Reflective Experiences and Aspirations among Widow Farmers in Kenya: Shocks, Stressor sand Resilience Strategies

This article examines shocks, stressors, and resilience strategies arising from lived experiences among widowed farmers in rural Western Kenya. The findings reveal that the major shocks immediately after the death of their husbands and during widowhood were the consequences of customary laws, deprivation of assets, and restrictions on land use and ownership rights. Major stressors included insufficient food for five months per year, weakened social ties, financial burden, and emotional stress. Resilience strategies to improve widows’ quality of life should emphasize food security in households, financial empowerment through farmer-managed credit systems, and access to certified seeds and inputs. We argue that awareness creation by civil society organizations, opinion leaders, media, and social security policies should prioritize the rights of widow farmers in rural areas aimed at challenging gender inequalities and prejudices to shift attitudes and behavioral change by the gatekeepers of customary laws and practices.