Saving and borrowing behaviour among agropastoralists in West Pokot County, Kenya

Abstract

Financial inclusion is an important development impetus, where knowledge of saving and borrowing behaviour provides valuable insights. This study focuses on access to and use of financial services among agropastoralists in rural Kenya, using survey-based household data from 2007 and 2017. Surveys show that households with savings increased from about 57% to 71%—coinciding with increased access to financial training and growing use of informal group-based savings organizations. Share of households that had access to credit also increased during this period, from about 26% to 54%. Support to group-based savings organizations can stimulate financial inclusion among agropastoralists.