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Seasonality and farm/non-farm interactions in Western Kenya

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Author

Summary, in English

This article considers the distributional consequences of seasonality by analysing the links between non-farm incomes, commercialisation within agriculture, and variations in consumption burdens and expenditures at the household level. The common focus in the literature on non-farm incomes as levellers of seasonality and sources of risk minimisation is complemented by perspectives which consider how seasonality affects and is handled by households depending on their broader livelihood situations. To this perspective is also added a consideration of in-kind transfers and transactions. The article uses a mixed methods approach, drawing on data from two villages in Western Kenya. The lack of non-farm sources of income and the variation over time in consumption burdens aggravate the seasonal aspects of the agricultural production cycle for poorer households. By contrast, the interaction between farm and non-farm sources of income enables wealthier households to profit from seasonality in relation to agricultural markets, while providing the basis for meeting both farm and non-farm expenditures.

Publishing year

2012

Language

English

Pages

1-23

Publication/Series

Journal of Modern African Studies

Volume

50

Issue

1

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Cambridge University Press

Topic

  • Human Geography

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 0022-278X