Household Food Security

The study examined the food security situation within Kyuso Rural Development Area (RDA) in Mwingi District, Kenya. Food crop production compared with household food needs was taken as the measure of food self-self-sufficiency, which depicted how secure the household were food wise. Farm production of the three main food crops (maize, cowpeas and millet), livestock production and family income generating activities were taken as the major contributor to household food self-sufficiency. The study respondents were members of the farm households who performed most of the household activities. The study sample and primary data in general were collected among respondents in Kyuso RDA and a control zone outside the RDA. There were 60 respondents selected from RDA zone and 40 respondent selected from non- RDA zone. All together the study sample constituted of 100 respondents who were a member of the household who did most of the household work. The study found that food self-sufficiency at household level was dependent on many factors like household size, farm size and family labour.