“Not All Income is Equal”: Rural Livelihood Diversification and Diet Quality in South–Western Kenya

Davis Muthini (), Jonathan Nzuma and Beatrice Daniel
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Davis Muthini: AGRA| Sustainably Growing Africa’s Food Systems
Jonathan Nzuma: University of Nairobi
Beatrice Daniel: World Bank Group, Poverty and Equity Global Practice

The European Journal of Development Research, 2025, vol. 37, issue 3, No 4, 548-568

Abstract: Abstract In the rural areas of developing countries, where agriculture is central to livelihoods and undernourishment is prevalent, population pressure is driving a shift towards off-farm livelihood diversification. Despite this observed trend, empirical research on the effect of these changes on diets remains scarce. Using panel data from 763 households in Southwestern Kenya, we analyze the linkages between livelihood sources, income, and dietary diversity. Our findings reveal that certain sources, such as crop and livestock production, and self-employment, are significantly associated with improved diet diversity, while others exhibit inverse relationships. Unlike previous studies that often advocate for these livelihood sources in isolation, our analysis underscores the complementary roles of both on-farm and off-farm income sources, albeit with varying effects. These results underscore the need for initiatives that simultaneously boost agricultural production while promoting off-farm self-employment to enhance the dietary quality of rural Kenyan households.

Keywords: Dietary diversity; Livelihood diversification; Poisson regression (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1057/s41287-025-00688-7

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