PAPER ID:IJIM/Vol. 10 (IV)/ August/1-7/1

AUTHOR: James Macharia Tutu ^[i] Dr Grace Kimani ^[ii] Dr. Zipporah Gichuhi^[iii]

TITLE :INFORMATION ACCESS BARRIERS AND SOCIOECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AMONG MARGINALISED PASTORALIST COMMUNITIES IN TURKANA NORTH SUB-COUNTY, KENYA

ABSTRACT: Information is a critical component for making informed decisions and sustainable development. However, marginalised and disadvantaged communities such as the pastoralist communities in Turkana North Sub-County, Kenya, face serious information poverty, resulting from a lack of access to timely, relevant, and practical information. This study, therefore, using a qualitative phenomenological research approach, explored the information access barriers and their impact on socioeconomic development. The study purposively sampled the 21 most marginalised sublocations in Turkana North Sub-County. Employing the census sample method, 21 sub-chiefs from the sublocation were sampled for the study.  Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the subchiefs, and the data were thematically analysed. The study revealed that illiteracy, language, underdeveloped infrastructure, poor mobile networks, cultural practices, and information systems that are out of sync with the nomadic lifestyle were the greatest barriers to effective information access.  Consequently, the communities were locked and missed out of socioeconomic empowering opportunities in health and education services, market and trade participation, jobs and business opportunities, political and governance forums, and climate and weather early warning information, reinforcing the cycle of poverty and marginalisation. There is a need for information dissemination strategies and policies that are context-sensitive, inclusive and linguistically appropriate. Addressing the barriers is critical in the realisation of inclusive and sustainable development in marginalised areas.

KEYWORDS : Information Access; Socioeconomic Development; Marginalised Communities; Pastoralists; Turkana North Sub-County; Information Poverty; Digital Exclusion; Qualitative Research; Kenya; Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs).

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