Meru South District - UNDP-UNEP Poverty-Environment Initiative

2.4 Socio-economic characteristics
The major economic activities which are the livelihood systems engaged in by the local
community, include agriculture and livestock production specifically dairy, coffee and tea
farming. They also engage in sand harvesting and small scale industrial activities.
These activities have however, been beset by various obstacles such as breakdown of
institutional support systems, variations in weather and slow response to changing
situations, among other factors. These have consequently bogged down the rural
population in the vicious cycle of poverty due to persistence levels of subsistence.
Poverty in the district is manifested in various parts which can be defined both in
monetary and human capability terms.
According to the 1994 Survey 57% of the population in Meru South lived below the
poverty line. The same had shot up to 72% by the year 2000.
Table 4: Breakdown of divisional poverty levels
Division Population Percent of the poor as per
report
Chuka 53,517 90%
Magumoni 32,715 80%
Mwimbi 64,380 75%
Muthambi 31,539 70%
Igamba Ng’ombe 23,300 60%
Total 205,451
Source: 1999 population and Housing census
14