Khat Production and Rural Household Access to Formal Education

This article examines the dual role of khat production in shaping rural household access to formal education in Igembe South Sub-County, Meru County, Kenya. Using a cross-sectional survey (N=125), the study analyses how participation in the khat value chain influences educational investment and school attendance. Descriptive findings reveal a significant "education complexities": while 74% of households have members in formal education and 82.8% credit khat income as a vital financial pillar for school fees, the labour-intensive nature of the crop drives substantial schooling disruptions, including absenteeism (30%) and cognitive fatigue. Bivariate regression results indicate that access to education remains relatively uniform, with no statistically significant differentiation across gender, marital status, or the household head's educational level. Therefore, khat functions as a critical but precarious income-mediated support mechanism, where financial enablement is frequently offset by labour-related costs that undermine educational quality and consistency.