Indexing

Abstract:In most societies, women and men perform different roles during funerals and burials. Among the Gusii people of Kenya, women and men perform different but complimentary roles during funeral and burial practices. Likewise, there are variances in terms of how funeral and burial ceremonies and practices of deceased men and women are performed. These roles, ceremonies and practices have been changing over time yet available data on the role of gender in Gusii funeral and burial practices are those which were documented by anthropologists many years ago. This seems to suggest that the Gusii culture, as it relates to funeral and burial practices, has been static. This chapter contests this position and goes further to examine the changing funeral and burial practices of the Gusii people in the context of gender.

Keywords:Women, funeral, burial, Gusii.
Title:Gender and the Changing Funeral and Burial Practices among the Gusii People of Kenya
Author:Mildred Nyaboke Ayuka
ISSN 2350-1049
International Journal of Recent Research in Interdisciplinary Sciences (IJRRIS)
Paper Publications

Abstract:Majority of farmers live in rural areas and contribute immensely to economy and wealth creation among the rural population, however they are faced with myriad of problems including food insecurity. Even though they participate in food production most of them are food insecure. The objectives of the study included to: (1) examine the socio-economic profile of smallholder farmers, (2) determine the socio-economic factors influencing food security among smallholder farmers and (3) assess household food security status of smallholder farmers. The study utilized both primary and secondary data sources. Purposive sampling was used to select 384 respondents who were interviewed using structured questionnaires. To establish food security status of farming households in the study area, Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) which is a food security measurement scale was used to determine food security status of each household. Logit regression model was used to analyze the influence of socio-economic factors on farm household food security. Data was summarized and presented through descriptive statistics using SPSS version 20.0 software. Results showed that only 20.7% of the respondents were food secured compared 79.3% who were food insecure. Additionally, seven variables positively influenced food security of the household:  age, land size, gender, educational level, civil status, household incomes, price of major agricultural commodities and access to credit. Apart from gender and price of major agricultural commodities other variables positively and significantly influenced food security. Based on research findings the main recommendations of the study include:  family planning would be necessary to reduce high food insecurity; Efficient land use, soil conservation and modern farming technologies be adopted to improve food security; and policies that encourage youth participation in agriculture should be developed and adopted.

Keywords:  Bomet County, food security, logit regression, socio-economic.
Title:SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING SMALLHOLDER FARMER HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY IN BOMET COUNTY, KENYA
Author:Fredrick K. Koskei, Prof. Christopher O. Gor, Dr. Julius Okora
ISSN 2350-1049
International Journal of Recent Research in Interdisciplinary Sciences (IJRRIS)
Paper Publications