Contains PDF journal articles for this department http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/185 2026-06-13T18:41:52Z 2026-06-13T18:41:52Z Nato, Godffrey Nyongesa Shauri, Halimu Suleiman Kadere, Titus Tunje http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6533 2023-11-13T00:02:41Z 2016-07-01T00:00:00Z

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.

2016-07-01T00:00:00Z Nato, G. N. Gikunda, R. M http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6532 2023-11-13T00:02:41Z 2016-08-12T00:00:00Z

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.

2016-08-12T00:00:00Z Abura, Gilbert Odilla Gikunda, Raphael Mwiti Nato, Godffrey Nyongesa http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6531 2023-11-13T00:02:40Z 2013-03-01T00:00:00Z

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

2013-03-01T00:00:00Z Gikunda, Raphael Mwiti Nato, Godffrey Nyongesa Mokaya, Samuel Obino http://ir.tum.ac.ke/handle/123456789/6530 2023-11-13T00:02:39Z 2013-05-01T00:00:00Z

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