of Kenya. Household surveys were carried out in six locations in Kwale and Kilifi Districts in 1985-1987. The present... Show moreThis is Part 4/5 of a series concerned with seasonality in the coastal lowlands of Kenya. Household surveys were carried out in six locations in Kwale and Kilifi Districts in 1985-1987. The present report deals with food consumption and the nutritional condition of the study population. Results show that the average energy intake in the sampled households is substantially lower than the reference requirements. However, energy intake differs according to research area, income class and season. On average, only about one-third of the energy intake is covered by the households' own food production. The general seasonality pattern of height and weight growth of the children differs little between the research areas. However, the amplitudes of the seasonal fluctuations differ between the areas. Household income level appears to be an important variable underlying differences in the seasonality of height growth and weight growth. The relationship between household income level and seasonality in the mothers' weight is more complex. In the present study, 'seasonal stress' is assessed in terms of a deterioration of the nutritional condition of the people. To a certain extent, most households are able to prevent this type of seasonal stress by buying food with money derived from a more or less regular type of off-farm employment and to a lesser extent also from farm sales. Show less
This report is concerned with land distribution and rural development and presents the final results of a survey carried out in 1985-1986 in four settlement schemes: Diani and Ukunda in Kwale... Show moreThis report is concerned with land distribution and rural development and presents the final results of a survey carried out in 1985-1986 in four settlement schemes: Diani and Ukunda in Kwale District and Roka and Mtwapa in Kilifi District, Coast Province, Kenya. In each scheme 100 households were visited and information collected regarding small farm characteristics, off-farm employment, socioeconomic differentiation between households, food consumption and nutritional status. Data from a companion survey among the general population were available for comparison purposes. It was found that food crop production, mostly maize and cassava, covers only 60 percent of the staple food requirements. In all schemes, off-farm employment plays an important role and total household income consists for two thirds of employment income. The variation in income and income composition is large. Scheme households, on average, have a higher food energy consumption than the general population as well as a greater variation in diet. As regards nutritional status, there are significant differences between schemes and general population in respect of height-for-age of children. There is no traceable influence of individual schemes as such on the nutritional status of children. It is concluded that from the point of view of regional agricultural development the results of government settlement policy are far from optimal, but that from the point of view of the settler households the schemes are quite prosperous Show less
