Assessment of Participatory Communication Strategies for Implementation of Food Security Policies in Kenya – Cross Sectional Study of Samburu County

Abstract

Food security is a persistent challenge in East Africa, it has been severally noted by the United Nations Organizations (UNO) that East African countries are threatened by food challenges due to recurring famine, droughts and other extreme climate conditions. This is so in spite of evident political commitment, civil society’s commitments and as well as involvement by non-governmental organizations (NGO) to solve this recurrent challenge of food insecurity. The social endeavors to combat food insecurity in the east African region has been going on but so far the results achieved have not yet carried the east African countries, and Kenya in particular above the challenge of food insecurity. Thus, this is a phenomenal condition which calls for multi-dimensional as well as multi-sectoral approaches in search for solutions. Thus, this study is guided by hypothetical assumption that proper practice of development communication in relation to implementation of food security policy is one of the solutions. This study therefore, is aggravated by need for establishment of proper model of development communication as well as social communication strategy in search for working solutions to the challenge of ever elusive implementation of food security at country, community and even policy level. The study therefore sought to carry out assessment of the role of participatory communication in implementation of food security policies in Kenya by using a cross sectional study of Samburu County. The study used a target population of 240 respondents comprising of 120 Governmental and 120 non-governmental development agencies concerned with formulation of communication strategy for participatory implementation of food security policies in Samburu County. The study was guided by Paulo Freire’s communication model of ‘Dialogic Communication’ to establish the conceptual basis of the role played by participatory communication in implementation of food security policies. The study strove to meet the following objectives: to assess effects of participatory communication on the implementation of food security policies in Samburu County , to determine the extent of participatory communication in the implementation of food security policies in Samburu county , to explain participatory communication strategies in implementation of food security policies in Samburu County , to describe the determinants participatory communication in implementation of food security policies in Samburu County , 12 to explain the technologies used by participatory communication in implementation of food security policies in Samburu . The study used questionnaires, focus group discussions, interview schedules and observations to collect data from the sampled correspondents. The study used simple random sampling and systematic sampling techniques to construct a sample which had a size of 50% of target population. The collected data was analyzed by using both qualitative and quantitative techniques. Qualitative data was analyzed by use of statistics through calculation of percentages, frequencies, variations and measures of central tendencies as well as testing of different fitness. Qualitative data was analyzed by using themes and content analysis. The study results are contemplated to be adopted by civil societies, county government institutions, and research institutions for expeditious formulation of communication strategy for participatory implementation of food security policies with a focus on Samburu County, Kenya.