ABSTRACT
Efforts to implement Integrated Water Resource Management are often hampered by
inefficient political and institutional environments. As a result, Lower Sio River basin has
experienced land use and land cover changes which have exerted negative ecological
impacts on local livelihoods. It is unclear how much watershed governance is integrated
into policy across the county levels to promote food security. Therefore, the study aimed
at determining the status of watershed governance and its place in enhancing food
security in the Lower Sio River basin; Nambale, Matayos and Funyula Sub-counties in
Busia County, Kenya. The specific objectives were to: determine the perceptions of
households on changes in rural watershed governance; examine the adaptive capacity of
state and non-state institutions to enhance watershed governance for food security;
evaluate the impacts of watershed governance structures on rural food security; and
evaluate the effectiveness of adaptive co-management of watershed governance for food
security. Cross-sectional and evaluation research design; qualitative and quantitative
approaches, and probability and non-probability sampling techniques were used to ensure
triangulation and cross-checking the research process. A structured questionnaire,
interview guide, focus group discussion guide and observation checklist were tools used
to collect data. Two-level multi-stage sampling was combined with simple random and
proportionate sampling to select a sample of 387 households for quantitative data.
Purposive, convenient and snowball sampling procedures were used to select a sample
for key informants’ interviews and focus group discussions. Descriptive statistics, bivariate,
Chi-square and T-test, context and qualitative analysis were done. The study
found that 75.2% of the households’ depended on farmlands for food while 81.9% agreed
that watershed governance determined food security. Consequently, 86.3% needed
changes in watershed governance systems. Creating social resilience to adapt to a
changing climate, and clarifying roles and responsibilities at p-value=0.000; enhancing
water-use efficiency and improving management at p-value=0.010 were significant
governance aims at households’ food security. Watershed governance structures such as
water resources management policies and plans p-value=0.000, and water resource
institutions p-value=0.001 were also significant to households' food security status.
Majority 86.8% blamed low farm yield as a key driver for households' food insecurity.
Low supply of food in the market, incidences of prolonged droughts and low levels of
income p-value=0.000 and ineffective government policy p-value=0.007 drivers of food
insecurity were significant in determining households' food security status. On average
55.3% of households were food insecure. Regression analysis results showed that
religion, watershed expertise, level of satisfaction towards watershed governance and comanagement
of watershed could only explain 20.8% variations in households’ food
security status. Generally, watershed governance structures did not affect households’
food security. Further, the study found that there were collaborations among actors
without coordination and monitoring framework. Furthermore, 70.0% and 85.8% of
households indicated that they did not offer support to National Environment
Management Authority and Water Resources Authority respectively. The study
concluded that watershed governance did not enhance sustainable food security thus it
was recommended for deliberate policy changes and efforts towards watershed
governance through building actors adaptive capacities, co-management, households’
satisfaction and participation for sustainable food security in the basin.
Naburi, N (2021). Watershed Governance And Its Implications Onfood Security In The Lower Sio River Basinbusia County, Kenya. Afribary. Retrieved from https://track.afribary.com/works/watershed-governance-and-its-implications-onfood-security-in-the-lower-sio-river-basinbusia-county-kenya
Naburi, Namenya "Watershed Governance And Its Implications Onfood Security In The Lower Sio River Basinbusia County, Kenya" Afribary. Afribary, 08 May. 2021, https://track.afribary.com/works/watershed-governance-and-its-implications-onfood-security-in-the-lower-sio-river-basinbusia-county-kenya. Accessed 06 Nov. 2024.
Naburi, Namenya . "Watershed Governance And Its Implications Onfood Security In The Lower Sio River Basinbusia County, Kenya". Afribary, Afribary, 08 May. 2021. Web. 06 Nov. 2024. < https://track.afribary.com/works/watershed-governance-and-its-implications-onfood-security-in-the-lower-sio-river-basinbusia-county-kenya >.
Naburi, Namenya . "Watershed Governance And Its Implications Onfood Security In The Lower Sio River Basinbusia County, Kenya" Afribary (2021). Accessed November 06, 2024. https://track.afribary.com/works/watershed-governance-and-its-implications-onfood-security-in-the-lower-sio-river-basinbusia-county-kenya