Examines the seasonal variations in food consumption and nutrition that occur in Kenya's Coast Province. Discusses the strategies developed by the study population to cope with diminishing food stocks at the end of the agricultural year. Analyzes the respective influences of climate, productive organization and household income. The findings are reviewed in relation to the changes in livelihood that have occurred in rural Africa; in respect of resource management and diversification strategies; and in relation to existing theories of child growth. Discusses implications for development and policy.
The Kenya Coast poses a development enigma in more than one way. Historically it was part of the Indian Ocean world and its economy. With the coming of colonial rule and later nationhood, the political and economic allegiances inevitably changed. Economic and political power shifted to the centre of Kenya. The coastal region is not richly endowed in natural resources but it has economic lynchpins in the port of Mombasa which serves Kenya and other East African countries, the tourism industry which has great potential and which flourished in previous decades but has recently shown a steep decline, and agriculture which so far serves mainly as a means of subsistence for large parts of the local population. Despite this potential the region finds itself in a marginal position. This book traces the causes behind this situation and analyses it from different angles - political, economical and social. Contributors from very different disciplines review resources, economy, people and history as well as the development potential and existing development limitations. The latter consist not only of infrastructural and human constraints but also of fragile coastal ecosystems, such as coral reefs, beaches and mangrove forests, that easily suffer from environmental degradation. This book is an indispensable tool for anyone with a professional interest in the East African Coast. The book contains 26 chapters divided over 6 sections: Introduction, General Background, People and History, Economic Resources, Human Resources, and Development Issues. The book also contains a large bibliography and statistical information.
Seasonality is a severe constraint to sustainable rural livelihoods and a driver of poverty and hunger, particularly in the tropics. Many poor people in developing countries are ill equipped to cope with seasonal variations which can lead to drought or flood and consequences for agriculture, employment, food supply and the spread of disease. The subject has assumed increasing importance as climate change and other forms of development disrupt established seasonal patterns and variations. This book is the first systematic study of seasonality for over twenty years, and it aims to revive academic interest and policy awareness of this crucial but neglected issue. Thematic chapters explore recent shifts with profound implications for seasonality, including climate change, HIV/AIDS, and social protection. Case study chapters explore seasonal dimensions of livelihoods in Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi), Asia (Bangladesh, China, India), and Latin America (Peru). Others assess policy responses to adverse seasonality, for example through irrigation, migration and seasonally-sensitive education. The book also includes innovative tools for monitoring seasonality, which should enable more appropriate responses.
This volume attempts to dig deeper into what is currently happening in Africa’s agricultural and rural sector and to convince policymakers and others that it is important to look at the current African rural dynamics in ways that connect metropolitan demands for food with value chain improvements and agro-food cluster innovations. It is essential to go beyond a ‘development bureaucracy’ and a state-based approach to rural transformation, such as the one that often dominates policy debate in African government circles, organizations like the African Union and the UN, and donor agencies.
Overexploitation of natural resources is often associated with poverty among local populations. A multi-disciplinary team studied artisanal fishers along the Kenyan coast on the Indian Ocean. The main focus of the research was on income diversification of fishers, the pressure on marine resources and the relation between the two. Income diversification did not reduce the pressure on the marine environment. Rather, indications are that many part-time fishers are entering the profession. Moreover, fishers with alternative employment stayed in-shore and used damaging gear more often. Policies to stimulate employment opportunities for coastal communities cannot be expected to lessen the pressure on marine resources and need to be planned carefully in terms of industry location, labour requirements and degree of coastal pollution.
Drawing on extensive fieldwork in nine African countries, this volume offers different perspectives on the emerging markets for well-being. The chapters discuss how medical staff, patients and citizins navigate markets for health and healing.
First published in 1997, this volume contributes to the knowledge for the trade of vegetables, fruits and tubers (so-called horticultural commodities). As African policy makers try to keep pace with new developments in private food trade, they require knowledge of the structures of private trade systems and the factors that govern their long-term development. The study analyses the structure and development of horticultural marketing channels in Kenya. It is based primarily on surveys of some 500 farmers in four districts and 750 horticultural traders in 18 market places. Commercial horticultural farmers, domestic traders, export traders, agents, facilitators, marketing cooperatives and processors are all reviewed. The study devotes special attention to the efficiency of collecting wholesalers, and to the development of rural assembly markets. It develops a model which can elucidate vertical differentiation processes in the Kenyan horticultural channels. The analyses show that marketing channel theory can be of great relevance to the developing world. The proposed vertical differentiation model can aid in predicting future changes in horticultural marketing systems, in Kenya as well as in other African countries.
The revised and updated second edition of Water and Sanitation Related Diseases and the Changing Environment offers an interdisciplinary guide to the conditions responsible for water and sanitation related diseases. The authors discuss the pathogens, vectors, and their biology, morbidity and mortality that result from a lack of safe water and sanitation. The text also explores the distribution of these diseases and the conditions that must be met to reduce or eradicate them. The text includes contributions from authorities from the fields of climate change, epidemiology, environmental health, environmental engineering, global health, medicine, medical anthropology, nutrition, population, and public health. Covers the causes of individual diseases with basic information about the diseases and data on the distribution, prevalence, and incidence as well as interconnected factors such as environmental factors. The authors cover access to and maintenance of clean water, and guidelines for the safe use of wastewater, excreta, and grey water, plus examples of solutions. Written for students, and professionals in infectious disease, public health and medicine, chemical and environmental engineering, and international affairs, the second edition of Water and Sanitation Related Diseases and the Changing Environment isa comprehensive resource to the conditions responsible for water and sanitation related diseases.
