Assesment Of Impact Of Sorghum For Multiple Uses (SMU) Value Chain Project On Small Holder Farmers In Kenya

Kenya is a food deficit country even in a bumper harvest year. The challenge of food, nutrition and income security is more highly felt among communities living in the rural areas. Though agriculture engaged about 75% of the population, 80% of Kenya’s land area is classified as arid and semi-arid and is considered unfavorable for rain fed agricultural production. The intermittent drought has resulted in a significant portion of the population regularly starving and heavily dependent on food aid and Kenya perennially remain on the global hunger index. Climate change and low rainfall limit the options of crop technologies that can be used in these areas to address food security so the challenges of poverty, food insecurity and income inequality persisted. Despite persistent drought in this semi-arid part of the country, farmers have for years opted to grow maize, which is highly vulnerable to the conditions.