Women and Household Food Security in Kenya

Abstract

The role of women in agriculture as producers and providers of food cannot be over emphasised. In Kenya, just as in many other countries of the developing world, women are a critical link in achieving food security. This paper examines the role of women in ensuring household food security in Kenya. The challenges experienced by women as they participate in household food security are highlighted. A systematic review of literature from published and unpublished sources was useful for examining the fundamental roles that women play in ensuring food security in the family. The paper explores the critical link between women and food security in the Kenyan context, assessing some of the influences on household food security and specifically addressing women's roles and constraints within that framework. The paper reviews the effective strategies that can be adopted by women in order to maximize on household food security. The central argument in this paper is that women play a vital role in providing and producing food for the family and that empowering women through investing in their education is the single most important strategy to enhanced household food security; education allows women to access and control more resources. The paper concludes by making key recommendations for policy change towards women’s participation in household food security