GENDER AND LIVELIHOOD DYNAMICS IN BAMBOO UTILIZATION AND COMMERCIALIZATION IN BUSIA AND ELGEYO MARAKWET COUNTIES, KENYA

Abstract

Bamboo has the potential to enhance the livelihoods of smallholder farmers, generate employment, and foster community development. However, despite government and institutional initiatives aimed at promoting bamboo commercialization in Kenya, its full potential remains underexploited. This study investigated the gender and livelihood dynamics influencing bamboo utilization and commercialization in selected counties. Specific objectives of the study were to assess: role of bamboo in livelihood improvement and environmental conservation in Busia and Elgeyo Marakwet Counties; factors influencing uptake of bamboo enterprise in farmlands within the study areas; gender dynamics affecting bamboo adoption and commercialization in the study areas; and finally, unique community perceptions and attitudes affecting bamboo utilization and commercialization in the study areas. The study was guided by SRL and INRM theoretical frameworks in addition to a mixed method research design. The target populations were farmers in Butula and Keiyo-South sub-counties who had received support towards bamboo planting in farmlands through the DutchSino Bamboo Development Programme-II and National Bamboo Demonstration Site respectively. Purposive sampling was used to identify key respondents, while systematic random sampling was used to select households for survey resulting in 398 questionnaires administered to respondents, alongside 10 key informants and 2 FGDs. Secondary data was sourced from existing literature, while primary data was collected using household questionnaires, KIIs, FGDs, and observations. Data analysis involved correlation analyses facilitated by SPSS and Chi-square tests to examine relationships between bamboo adoption, gender dynamics, socio-economic factors, and commercialization. Results indicated high awareness of bamboo benefits among respondents, with 87.3% and 37.8% actively utilizing bamboo within their households, respectively. Chi-square analyses revealed that bamboo utilization is significantly influenced by gender (χ² = 14.897, p < 0.001), age (χ² = 29.604, p < 0.001), education level (χ² = 71.122, p < 0.001), household size (χ² = 59.802, p < 0.001), and land ownership (χ² = 23.188, p < 0.001). Notably, 39.5% of respondents in Busia engaged in bamboo commercialization, compared to only 2.6% in Elgeyo Marakwet. Adoption was primarily driven by economic benefits (42.3%), environmental benefits (27.4%), and market access (30.3%), while it was hindered by limited knowledge (37.7%) and limited access to planting materials (10.1%). Bamboo commercialization was significantly associated with adoption of bamboo (p = .001, df = 2); bamboo utilization (p = .003, df = 2); social cultural factors (p = .000, df = 2), but not significantly associated with gender dynamics (p = .249, df = 2). While both men and women participate in bamboo activities (56.2%), women face barriers such as limited land access (75.9%), whereas financial constraints predominantly affect men (50.3%). Perceptions varied, with concerns about pests (59%), land wastage (24.8%), and soil depletion (20.3%), in addition to cultural beliefs such as associations of bamboo with sorcery (15.6%) in Busia. While bamboo demonstrates transformative potential for enhancing rural livelihoods, gender equity, and environmental resilience in Kenya, its full adoption is critically constrained by significant gender gaps, persistent market limitations, and negative socio-cultural perceptions. Targeted awareness and financial support are recommended to foster its broader adoption and commercialization.