Role of Socio-Economic and Institutional Factors in Influencing Diversity of Fish Consumption Among Households in Kibera Informal Settlement, Kenya

Sustainable food and nutrition security in the world has been greatly encouraged through the Sustainable Development goal 2 which ensures zero hunger in the world by 2030. However, it faces major challenges in achieving this goal since of the 167.2 million tons of fish produced globally, 146.3 million tons are consumed while the remainder is considered waste. Therefore, the growing demand for fish has increased significantly especially due to its nutritional value. Consumption of aquatic foods is important in mitigating micronutrient deficiencies that cause about one million premature deaths yearly. Large fish species including Nile tilapia are key in reducing stunting among children due to their nutritional importance. However, they have been declining due to fishing pressure and market demand. Therefore, more attention has been put on lower-priced small species including Lake Victoria Sardine, which provides more than 60% of the recommended intake of all nutrients. These small-sized species are of high nutritional value, especially protein, and essential micronutrients, including calcium, iron and zinc because they are consumed wholly as food and feed hence nothing is wasted. This study aimed at understanding the diversity of fish species consumed in Kibera informal settlement. Data was collected from 385 households and analyzed using an orders probit model. Findings revealed that the majority of households (98%), consumed different fish species. Further, total household income, Neighborhood effect, cultural influence on food choices, information from neighbors and the number of meals consumed in a day positively impacted species of fish consumed. The most consumed fish species were Silver cyprinid ( Rastrinaebola Orgentae ) (51%), Nile tilapia ( Oreocromis Niloticus ) (34%), Nile perch ( Lates Niloticus ) (12%) and Common carp ( Cyprinus carpio ) (0.3%). To improve the diversity of fish consumption in the informal settlements, there is a call to increase the availability of affordable fish in the market for consumers to access diverse species hence improving nutritional security. Keywords : Fish consumption, Species diversity, informal settlement, Kibera-Kenya. DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/14-3-03 Publication date: September 30 th 2024