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Income and Asset Poverty among Pastoralists in Northern Kenya

Author

Listed:
  • Samuel Mburu
  • Steffen Otterbach
  • Alfonso Sousa-Poza
  • Andrew Mude

Abstract

In this study we use household panel data collected in Marsabit district of Northern Kenya, to analyse the patterns of livelihood sources and poverty among pastoralists in that area. We estimate income poverty using imputed household income relative to the adjusted poverty line and asset poverty using a regression-based asset index and tropical livestock units (TLU) per capita. Our results indicate that keeping livestock is still the pastoralists’ main source of livelihood, although there is a notable trend of increasing livelihood diversification, especially among livestock-poor households. The majority of households (over 70%) are both income and livestock-poor with few having escaped poverty within the five-year study period. Disaggregating income and asset poverty also reveals an increasing trend of both structurally poor and stochastically nonpoor households. The findings show that the TLU-based asset poverty is a more appropriate measure of asset poverty in a pastoral setting.

Suggested Citation

  • Samuel Mburu & Steffen Otterbach & Alfonso Sousa-Poza & Andrew Mude, 2017. "Income and Asset Poverty among Pastoralists in Northern Kenya," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(6), pages 971-986, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jdevst:v:53:y:2017:i:6:p:971-986
    DOI: 10.1080/00220388.2016.1219346
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    Cited by:

    1. Truong Lam Do & Trung Thanh Nguyen & Ulrike Grote, 2022. "Livestock production and income inequality in rural Vietnam," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 409-438, February.
    2. Jackson Wachira & Joanes Atela & Paul Stacey & George Outa, 2024. "NGO-Led Community-Based Conservation: A New Frontier of Territorialization with Implications for Pastoralists’ Land Tenure and Climate Change Adaptation," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-26, May.
    3. Parlasca, Martin C. & Mußhoff, Oliver & Qaim, Matin, "undated". "How mobile phones can improve nutrition among pastoral communities: Panel data evidence from Northern Kenya," GlobalFood Discussion Papers 274651, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, GlobalFood, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    4. Teresiah Wairimu Ng’ang’a & Jeanne Y. Coulibaly & Todd A. Crane & Charles K. Gachene & Geoffrey Kironchi, 2020. "Propensity to adapt to climate change: insights from pastoralist and agro-pastoralist households of Laikipia County, Kenya," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 393-413, August.
    5. Graham, Michael W. & Chelanga, Philemon & Jensen, Nathaniel D. & Leitner, Sonja M. & Fava, Francesco & Merbold, Lutz, 2021. "A framework for assessing the effects of shock events on livestock and environment in sub-Saharan Africa: The COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Kenya," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    6. Martin C. Parlasca & Oliver Mußhoff & Matin Qaim, 2020. "Can mobile phones improve nutrition among pastoral communities? Panel data evidence from Northern Kenya," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 51(3), pages 475-488, May.
    7. Ndiaye, Alioune, 2021. "Diversify or Specialise? Impacts of Diversification on Household Welfare and Inequalities in Pastoral Areas in Senegal," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315898, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    8. Göran Bostedt & Lonah Mukoya & Deborah Muricho & Gert Nyberg, 2021. "Saving and borrowing behaviour among agropastoralists in West Pokot County, Kenya," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(6), pages 1043-1062, August.
    9. Albers, H. Jo & Campoverde, P. David & King, Bethany & Sills, Erin & Alais, Lemiani & Kirama, Stephen & Kreinbrink, Victoria & Lokina, Razack & Mtenga, Erica, 2022. "Status and Perspectives of Maasai Women in Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania," EfD Discussion Paper 22-17, Environment for Development, University of Gothenburg.

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