Sociocultural Factors Shaping Household Food Security Among Widows in the Bukusu and Maasai Communities in Kenya
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: In many African communities, widows face entrenched sociocultural and institutional barriers that restrict their access to land, labour, and productive resources, heightening their vulnerability to food insecurity. This study examined how widowhood practices influence household food security among Bukusu and Maasai widows in rural Kenya using an embedded mixed-methods design. Data were collected from 360 widows, 35 in-depth interviews (IDIs), four focus group discussions (FGDs), and 16 key informant interviews (KIIs) across agricultural and pastoral settings. Findings show that although most widows maintained minimally adequate dietary diversity, the majority lived with chronic food stress and relied on severe coping strategies. Widowhood rituals, including seclusion, cleansing rites, and mobility restrictions, interrupted farming and income generation, while inheritance-related exclusion and land dispossession undermined production planning. The widows also faced overlapping constraints, such as labour shortages, reduced income, psychological strain, and stigma. Quantitatively, lighter ritual burdens and greater asset ownership significantly improved food consumption outcomes, while access to agricultural inputs, credit, training, and legal aid remained limited. The study concludes that widowhood practices, weak land rights, and systemic resource constraints jointly shape widows’ food security. It recommends strengthening enforcement of inheritance laws, expanding widow-inclusive agricultural and financial support, and promoting culturally grounded community dialogue to address harmful practices and enhance widows’ livelihood resilience.
Institutions: Tangaza University, Kenyatta University
Language: English
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4417229262