Role of Livestock Projects in Empowering Women Smallholder Farmers for Sustainable Food Security in Rural Kenya (Report‪)‬

INTRODUCTION Women are a major human resource and assure adequate nutrition, health and cognitive development of their households and children in their formative years. However, women are over-represented among the poor, suffer heavy workloads and have little control over resources for family care. Women farmers are involved in slow cash generating activities than men [1, 2], and remain overrepresented among the poor. Poverty and food insecurity are enhanced by lack of access to, and control over assets, lack of access to institutions that provide opportunities and buffer from shocks and crises. Malnutrition increases morbidity and mortality and, reduces education attainment and livelihood skills and options. This has spiral effects on future generation's work capacity and general development. Households' ability to resist societal challenges and shocks is thus compromised and human capital decreases. There is increased awareness of the need to empower women through measures to increase economic, social and political equity, and improvements in nutrition, health and education. The need to improve household food security and empower women in households has seen the implementation of agricultural projects, particularly livestock projects that target women smallholder farmers [3, 4, 5, 6]. These projects are used as one of the major strategies to expand agricultural output in rural areas. Livestock provide over half of the value of global agricultural output and one third in developing countries. Livestock contributes to rural livelihoods, employment and poverty relief [7].