Determinants of Households’ Resilience to Covariate Shocks: Empirical Evidence and Policy Implications from the Kenyan Fisheries and Aquaculture Sectors
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Published:2024-09-13
Issue:3
Volume:4
Page:203-216
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ISSN:2673-9496
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Container-title:Aquaculture Journal
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language:en
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Short-container-title:Aquaculture Journal
Author:
Ochieng Silas1, Ogello Erick1ORCID, Obiero Kevin2ORCID, Cheserek Maureen3
Affiliation:
1. Department of Animal and Fisheries Sciences, Maseno University, Private Bag, Maseno P.O. Box 3275-40100, Kenya 2. Sangoro Aquaculture Research Center, Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI), Pap-Onditi P.O. Box 136, Kenya 3. Department of Human Nutrition, Faculty of Health Science, Egerton University, Njoro P.O Box 536-20115, Kenya
Abstract
This paper analyzes the factors influencing households’ resilience capacities to shocks within Kenya’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors and draws from primary data collected from 419 fish-dependent households across Kisumu, Busia, Mombasa, and Kilifi counties. The sample represents a total of 48,000 fishing households. The study adopted a quasi-longitudinal design and computed the household resilience capacity index (RCI) using the resilience index measurement and analysis (RIMA-II) model. The results indicate that male-headed households’ mean household RCI scores (mean = 45.07 ± 10.43) were statistically significant to that of female-headed households (mean = 38.15 ± 9.25), suggesting that female-headed households are associated with lower resilience capacities than male-headed households. Moreover, the study identifies differences in resilience levels across various occupations within the sector. For instance, RCI scores among fish traders (mean = 40.71 ± 9.97), a function performed mainly by women, statistically differed (p < 0.005) from male-dominated cage farming (mean = 48.60 ± 10.47), whereas RCI scores at the production level for fisher folks (mean = 44.89 ± 10.09) and pond farmers (mean = 44.04 ± 12.07) showed no statistical difference (0 > 0.05. Additionally, households with more income sources tend to have higher resilience capacities. Seasonality in fishing cycles limited households’ ability to recover from climate-induced shocks; the more months without fishing activity, the less the odds of recovery from shocks (OR = 0.532, 95% CI [0.163, 0.908], p = 0.022). Furthermore, households that lacked guaranteed market access and inputs during COVID-19 were less likely to recover during and after the shocks (OR = 0.401, 95% CI [0.161, 0.999], p = 0.05). Households organized in cooperatives with better access to credit showed a higher chance of recovery. The study recommends (a) adopting gender-sensitive approaches in fisheries and aquaculture interventions to empower women in trade, (b) strengthening policies to enhance access and adoption of climate-smart technologies such as cage fish farming, (c) promoting livelihood diversification to sustain households’ income during fishing off-seasons, and (d) enhancing market linkages in the fish value chain through coordinated producer organizations. Further research should explore the possibilities of introducing index-based weather insurance and other tested suitable safety nets for the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
Reference54 articles.
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