@article{Nyangweso:52216,
      recid = {52216},
      author = {Nyangweso, P.M. and Odhiambo, Mark O. and Odunga and  Serem, A.K},
      title = {Household Food Security in a Subsistence Economy:  Application of Translog Cost Function to Cross-sectional  data in Vihiga District, Kenya},
      address = {2008-11},
      number = {307-2016-4912},
      series = {2},
      pages = {9},
      year = {2008},
      abstract = {Vihiga, one of the poorest and densely populated districts  in Kenya is perpetually food deficit (GOK, 2005). While  food demand continued to rise, production fell behind both  targeted production and district demand. To make matters  worse food deficit situation worsened over the last decade.  Rising population and competition for resources have  curtailed efforts to improve household food production in  the district. Unfavorable poverty indicators in the  district only make matters worse. About 57.6 percent of the  population and more than 50 percent of households live  below absolute poverty line while 57 percent of the  population and households live below food poverty line  (GOK, 2005). Poor welfare indicators for Vihiga district  underscore the importance and urgency for addressing its  basic needs. Understanding determinants of food security in  Vihiga district will improve targeting, the focus and  success of policies for addressing food insecurity. The  paper examines food security in a subsistence economy with  an application of a Translog cost function to household  survey data in Vihiga district to determine the supply side  constraints. Cluster sampling was used with divisions  forming the main clusters in the district. Using systematic  random sampling, 50 households were selected from each  cluster resulting in a sample of 300.  Results show that  scale of production, number of adults, household head,  business income, employment; human resource development,  capital, and land size significantly influence household  food security. Food security programmes, in subsistence  economies, aimed at revamping production should focus more  on enhancing accessibility to production resources and  improving the quality of labor through training.
Key Words:  Food security, Translog cost function, Vihiga, Kenya},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/52216},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.52216},
}