Seasonality of malnutrition: Community knowledge on patterns and causes of undernutrition in children and women in Laisamis, Marsabit County, Kenya

Findings from a community participatory study made to determine the seasonality of malnutrition and factors associated with malnutrition among children and women in Laisamis sub-county, Marsabit County are presented in this report. The livestock for health project – which this study was a part of – investigates the cost-effectiveness of feeding livestock and nutritional counseling in reducing the risk of acute malnutrition in children below 5 years of age and in pregnant and lactating women in times of critical dry periods. The study aims to understand the livelihood patterns and strategies of communities, the observed temporal patterns of acute malnutrition in children and women, the determining factors of malnutrition patterns, and the perspective of communities on practices and programming used to minimize malnutrition in the community.