Contributions of Informal Market Vegetable Vending on Food Availability in Rural Households in Western Kenya

Ruth Orlale
Peter Gutwa Oino
School of Arts and Social Sciences
Department of Sociology, Gender and Development Studies
Kisii University, Kenya
Corresponding Author: komfort8@yahoo.com

Abstract: Over the years, the different cadre of people in communities both in urban and rural settings have been engaged in informal markets to sustain food security in their households. Despite the knowledge gaps on how informal markets can be used, and improve household food security, most people in both rural and urban areas rely on the informal markets for their food needs. The paper examines the contribution of informal market vegetable vending on household food security in western Kenya. The paper used a descriptive cross-section survey to research vegetable vendors in Kapsoit and Ahero markets. The study targeted 140 traders in Ahero and Kapsoit markets located in western Kenya. Yamane’s (1970) formula was used to determine a sample size of 103. Systematic random sampling with an interval of 10 was used to select the 103 respondents in Ahero and Kapsoit markets. Analysis was presented in form of frequencies and percentages. The findings revealed that vegetable vendors were able to increase food availability, and meet their household dietary needs. There was, however, low awareness of food health and safety practices among vegetable vendors. The paper concludes that informal markets of vegetable vendors positively contributed to food availability, consumption of a variety of food, and increased coping strategies for food insecurity in rural households. However, vegetable vendors had low awareness of food health and safety measures. The paper recommends that vendors be offered training on food health and safety in order to produce safe food for their families and other consumers.