EFFECTS OF HUNGER SAFETY NET PROGRAM ON LIVELIHOOD IMPROVEMENT IN WAJIR COUNTY, KENYA
Omar Hussein Elmi - Master of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Prof. David Minja - Department of Public Policy and Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Despite economic growth and improvements in many dimensions of welfare, poverty remains a pervasive and complex phenomenon in Sub-Saharan Africa. Poverty and vulnerability remain major challenges in Kenya. Social safety nets can help build household resilience to shocks. If poor households are able to rely on regular support from safety nets, they can avoid resorting to costly and oft en irreversible coping strategies, such as selling their most productive assets at deflated prices or taking children out of school. The study was guided by the following objectives; to examine the level of adoption of government cash safety net programs within Wajir County, to determine the influence of cash transfers on the livelihood improvement within Wajir Count, to find out the effect of cash management on the livelihood improvement within Wajir County, to determine whether the management of the cash transfer program affects the effectiveness of the program within Wajir County and to determine the effect of registration and targeting on the livelihood improvement within Wajir County. The study was guided by social system theory. The theory was developed by Charles Darwin in 1874. This study employed a descriptive study design. The study targeted all residents of Wajir County. However, to determine sample size Fisher Formula was used. A sample size of 384 was used in data collection. Both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used for data collection. The data collection methods used includes; interviews schedules, questionnaires and observation. Piloting was done to enhance reliability and validity of research instruments. The responses from the questionnaires and interview schedules were coded into statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version 21.0 for analysis. Qualitative data was analyzed using content analysis based on analysis of meanings and implications emanating from respondents’ information and documented data. The findings revealed that majority of respondents agreed that government adopt cash transfer net program. Cash transfer net program enhance retention and fostering of families affected with hunger. Also, the results show that county government and national government ensures management of the hunger safety net programmes. From findings, it can be concluded that government support is often limited and lack of other development interventions in the county hamper the hunger safety self-sufficiency. Access to cash transfer services, management of cash transfer and transparency in registration increase the potential of households’ to become hunger safety self-sufficient and to achieve the broader food security program. The study recommended that pay points should be sufficiently accessible to recipients, in particular those that have difficulties in travelling and the payment mechanism should seek to be linked to savings accounts for recipients so that they can retain funds in their accounts, if they desire, and have greater freedom to withdraw funds.
