New programme, "Shamba Shape-Up," explores typical problems encountered by smallholder families on the outskirts of Kenya's towns and cities, then brings in a crack team of experts to sort them out.
22 pages, Commercialisation of smallholder agriculture is important for rural economic growth. While previous studies have analysed effects of commercialisation on productivity and income, implications for farm household nutrition have received much less attention. We evaluate the effects of commercialisation on household food security and dietary quality with a special focus on calorie and micronutrient consumption. We also examine transmission channels by looking at the role of income, gender, and possible substitution effects between the consumption of own-produced and purchased foods. The analysis uses survey data from farm households in Kenya and a control function approach. Generalised propensity scores are employed to estimate continuous treatment effects. Commercialisation significantly improves food security and dietary quality in terms of calorie, zinc and iron consumption. For vitamin A, effects are insignificant. Commercialisation contributes to higher incomes and increased nutrients from purchased foods, but it does not reduce the consumption of nutrients from own-produced foods. Enhancing market access is important not only for rural economic growth, but also for making smallholder agriculture more nutrition-sensitive.
Melkote, Srinivas R. (author / Assistant Professor, Department of Radio-TV-Film, School of Mass Communication, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH)
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1988
Published:
USA: Macomb, IL : Western Illinois University.
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 85 Document Number: C05538
Sorensen, Donald M. (author), Spencer, William P. (author), and Spencer: Extension Economist and Associate Professor, Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO; Sorensen: Professor of Economics, and Extension Specialist, Community Development, Department of Economics, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Format:
Journal article
Publication Date:
1982-07
Published:
USA
Location:
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 86 Document Number: C05663
James F. Evans Collection; See C05662 for original, Any extension agent could improve program acceptance and learning by following the participant-centered learning principles described.
