Peri‑urban agriculture and household food and nutrition security around Eldoret, Kenya

Abstract

Rapid urbanisation in low- and middle-income countries, which has encroached on agricultural lands but has not been con- sistently accompanied by corresponding improvements in water and sanitation services, has raised questions about its impact on the food and nutrition security of households living in transitional, peri-urban areas. Through an analysis of survey data collected from 518 households living around the town of Eldoret, Kenya, we investigate the existing links between peri- urban households’ engagement in agriculture, their dietary behaviour, and their children’s nutrition outcomes. We find that peri-urban households engaged in agriculture, particularly in crop growing and in the sales of their agricultural produce, have more diverse and nutritious diets than agriculturally non-engaged households, all other things being equal. However, a significant improvement in children’s health outcomes is observed in these households only when coupled with improved water, sanitation, and hygiene conditions