Discussion Paper No. 201 of 2018 on Effects of Capital Assets on Livelihood Based Outcomes from Livestock Production among Youth in the Semiarid Lands of Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to analyse the effects of human, natural, financial, social and physical capital assets on livelihood-based outcomes from livestock production among youth households in the semi-arid lands of Kenya and their policy implications for improved youth livelihoods. The Sustainable Livelihoods Framework was used for the study. An ordinal logistic regression model was used for analysis. Primary data from the Kenya Integrated Household Budget Survey (KIHBS) of 2006 originally obtained by interviews of household heads was utilized. Data representing proxies for human, social, natural, financial and physical capital assets were identified using literature on sustainable livelihoods approach and matched to variables in the main KIHBS 2005/06 report. The variables were measured appropriately; human capital as the total number of years of the highest level of education of a youth household head, social capital as the sum of value of food gifts to a household, natural capital as household agricultural holding size in acres, physical capital as value in shillings of the main household agriculture implements, and financial capital as expenditures on chemicals used in livestock production. Age of youth was measured in years (15-34 years).