EFFECTS OF FARM CRIME VICTIMIZATION ON LIVELIHOODS IN AWENDO, MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Farm crime victimization is a widespread environmental situation that has contributed to economic losses among farmers across ages and in many parts of the world. Farm crime victimizations are linked to increased risks of threat to economic conditions and psychological, family, and community disorganization. Whenever farm crime victimization occurs, the community members remain in desperate situations as they suffer the most significant changes affecting their routine lifestyle. This study aimed to assess the impact of farm crime victimization on livelihoods in the Awendo Sub-County. The general study objective was the effects of farm crime victimization on livelihoods. The specific research objectives were to i) establish the patterns of farm crime victimization experienced, ii) examine the socio-economic effects of farm crimes on the livelihoods of farmers, iii) determine the environmental exposures to farm crime victimization, and iv) assess the crime prevention measures adopted by farmers to cope with farm crimes. Routine Activity Theory and Strain Theory underpinned this study, utilizing a descriptive research design with a concurrent mixed methods approach. The target population was small and large-scale farmers in Awendo. The study sample comprised 384 farmers drawn from the community. The population was selected using stratified random sampling. Police officers, local administration officers, and “Nyumba Kumi” officials were selected using purposive sampling as critical informants to participate in the study. Questionnaires were used to collect data from victimized farmers, while interview guides were used to obtain information from key informants. Focus Group Discussions were used to collect data from the most victimized farmers who were repeatedly victimized, as identified by the local administration officials. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected in the study. The validity of the study questionnaires was ascertained using expert review, while reliability was ascertained using a test-retest method where Cronbach’s Alpha Coefficient of Reliability was computed. Quantitative data were analyzed through descriptive statistics using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 28.0 for Windows. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically per the study objectives and presented concurrently with quantitative data. The results of the study revealed a statistically significant relationship between farm crime victimization and the livelihood of individual farmers (r= 0.519; P<0.05) with a regression coefficient of determination (R2) at 0.233, implying that farm crime victimization accounted for 23.3% of the variance on community livelihoods. It was also established that there was a statistically significant and negative influence between the effect of farm crime victimization and community livelihoods (r= 0.617; P<0.05). In this relationship, regression analysis revealed a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.312, thus implying that environmental factors accounted for 31.2% of the variance in farmer victimization, hence livelihood affected. Further still, it was found that there was a statistically significant positive relationship between the social-economic effects of farm crime victimization on livelihood (r=0.576; P<0.05), with regression analysis revealing a coefficient of determination of 0.352, which implied that 35.2% farm related crimes had socio-economic influences on community’s livelihood outcomes. In light of these findings, the study concluded that predictable farm crime patterns depended on seasonality and timing of occurrence. Consequently, the study recommended that farmers team up with other community members and Local Administration to implement mitigation measures such as neighbourhood watch, patrols, and elaborate reporting mechanisms to ameliorate the adverse effects of farm crime victimization in Awendo.