THE QUESTION OF FOOD SECURITY IN ARID AND SEMI-ARID LANDS IN AFRICA: INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE AND IMPLEMENTERS OF DEVELOPMENT
Development in Africa?s ASALs have been fraught with problems and failure for years because development needs have usually been diagnosed by outsiders who may have little real understanding and appreciation of such land use systems. In Kenya, ASALs is estimated to be four- fifth of the land area supporting 25%-30% of the human populations living in the ASALs. This paper has delved into factors influencing food security in ASALs, its causes and approaches suggested by different proponents. It discovered that the ASAL situations in Kenya vary depending on the aridity. The theoretical framework developed indicated that there is need for bottom up approach to improve food production in the HHs.
Keywords: africa, arid, development, food, implementers, indigenous, knowledge, lands, question, security, semi-arid