Social Aspects of Dynamic Poverty Traps Cases from Vihiga, Baringo and Marsabit Districts, Kenya Nelson Mango, Wesley Ongadi, Gatarwa Kariuki, & Josephat Cheng’ole

Research Team Nelson Mango (ILRI), Gatarwa Kariuki (KARI), Josephat Cheng’ole (KARI), Wesley Ongadi (ICRAF/KEFRI) Willis Oluoch K’Osura (UoN), Frank Place(ICRAF), Festus Murithi (KARI) Justin Wangila (ICRAF) Supported by: IDRC (Canada), BASIS/CRSP (USAID)

Objectives 1. To characterize, identify, and analyze dynamic poverty processes using social and historical methods –By paying particular attention to changes in natural capital and human welfare dynamics

Objectives cont…. 2. To identify existing and potential strategies for households to escape poverty traps and to understand the constraints in employing them.

The research areas  Vihiga district - Madzuu (Mungoma) location  Baringo district - Ng’ambo location  Marsabit district - Dirib Gombo location:

High potential agricultural zone Rainfall:1800mm-2000mm Pop. Density /km square Av. Land sizes ½ ha per HH 25-29% HIV/AIDS prevalence Ethnicity: Maragolis Source: CBS, ILRI, 2003

Low agricultural potential zone Low rainfall amounts per year 50-55mm monthly Pop. Density 76/km square Econ. Activity Livestock Keeping Ethnicity: Ilchamus Over 70% of the people are poor Source: CBS, ILRI, 2003

Low Potential agricultural zone Low amounts of rainfall Pop. Density 38/km square Econ. activity: Keeping livestock Ethnicity: Boran (pastoralists) Burji (Mixed farmers) 50-60% people are poor Source: CBS, ILRI, 2003

Research Methodology  The overall approach to the research was qualitative  Three step approach –Community level workshop –Case studies (Sampling & Techniques) –Interviews with key informants

Community level workshop  PRA tools that were used included 1.Presentations and focused group discussions 2.Subgroup discussions and presentations 3. Historical timelines

Workshop Cont…. 4. Seasonal calendars 5. Problem analysis 6. Problem trend lines 7. Wealth ranking and wellbeing analysis

Case studies (sampling)  Purposive sampling technique 1. Poor – nonpoor 2. Nonpoor – poor 3. Poor – poor - increase - decrease - no change

Sampling Cont…. 4. Nonpoor – Nonpoor - increase - decrease - no change

Case studies (Techniques)  Ethnography  Critical events  Life histories  Listening to people’s narratives  Participant Observation  Oral histories

Key Informants  Ethnography  Oral History  Reading of Texts

Poverty Lines  Heavily indebted, poor housing, poor clothing, <3 meals/day, uncared for children and poor health (combined) (Vihiga).  Have <5 cattle, <5 goats and 5 sheep combined (Baringo).  Have < 8 cattle, <4 acres of land and no oxen to plough (combined) (Marsabit).

Reasons for escape from poverty  Education  Getting a well paying job in public or private sector  Diversification in on-farm and off-farm activities  Having a wider social network (clan support, farmer groups etc)

Reasons for remaining Non-poor  Coming from a wealthy and stable family background  Self discipline (ability to control finances)  Ability to manage terror in the village (Vihiga)  Other reasons similar to those for escape from poverty

Reasons for falling into poverty  Death of major income earner  Poor health and health related expenses  Heavy funeral expenses  Lose of employment  Reducing land sizes per household including grazing land

Falling cont…….  Unproductive land  Increased dependencies (large family size)  Frequent droughts and floods (Marsabit & Baringo)

Reasons for remaining poor  Coming from a poor background  Low levels of education and wrong mentality  Having very small unproductive land

Remaining poor cont…..  Landlessness and lack of resources  Over reliance on livestock (Marsabit & Baringo)  Other reasons similar to those for falling into poverty

Lessons learnt  Those who managed to escape from poverty and the non-poor tended to take care of the environment.  Reasons for falling into poverty tended to be different from reasons for escape from poverty  Human and social capital were determining factors in falling into poverty, escaping from poverty, remaining non-poor or poor

Reflection on the research methods  Ethnography is a powerful tool for penetrating the society  Community level workshops brought people together to discuss with researchers their own situation.  First hand information generated remained with them  Other useful qualitative research techniques include extended situational analysis, genealogies etc.)