Department of Social Studies
http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/185
Contains PDF journal articles for this department2024-03-29T05:49:14ZInfluence of social capital on adoption of agricultural production technologies among beneficiaries of African institute for capacity development training programmes in Kenya
http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6533
Influence of social capital on adoption of agricultural production technologies among beneficiaries of African institute for capacity development training programmes in Kenya
Nato, Godffrey Nyongesa; Shauri, Halimu Suleiman; Kadere, Titus Tunje
Adoption of improved agricultural production technologies remains low amidst dissemination efforts by government and Non-Governmental Organizations in sub-Saharan Africa. This paper examines the role of social capital in the adoption of agricultural production technologies in Kenya. In particular, the paper focuses on how group participation, social trust, social support, social networks and collective action
influence the adoption of such technologies. A survey research design employing a structured interview schedule was used to collect data from 120 respondents who were beneficiaries of training programmes implemented by the African Institute for Capacity Development (AICAD) in Kenya. Survey questions were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation coefficient and linear regression model. The findings show
that group involvement and social support are the two important components of social capital that were positively associated with and significantly influenced adoption of appropriate agricultural production technologies. Conversely, social networks, social trust, and collective action did not significantly influence the adoption of agricultural production technologies. Based on these findings, it is recommended that capacity
building programmes should work to strengthen the group approach in dissemination of technologies and exploit social support structures as part of an overall strategy to sustain and upscale the adoption of agricultural production technologies.
2016-07-01T00:00:00ZNon-Economic Factors Associated with Adoption of Sprinkler Irrigation among Farmers in Kariandusi Location of Nakuru County, Kenya
http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6532
Non-Economic Factors Associated with Adoption of Sprinkler Irrigation among Farmers in Kariandusi Location of Nakuru County, Kenya
Nato, G. N.; Gikunda, R. M
As the country embraces irrigation farming to mitigate the effects of unreliable rainfall, sprinkler irrigation is perhaps the most appropriate technology for agricultural areas with sloppy terrain. The ministries of agriculture and water have been partnering with other organizations to promote this type of irrigation through capacity building and limited input assistance. Kariandusi location was one beneficiary of such initiatives between the inistry f water and African Institute for Capacity Development, AICAD. Three years after the implementation of the project, mixed results were achieved with some farmers adopting the technology while others either opted for other irrigation methods or were stuck with rain-fed agriculture. This study was therefore carried out to understand the non-economic factors associated with adoption of the technology. It emerged that education level of the farmers, land tenure system and social capital are key non-economic factors
associated with the adoption of sprinkler irrigation in Kariandusi Location.
2016-08-12T00:00:00ZTechnical Knowledge and Information Gaps among Smallholder Farmers in the Production of Sugarcane in Kakamega County, Kenya
http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6531
Technical Knowledge and Information Gaps among Smallholder Farmers in the Production of Sugarcane in Kakamega County, Kenya
Abura, Gilbert Odilla; Gikunda, Raphael Mwiti; Nato, Godffrey Nyongesa
The purpose of the study was to identify and document technical knowledge and information gaps
that can inform development of appropriate training programs for cane farmers. The study employed a
survey research design; involving 105 small scale farmers in selected from eight Sub-counties of
Kakamega County. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson’s
product moment correlation coefficient was used to test for significance of relationships between access
to information regarding cane production and the productivity of the crop. The results show that there
was a strong positive correlation (r =0.722) between the firm size and the acreage under cane crop. The
technical knowledge and information gaps varied on the basis of growth stages of the cane crop; 60% of
the small scale farmers did not prepare land at the right time, 48% of the farmers did not know how to
propagate cane, 34% did not know the cane planting spacing, 48% cultivated uncertified materials due
to lack of capital and poor access to the suitable materials as the reasons. Majority of the farmers (92%)
confirmed that they knew how to gap, although a few (8%) didn’t, 48% did not remove tillers from
their crop, the number of times that the crop was weeded ranged from once (2%) to 8 times (2%), and
64% of the farmers applied organic manure while 87% applied inorganic fertilizers. The results show
that majority of the smallholder farmers were unable to apply the recommended crop management
practices due to lack of capital and lack knowledge and skills. For instance 38% of the respondents were
unable to practice crop rotation due to lack of practical skills. Access to agricultural information
regarding cane crop agronomy was rated as low by most of the respondents (58%).There was a positive
correlation between access to knowledge and productivity of cane crop with a coefficient of 0.283. The
productivity of sugarcane crop in Kakamega County was low and this was contributed by among other
factors; lack of capital and inadequate knowledge and skills regarding the crop’s agronomy. The study
recommends that strategies should be designed to disseminate practices that require technical
knowledge and skills
2013-03-01T00:00:00ZEffects of Integrated Cassava Value Chain Intervention on Socio Economic Development of Smallholder Farmers in Rongo District Kenya.
http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6530
Effects of Integrated Cassava Value Chain Intervention on Socio Economic Development of Smallholder Farmers in Rongo District Kenya.
Gikunda, Raphael Mwiti; Nato, Godffrey Nyongesa; Mokaya, Samuel Obino
Value chain development has become a key approach in both research and policy fields, with an increasing
number of bilateral and multilateral aid organizations adopting it to guide their development interventions.
AICAD/JICA-Project supported by the three East African States of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania together
with Japan International Cooperation Agency, adopted this approach to improve the livelihoods of the
farming communities living in Rongo District of Migori County. The communities used to grow a lot of
cassava which was however, wiped out by African Cassava Mosaic Disease in 1980s. Although, farmers
resorted to maize and sugarcane farming, the yields were low due to the poor soils, lack of finances to
purchase adequate farm inputs and presence of striga weed; a parasitic plant that has devastating effect on
the yield of cereal crops. The project was aimed at re-introducing cassava crop in the District and
empowering the community on how to produce, process, utilize and market its products for poverty
alleviation and socio-economic development. The study, was conducted to assess the effects of the project
intervention on the socio-economic development of the farmers, involved a sample of 40 beneficiaries
obtained through stratified proportionate random sampling. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools
were used to analyze the collected data with the aid of SPSS computer programme. The results show that
besides a significant increase in the average acreage under cassava ( from 0.4 acres to 0.98), the
production, processing and marketing interventions had a positive and significant effects on the
socioeconomic indicators among the small holders farmers
2013-05-01T00:00:00Z