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Determinants of Poverty in Kenya: A Household Level Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Alemayehu Geda

    (Institute of Social Studies and Addis Ababa University)

  • Niek de Jong

    (Institute of Social Studies, The Hague)

  • Mwangi S. Kimenyi

    (University of Connecticut)

  • Germano Mwabu

    (University of Nairobi and Yale University)

Abstract

Strategies aimed at poverty reduction need to identify factors that are strongly associated with poverty and that are amenable to modification by policy. This article uses household level data collected in 1994 to examine probable determinants of poverty status, employing both binomial and polychotomous logit models. The study shows that poverty status is strongly associated with the level of education, household size and engagement in agricultural activity, both in rural and urban areas. In general, those factors that are closely associated with overall poverty according to the binomial model are also important in the ordered-logit model, but they appear to be even more important in tackling extreme poverty.

Suggested Citation

  • Alemayehu Geda & Niek de Jong & Mwangi S. Kimenyi & Germano Mwabu, 2005. "Determinants of Poverty in Kenya: A Household Level Analysis," Working papers 2005-44, University of Connecticut, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:uct:uconnp:2005-44
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Geda, A. & de Jong, N. & Mwabu, G. & Kimenyi, M.S., 2001. "Determinants of poverty in Kenya : a household level analysis," ISS Working Papers - General Series 19095, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    2. Amemiya, Takeshi, 1981. "Qualitative Response Models: A Survey," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 19(4), pages 1483-1536, December.
    3. Greer, Joel & Thorbecke, Erik, 1986. "A methodology for measuring food poverty applied to Kenya," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 24(1), pages 59-74, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Poverty; Kenya; Africa; Probability Models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • N97 - Economic History - - Regional and Urban History - - - Africa; Oceania

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