EFFECTIVENESS OF HUNGER SAFETY NET PROGRAMME IN MITIGATING FOOD INSECURITY IN TURKANA WEST SUB-COUNTY, TURKANA COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The global commitment to social safety nets is crucial in addressing poverty and food insecurity. However, challenges persist, especially in regions like Kenya's arid areas where initiatives like the Hunger Safety Net Programme face obstacles in achieving timely and efficient implementation. This study evaluates the effectiveness of the HSNP in addressing food insecurity in Turkana West Sub-County, Kenya. This study aimed to achieve three specific objectives: (i) assessing HSNP’s impact on food security among beneficiaries, (ii) evaluating improvements in social wellbeing, and (iii) determining HSNP's role in promoting accumulation of productive assets. The Sustainable Livelihoods Approach provided a solid theoretical framework. It employed a concurrent mixed-methods design. The study sampled 365 HSNP beneficiary households from a population of 7,333 HSNP beneficiary households, and 30 key informants. Data was gathered from household heads via questionnaires, as well as through interview guides administered to key informants. Analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS and results presented using frequency pie charts and tables. Results reveal that the Hunger Safety Net Programme has significantly improved food security, social wellbeing, and economic resilience among beneficiaries in Turkana West Sub-County. For food security, the most notable improvements were seen in diet diversity (78.4% of respondents reported positive changes) and overall food security (78.4% affirmed improvements). In social wellbeing, healthcare access improved significantly, with 81.5% of respondents acknowledging better access, while income levels also rose, with 79.9% reporting higher incomes. Regarding asset accumulation, 80.4% of respondents indicated that HSNP had strengthened household savings, and 80.4% saw gains in productive asset retention and management. These results underscore the program’s role in promoting resilience to food insecurity and socio-economic advancement within vulnerable households. Recommendations from the study emphasize tailored support programs within the HSNP framework, community involvement and capacity-building initiatives for beneficiaries to ensure the program's effectiveness in addressing household needs. Further research avenues include longitudinal studies to track HSNP's sustained impacts, comparative analyses with other social protection programs, and gender-sensitive investigations into intra-household dynamics, providing insights for program refinement and optimization. The study’s findings offers key insights to aid the Kenyan government and development partners in refining evidence-based policy and program design. Additionally, it supports academic research, advancing social cash transfer research to address food insecurity in vulnerable areas.