PERFORMANCE OF POVERTY ALLEVIATION PROGRAMMES AND SOCIO ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF CARITAS INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMME IN HOMA BAY COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

This study examined the performance of poverty alleviation programmers and socio-economic development: a case of Caritas International in Homa Bay County within Kenya. The independent variable under study were youth vocational training, capacity building, livestock and crop development. The study was anchored by the empowerment theory; supported by the human capital theory and the restricted opportunity theory. The study adopted the descriptive study design to describe the social and economic characteristics of the target population. The target population was 1,142 household heads out of which through stratified random sampling, 92 respondents were selected to be part of the study sample. Proportionate sampling was then employed to ensure that the three sub counties under study were proportionately represented in the sample. The data was collected through questionnaire. The questionnaire was validated and pre-tested before the actual data collection. Data analysis was done through the use of Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) version 29. Descriptive and inferential statistics were generated to help in summarizing data to aid in making meaningful conclusions and recommendations. Tables, charts and percentages were used to present the summarized data. The researcher observed research ethics before the actual research, during the actual research and after the research. The findings of this study reveal that a youth vocational training has enabled the youth to gain useful skills which have enabled them to obtain gainful employment; capacity building has equipped households with resources and skills that have led to the attainment of self-reliance; proceeds from livestock production is a source of income used for investment and at the same time reduces food insecurity within households and crop development enhances household nutrition and on the other hand surplus realized from production is a source of income which can be used for investment in education, descent housing and access to better healthcare services. Recommendations from the study are as follows; Capacity building programs should include training on saving culture and financial management to enable households to use the income earned from the sale of farm products prudently and also to use their earnings to scale up their production. The national and county governments should supplement the efforts already made by Caritas in alleviating poverty through crop and livestock development. There is need for providing more resources to the poor households, so that crop and livestock production can be done in a large scale to enable commercialization. There is need to conduct a study on how land fragmentation affects household’s level of production in terms of technical efficiency of agriculture and the sustainability of food production system.