Food Security Initiatives and Household Poverty in Tharaka South Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

This study examined the effectiveness of food security initiatives in addressing household poverty in Tharaka South Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County, where recurrent poverty and frequent food insecurity have continued to undermine the wellbeing of many households. The main objective was to develop insight on the influence of available food security initiatives on household poverty reduction in the study area. The study was guided by entitlement and social exclusion theories. A descriptive design integrating qualitative and quantitative approaches was used. From a target population of 2,726 households, a sample of 335 was drawn through random sampling across eight clusters in Nkondi and Marimanti Wards, complemented by key informants. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and key informant interview guide, with instruments piloted in Chiakariga Subcounty. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques with the help of SPSS (Version 30) and presented as frequencies and percentages; qualitative data were analyzed thematically to develop themes from participants’ responses. Respondents credited immediate food and cash support with the greatest poverty impact, while capacity- building programmes scored lowest. However, regression analysis revealed that the four programme categories jointly explained only 4.7% of household poverty reduction (R2 = 0.047).This implies that, although food security initiatives contributed significantly to household poverty reduction, they accounted for only a small proportion of the observed variation in poverty outcomes, suggesting that other socio-economic, environmental, and institutional factors not included in the model played a greater role in influencing household poverty reduction, though the model was significant overall (F(4, 319) = 3.945, p = 0.004). The study found that households recognized all four families of initiative as present, with food-based safety nets most visible (mean = 3.87) and agricultural programmes least so (3.73), subsidized inputs being the weakest item (3.45). The study concludes that several initiatives were in place to address poverty, however not all of them were effective. The study recommends coordinated efforts among the county government, implementing agencies and local communities to strengthen poverty reduction programmes. The findings provide local evidence to guide better planning and implementation of poverty reduction programmes in Tharaka South. Keywords: Food Security Initiatives; Household Poverty; Food based Safety Nets; Cash Transfers; Agriculture