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Research Paper | Education Management | Kenya | Volume 2 Issue 2, February 2013

Food Availability and Price Stability in Kenya

Florence Mbachi ^[2] | Sarah Likoko ^[13]

Abstract: There is an increasing need to improve upon availability of food in our households. Increased access to food is determined by food production and distribution networks; the financial situation of governments and consumers also determine the ability to get imports or movements of food inside the deficit countries or areas. The aim of the study was to determine factors influencing food availability and price stability in Kenya. This paper analyses secondary literature on the influence of food security on food availability; the influence of new Technology on food availability and food price influence on food availability. The findings indicate that, at Regional level, the number of food surplus countries has decreased thus creating dependency on the global markets and food Aid. At the national level few countries produce enough food to meet their own needs, making the rest dependent on their capacity to purchase imported food. Most households are poor and cannot cover their own requirements, instead rely mainly on food AID. Food distribution network systems are often inadequate to ensure availability of sufficient food at local level. Households in pastoral and marginal cropping areas currently face moderate to extreme levels of food insecurity, due to ongoing drought, increasing staple food prices. Decisions made within households also determine the allocation of income for food and non food consumptions thus affecting the availability of food distributed among the household members. The study recommended that all the stakeholders should improve food distribution network systems to ensure availability of sufficient food at the local level; the government also to provide low cost preservation systems; the government to introduce sustainable livelihood strategies to address food insecurity problems among the poor households.

Keywords: Food availability, Food security, Food distribution, Price stability

Edition: Volume 2 Issue 2, February 2013,

Pages: 53 - 58

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