Rural areas roads project; nutrition status of children 1979-80

Evaluation covers the period through 1/81. Between 1/79 and 3/80, Kenya's Ministry of Transportation and Communication collected monthly and/or quarterly data on a random sample of 828 households within the impact areas of seven rural access roads in Kenya's Western and Nyanza provinces. The seven roads span a wide variety of ecological zones, cropping patterns, access to services, and socioeconomic status. Variables included road use, agricultural production, land use, household income, and expenditures. Anthropometric data on children were taken. Nutritional data taken from rounds 1 (1979) and 2 (1980) of the survey were extracted for validation and amended to agree with World Health Organization standards for height for age, weight for age, and weight for length. The longitudinal data indicate that children in the impact areas have at least kept pace with normal growth rates in rural Kenya, and perhaps have made marginal gains in height. Cross-sectional data show some nutritional differences before and after road construction. Evidently, in four impact areas (Busia, Kakamega, Kisii, and Bungoma) food consumption improved, while in three others (Siaya, South Nyanza, and Kisumu) deleterious nutritional patterns continued. A third round of data is expected during 2/81 and 3/81.