Study Site: Siaya County, Kenya 

Climate Variability has an influence on many underlying determinants of child malnutrition, including food access and availability as well as utilization. A community's food security and access to nutrition are at the whim of extreme weather events, seasonality, and changes in biodiversity. This is the case in Kenya, where child malnutrition is one of the most urgent public health concerns. For communities that depend on rainfall, climate changes drastically impact their access to food security. Loss of their livelihood limits the type and amount of food they can access, leading to a rapid rise in children in poor health. The volatile nature of the climate means that families have to adapt and diversify their livelihood to survive. The adaptation strategies are the focus of this project. Our research looks at the adaptation strategies for child feeding practices to reduce the prevalence of malnutrition among children under 5. 

This research intends to inform the national and county governments in Kenya of the strong relationship between climate change and malnutrition, therefore proving the demand for climate adaptation strategies on feeding practices to help reduce the prevalence of malnutrition among children under 5. 

Main Research Questions 

  • What are the locally available and production patterns of protein-rich animal and cereal products that are used to feed malnourished children during dry and wet seasons in Siaya County? 

  • What are the existing adaptation strategies during dry and wet seasons to help reduce the prevalence of malnutrition? 

  • What are the climate adaptation strategies on feeding practices to reduce malnutrition in children under 5 in Siaya County? 

Research Team Members 

  • Sikovo Gladwel Kuya (Principal Investigator)- PhD Student, Moi University, Kenya 

  • Dr. Judith Mangeni (Study Co-investigator and contact person)- Senior Lecturer, Moi University, Kenya 

  • Dr. Diana Menya(Study Co-investigator)- Senior Lecturer, Moi University, Kenya 

  • Prof. George Ayodo (Study Co-investigator) - Dean, University of Technology (JOOUST), Kenya 

  • Dr. Fanuel Kawaka- Lecturer, University of Technology, Kenya