RP-Department of Agricultural Economics

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Ozi's Bed and Breakfast a Case of Translation
(Suomen matkailututkimuksen seura, 2006) Duim, René van der; Marwijk, Ramona van; Ndubi, Edgar; Fetene, Getinet
Following actor-network theory, this paper analyses the way a tourism entrepreneur called Ozi tried to collectively promote Malindi (Kenya) as a tourist destination by adopting information and communication technology (ICT). Ozi started his business, Ozi's Bed and Breakfast, in 1985. After a successful start, ethnic violence in the coast region in 1997 and subsequent negative publicity, crumbling infrastructure and inadequate marketing led to a decline in tourist numbers in Kenya in general and at Ozi's Bed and Breakfast in particular. To overcome these drawbacks, Ozi took the initiative to join forces with other entrepreneurs to promote Malindi cooperatively using ICT. However, to translate ICT into the network of Malindi's tourism entrepreneurs a lot of (new) actors and entities had to be enrolled in the network. This paper shows how the introduction of ICT, just like any other new technological development, unfolds alongside social, political and economic dynamics. Poor telecommunication links, conflicts of interests, inadequate information management and sharing, poor relations between key stakeholders, and lack of trust and investors are just a few of the factors explaining the failure of the project. In other words, the entrepreneurs in Malindi were not yet able to fine-tune their activities to create convergence that will enable the collective use of ICT to promote Malindi and themselves. The case study illustrates the obstacles small entrepreneurs encounter in effectively introducing ICT in tourism, as well as the complex ways tourism unfolds as the result of processes of ordering, negotiation, representation and displacement between actors, entities and places.
Duration Analysis of Droughttego® Hybrid Maize Adoption in Kenya
(African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF), 2019-07) Marechera, George; Macharia, Ibrahim; Muinga, Grace; Mugo, Stephen; Rotich, Ruth; Oniang'o, Ruth Khasaya; Karanja, James; Obunyali, Caleb; Oikeh, Sylvester O.
Previous studies have modelled determinants of adoption of new technologies, through static models, these models are inadequate in explaining the dynamic process of technology adoption. In this paper duration model is applied to capture the speed of the DroughtTEGO® hybrid maize adoption using a sample of 642 maize growing households. The result from descriptive analysis showed a high rate of awareness of DroughtTEGO varieties (61%) and about 42% cumulative adoption, with about half of the farmers started adopting in the first two years after they became aware of the varieties. The results further revealed, age of household head, dependency ratio, on-farm demonstration, women controlling household resource, and household income as the major factors that accelerate the adoption. In contrast, variables found to delay adoption were household and land sizes. There was also evidence that education, gender, record keeping and information from extension officer had no statistical influence on speed of adoption of DroughtTEGO seed. It was concluded that to accelerate large-scale DroughtTEGO hybrid adoption requires policies that; promote expansive on-farm demonstrations and the associated field-days, especially for young farmers; involvement of women in decision making particularly in farm resource allocation; and deliberate targeting of young farmers and those with large farms in deployment efforts.
Impact of Droughttego® Hybrid Maize Variety on Agricultural Productivity and Poverty Alleviation in Kenya
(Academic Journals, 2019-11) Marechera, George; Macharia, Ibrahim; Muinga, Grace; Mugo, Stephen; Rotich, Ruth; Oniang'o, Ruth Khasaya; Karanja, James; Obunyali, Caleb; Oikeh1, Sylvester O.
Impact of DroughtTEGO® maize hybrids on agricultural productivity and poverty reduction among small-scale maize farmers were analyzed using 642 households in Kenya. The Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) project coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) developed the varieties. While on-farm production output and farmers’ testimonies indicate significantly high productivity over other varieties, a rigorous assessment of impacts at household level is missing. Direct comparison of maize income, total household income and poverty indices shows significant differences between adopters and non-adopters. However, since the observed estimates can be due to differences in both observable and non-observable characteristics between adopters and non-adopters, we cannot have any causal interpretation. This study, therefore, utilized the counterfactual outcome framework based on propensity score methods (PSM) to control for such differences. The results of PSM showed that adoption of DroughtTEGO® maize varieties led to significant increase in maize income by 82%, total income by 75%, and reduced the depth of poverty by 46-point margins. The study recommends formulation and implementation of appropriate policies to improve the adoption of DroughtTEGO® hybrid maize varieties across the country.
The Effect of Fuel Prices on Food Prices in Kenya
(EconJournals, 2020) Ngare, Lucy W.; Derek, Okova W.
High food prices are one of the major risks facing households from developing countries. Food prices have attracted renewed interest among policy experts in identifying appropriate policy instruments to counter the effect of price vulnerability. This paper evaluates the effect of fuel prices on food prices by testing for Granger causality and cointegration applied to diesel, maize, beans, cabbage, and potatoes price data for the period 2010-2018. The results revealed a unidirectional Granger causality running from diesel prices to cabbage and potatoes prices but there was no causal relationship with maize and beans prices. The findings suggest that there is a long-run price relationship between perishable foods and fuel prices with an increase in the price of diesel resulting in a significant increase in the price of cabbages and potatoes. The study recommends a policy of cushioning an increase in food prices by introducing a tax relief once the fuel price hits a certain level.
Resource Use Efficiency Among Rice Farmers Around Fragile Ecosystems: Evidence From Kilombero Wetland, Tanzania
(University of Debrecen,, 2020) Kamau, Philip; Willy, Daniel; Ngare, Lucy
: Farmers have been encroaching fragile wetlands as a strategy to increase their rice production thus threatening wetlands’ existence and capacity to other critical ecosystem services. This calls for efficient production to strike the balance between food rice production and wetlands’ sustainable existence. The current study sought to provide assess rice farmers’ technical efficiency of resource use by detecting the determinants of rice yield and further identify the determinants of technical efficiency of the resources used by rice farmers in Kilombero wetland. A cross-sectional survey of 145 randomly sampled farmers aided in achieving the study objective. A stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model was used to analyze data. The mean technical efficiency among farmers was at 60.54% level. The positive determinants of rice yield were land and fertilizers while labor influenced it negatively. Age, education, farming experience, group membership, and credit access reduced inefficiency while the distance to the extension agent and off-farm income increased farmers’ inefficiency. The study concludes that there is a possibility of expanding rice production without threatening the wetland’s existence. It recommends that government and other stakeholders to ensure that rice farmers are up-to-date with optimal use of fertilizers in rice production since it will assist in improving rice yield while the rate of expansion of rice lands in the wetlands will lower. Policy implementers ought to establish initiatives that inspire rice farmers to capitalize on farmer groups and join education programs to take full advantage of their potential efficiency and might participate in community development activities
A multi-dimensional adoption approach for improved sorghum varieties in eastern Kenya: a climate change adaptation perspective
(Tylor and Francis, 2020-05-15) Backson, Mwangi; Macharia, Ibrahim; Bett, Eric
In this era of changing climatic conditions, agricultural technology developers continue to promote suitable innovations to cushion and improve resilience of smallholder farmers against adverse effects and shocks. These improved varieties contribute towards attainment of household and national food security. This paper aims to understand what influences households’ decision to adopt, speed of uptake and extent of use of improved sorghum varieties (ISVs). Data from 452 households were analysed using Double Hurdle and Duration models. Study revealed that consumption expenditure levels, income and tropical livestock unit are important determinants of three household’s adoption decisions. Access to agricultural credit, distance to administration centres and adoption intensity depicts unexpected a priori. The findings also show that households are credit constrained and use own or neighbour’s home saved seeds to expand the use of ISVs. Study concludes that the three facets of ISVs’ adoption are influenced by different combination of determinants. Due to the vastness and rough terrain in Tharaka Nithi County, agricultural credit lenders should come up with effective low cost, sustainable and scalable outreach strategies. Policies targeting to derisk sorghum value chain with an aim of incentivizing financial institutions increase their lending appetite to cash-constrained smallholder farmers and agro-dealers should be implemented.
Technical and allocative efficiencies among smallholder tomato farmers in Kajiado County, Kenya
(Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation, 2021) Mibei, S.B.; Mwenjeri, G.W.; Macharia, I.N.; Ruttoh, J.K.
The government of Kenya and relevant stakeholders in the agriculture sector have promoted adoption of technologies, innovations and management practices to increase productivity, profitability and sustain tomato production. Despite the efforts, a yield gap exists between the farmers’ actual production levels of 1.9 kg/m² and the maximum attainable output for tomato crop of 3.07 kg/m2, indicating production inefficiencies in Kajiado County. The objective of this study was to analyze the technical, allocative and economic efficiencies of smallscale tomato farmers in Kajiado County. A total of 150 respondents were selected randomly and proportionately within Kimana and Rombo wards in Kajiado south subCounty. The statistical data analysis was done using STATA version 14, while the Stochastic Production Frontier model was utilized to evaluate efficiencies. The mean technical efficiency was 47.2%, allocative efficiency 75.8% and economic efficiency 35.8%. The results denote that the primary cause of inefficiency was the failure by tomato producers to maximize on output rather than failure to minimize the cost of production since the mean technical efficiency score was lower than the mean allocative efficiency. The results imply that the smallholder tomato farmers in the study area were not utilizing farm inputs optimally and there is room for improvement in tomato farmer’s technical, allocative and economic efficiencies through intensification of tomato farmers training in resource utilization.
Economic Impact of DroughtTEGO® Hybrid Maize in Kenya
(academic journals, 2021) Willy, Daniel Kyalo; Macharia, Ibrahim; Marechera, George; Muinga, Grace; Mugo, Stephen; Rotich, Ruth; Oniang'o, Ruth Khasaya; Karanja, James; Obunyali, Caleb O.; Oikeh, Sylvester O.
This paper utilizes the Economic Surplus Model (ESM) to provide an ex-post evaluation of the economic impact of drought tolerant hybrid maize technology in Kenya. Results indicate that the adoption of DroughtTEGO® varieties will generate economic benefit to producers with a net present value of US$ 2.1 billion over a 20-year period. These benefits are sustainable when adoption levels remain above 32% and yield advantage at least 21% over the commercial hybrids. These results present a compelling reason for investing in development, deployment and upscaling of the technology to mitigate the effects of drought among maize producers in Africa
The Exclusion Dilemma: How Women and the Poor are excluded from Collective Action and Implications for Development Policy
(IOSR-JAVS, 2021) Maindi, Catherine Nyambune; Ngare, Lucy Wangare
This paper focuses on the drivers of participation of smallholder avocado farmers in collective action initiatives. Collective action holds a vast potential to deliver food security and poverty reduction objectives because it enables the farmers to access benefits they would not otherwise get if they were acting individually. The study utilized primary data collected from 130 households randomly selected from both members and non-members of avocado producer and marketing groups in Murang’a County, Kenya. The findings reveal that membership in collective action was highly influenced by the scale of production, farming experience, resource endowment, access to information and gender. On the other hand, market price, group attributes including size, age, membership homogeneity, trust, and decision making influenced the intensity of participation in groups. These results point to the dilemma that those who need the benefits of collectives more-the poor and the women-are excluded from their participation, a trend that works against poverty eradication and women empowerment goals. The pro-poor policies need to create an enabling environment for the survival of collectives as well as foster inclusion of disadvantaged groups, such as the poor, youth and women.
Supply Chain Management and Organisational Performance: Mediation Effect of Competitive Advantage
(ExcelingTech Publishers, 2021) Wainaina, Charles M; Bett, Erick K; Njehia, Benard K
—Supply chain management (SCM) practices have become strategic resources and capabilities for enhancing both competitive advantage organisational performance (ORGPER). However, it is not clear how SCM Practices influence organisational performance in the agribusiness context. However, the mechanism of SCMPs effects is not yet understood since extant literature has produced mixed results. Therefore, this study sought to examine the mediation effects of competitive advantage in the relationship between SCMPs and ORGPER from the dairy supply chain perspective in Kenya. The study postulated four hypotheses that were tested using Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) techniques to address the study objectives. A cross-sectional survey design was utilised to gather primary data from 109 dairy co-operatives in the thirteen major milk-producing counties in Kenya. The result revealed that SCM practices have a positive and significant influence on CA (β=0.730), and ORGPER (β=0.237). Additionally, CA has a positive, statistically significant influence on ORGPER (β=0.522). Further results show that CA mediates the relationship between SCMPs and ORGPER. Consequently, the study concludes that SCMPs first generates CA, which in turn enhances ORGPER in an organisation. Theoretically, the study provides insights on the resource-based view theory as well as a conceptual framework for its validation. Similarly, the study informs managers and policymakers in knowing specific SCMPs to focus on to enhance CA and ORGPER of the dairy cooperatives in Kenya.
Characterization of Smallholder Farmers and Agricultural Credit Institutions in Rwanda
(Ajfand, 2021-01) N . K, Taremwa; I, Macharia; Bett, E
The significance of access to agricultural credit in perpetuating agricultural productivity is unquestionable, because it is a means to achieving optimal productivity. The minimization of any barriers to agricultural credit access should, thus, be a global priority. One of the most significant and current barriers to agricultural credit access is information asymmetry which results into mutual distrust between lending institutions and borrowers in this case the smallholder farmers. To address information asymmetry, both the lending institutions and borrowers need to have definitive descriptive information about either party. Without the profiling of institutions and potential borrowers, an information gap persists, thereby increasing mutual distrust. This study addresses that gap, in the context of Rwanda by characterizing smallholder farmers and agricultural credit institutions. A cross-sectional survey design was used in this study with smallholder farmers and staff in agricultural credit institutions in the Eastern, Western, and Central provinces of Rwanda as the units of analysis. A multistage sampling procedure was used, with stratified sampling of administrative levels spanning from province (stage 1) to districts (stage 2) and sectors (stage 3), followed by a simple random sampling of cells per sector, and the convenience sample of households. Staff in the financial institutions were purposively sampled. The data collected was analyzed using principal component analysis and cluster analysis with the K-means statistic (SPSS version 25). The largest cluster of smallholder farmers has the following characteristics: household size of 1 to 5 people, farmers with education, owning arable land not exceeding a hectare, with more than five years of farming experience, earning from other off-farm activities, with no dependents under five years of age, and renting less than an acre of land. As for agricultural credit institutions, the largest cluster has following compositions: have mechanisms or measures established for managing loan defaults with the majority using refinancing, rescheduling, and collateral release, with variable loan payback options, and provide targeted agricultural credit to farmers such as agricultural input premium. The research findings are particularly pertinent for maize- and ricegrowing farmers, and how to reduce the information gap and the implications of broadening access to credit to smallholder farmers were discussed This study emphasizes the need for characterization for both parties to be better informed about the characteristics and dynamics of each other, all in a bid to lessen asymmetric information and thus improve access to credit
Impact of Agricultural Credit Access on Agricultural Productivity among Maize and Rice Smallholder Farmers in Rwanda
(Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego w Poznaniu, 2021-01-21) Taremwa, Nathan Kanuma; Macharia, Ibrahim; Bett, Eric; Majiwa, Eucabeth
This paper assesses the impact of access to agricultural credit on the agricultural productivity of 422 smallholder farmers that cultivate maize or rice in the Western and Eastern province of Rwanda. Stratified, simple random and convenience sampling techniques were used to sample districts, sectors, cells and households. Data were collected using structured interviews and analyzed using propensity score matching techniques. Results indicated that productivity was higher by 44% among the farmers who accessed credit implying that they harvested on average an extra 440 kilograms of maize or rice. According to a crop-specific analysis, agricultural credit access had a more significant impact on maize productivity, with a difference in proportion of 68% (p = 0.000) but had no impact on rice productivity (p = 0.149). The study concludes that agricultural credit was important for Rwanda’s agricultural productivity. Thus policy measures should aim at improving smallholder farmers’ access to agricultural credit and promoting the use of modern agricultural inputs, particularly among rice farmers in Rwanda.
Productivity Effects of Biological Control of Maize Stemborer Pests in Kenya: Damage Control Function Approach
(AgEcon Search, 2021-06) Midingoy, Soul-kifouly G.; Affognon, Hippolyte D.; Macharia, Ibrahim; LeRu, Bruno
In this study, we evaluate the productivity impacts of the biological control program (BC) against stemborers in maize production in Kenya. We use production function with damage control function framework to clearly account for the difference in yield-effects of inputs that contribute to plant growth and factors that control damage to plant. The endogeneity concern with pesticide use was accounted for by employing a two-stage least square (2SLS) estimator that subsequently allows deriving the marginal physical product. Findings from the first stage show that the presence of BC agents is associated with a decrease in pesticide use, providing insights on the potential substitution of insecticide by the biological control and the hazardreducing effect of BC on environment. The second stage analysis show significant and positive relationships between maize production and BC suggesting the positive impact of the BC on productivity. The marginal physical product shows that bio-control contributes to substantial increase in maize productivity as each percent point increase in BC level is associated with at least 12 kg/ha gain in maize. Biological control is an advantageous and sustainable policy tool to reduce food insecurity and the potential risks on environment and human health among farmers with poor socioeconomic status.
An Analysis of Consumer Willingness to Pay for Sorghum-Pigeon Pea Flakes: A Case of Makueni and Busia Counties, Kenya
(ajp, 2022) Peter, Catherine Mueni; Mwenjeri, Gabriel; Ngugi, Kahiu
Purpose: The study seeks to determine the level of awareness and the highest amount consumers were willing to pay by positioning the novel product ready-to eat-cereals for breakfast Sorghum-pigeon pea processed from locally grown crop. Methodology: Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) to assess consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for sorghum-pigeon pea flakes, which are Ready-to-Eat Cereals (RTEC). Three-stage sampling technique was used in selection of the two counties, and from each county three market places was identified. Glen sample size formula was used to obtain the total number of respondents, whereby a well semi-structured dichotomous questionnaire was used on 223 consumers from Makueni and Busia counties in Kenya. Double bounded logit model was employed in determining consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for SPPF. Findings: Results from the WTP assessment showed that consumers in both counties were willing to pay for the Sorghum-Pigeon Pea Flakes. The average WTP value in Busia and Makueni Counties was 140 and 136 Kenya Shillings, respectively. Further, nearly half of the respondents in both counties were aware of the ready-to-eat breakfast cereal SPPF for nutritional improvement. According to the findings of the double-bounded logit regression, being male, marital status, awareness of SPPF, and living in Busia County all positively influenced WTP for SPP. Having formal employment and household expenditure, on the other hand, had a negative impact on the WTP for SPPF. Recommendations: The study recommends nutritional training to raise awareness of the benefits of consuming SPP. Furthermore, policies should focus on raising awareness of the nutritional benefits of SPPF among families, particularly those in Makueni.
Factors Influencing Value Addition to Cashew Products Processed in the South-East Zone, Nigeria: A Multinomial Logistic Regression Approach
(EJFOOD, 2022) Anayochukwu, Victor Eze; Macharia, Ibrahim; Ngare, Lucy
Nigeria is a leading cashew producer, but this has not been reflected in the development of the downstream cashew value chain industry. The launch of the “Agriculture Promotion Policy (2016 – 2020)” document was designed to encourage value addition to export crops such as cashew as ways of creating jobs and wealth to value chain actors. However, it is still unclear why cashew processors are unable to exploit this opportunity to improve value addition to cashew. This makes it imperative that factors influencing value addition to cashew products in the South-East zone, Nigeria be analysed. A cross-sectional survey design involving a structured questionnaire was used to obtain data from 353 randomly selected respondents from the South-East zone, Nigeria. The findings from the multinomial logistic regression showed that income, access to market, product characteristics, and cost of cashew processing technology significantly influence value addition to cashew products in two models, whereas government policy on cashew processing and market facilities were significant in the second model. The relative risk ratios for age, educational level, income, processing experience, access to market, distance to market, government policy on cashew processing and market facilities were > 1, suggesting the likelihood of processor's preferring to add value to cashew kernel, and both cashew products as against cashew nut for any unit increase in these variables. This study provided vital insights about how the relative significance of these factors will aid policy analysts and decision-makers to determine which of the factors to focus on while developing specific policies for the cashew value chain industry.
Profitability Analysis of Pigeonpea Production among Smallholder Farmers in Machakos County, Kenya
(EAAF, 2022) Makena, N.S.; Mwenjeri, G.; Ngare, L.; Kago, E.W.
Pigeon pea is a drought-tolerant crop primarily grown by small-scale farmers in arid and semi-arid lands mostly for income generation and food security. Despite its importance in drought-prone environments, its production remains low. The profit associated with the production of pigeon pea, contributes to the Gross Domestic Product of Kenya. However, in Machakos County there is little information on the amount of profit from pigeon pea and its relationship with socioeconomic characteristics of farmers. The objective of this study was to determine the socioeconomic characteristics of pigeon pea farmers profitability of pigeon pea production in Machakos County. Data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. A questionnaire was administered to 346 pigeon pea farmers to collect primary data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the socioeconomic characteristics and gross margin analysis was used to compute the gross margins. The results showed that the gross margin from pigeon pea production in Machakos County was KES. 3470.60/acre. This implies that pigeon pea farming though profitable in the study area had a gross margin crop was low. This could be attributed to high costs of labour, pesticides, poor quality seeds, biotic factors and climate change that might have had an adverse effect on productivity. Therefore, the study proposes formulation of strategies to make available certified seeds not only to increase productivity but also to enhance efficiency in production.
Entrepreneurial Orientation, Learning Orientation, Cost Focus and Innovation in Agri-Food SME of Uganda
(AFJRD, 2022) Ajer, B.; Ngare, L.; Macharia, I.
Agri-food Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) play a key role in the economies of most developing countries. With increasing challenges and competitiveness, innovation has been shown to play a critical role in sustaining growth of the numerous agri-food SMEs in developing countries. This innovation is influenced by several factors including entrepreneurial orientation (EO) of the firm. This study introduces learning orientation and cost focus into the EO-Innovation paradigm with the aim of understanding the relationship among EO, learning orientation, cost focus and innovation. The study was conducted in the districts of Kampala, Mukono, Wakiso and Jinja in Uganda. These districts collectively have the highest concentration of agri-food firms in the country. Primary cross-sectional data were collected using semi structured questionnaires from a cross-section of 521 SMEs spread across the study area. Data were analyzed using multivariate structural equation modeling in AMOS v.23. Results suggest the importance of proactiveness in enhancing learning orientation, cost focus and innovation. On the other hand, entrepreneurial proclivity was seen to have significant influence on learning orientation and cost focus but not on innovation. The findings of this study have implications in agri-food SME learning orientation and cost focus. In essence, helping SMEs to become proactive or have high levels of proclivity would also increase their cost focus and learning orientation which are all important for the sustainability of agri-food SMEs.
Critical Evaluation of Genetically Modified Organisms as an Intervention Strategy in Agribusiness Sector in Kenya within the Context of Climate Change
(Full Length Research, 2022) Mwasiaji, Evans; Alaro, Lawrence; Muthinja, Moses; Njuguna, Christopher
Climate change has negative effects on crop yields, nutritional quality, livestock productivity, human health and the rate of economic growth. This has exacerbated food and nutrition insecurity in Kenya, hence the cabinet approval of genetically modified crops that attracted praise and protestations in equal measure. This study using a metaanalysis approach therefore sought to detect gaps in the phenomenon of genetically modified organisms as an intervention strategy in agribusiness sector, governmental regulatory framework, agripreneurship competencies and their impact on food security in Kenya. The study revealed that Agriculture remains a pillar to Kenya’s economy. The study also established that climate change complicates Kenya’s long-term aspiration of attaining nutrition and food security, with 4.2 million people facing acute hunger in year 2022, while simultaneously wasting about 5.2 tonnes of food every year. Further, studies on genetically modified organisms have reported conflicting results on effect on human health, ethical consideration, ownership of technology, seed sovereignty and adequacy of capacity to test for quality standards. This study argues that there is inadequate data to support cultivation and importation of genetically modified food crops as a hunger intervention measure in Kenya. Seedlings generated through biotechnology innovations not only negate the need to produce in harmony with nature, but are also a threat to food security through patents ownership by multinationals. This implies that the premise upon which genetically modified organisms were approved in Kenya is faulty. The study concludes that vulnerable people experiencing hunger in Kenya is due to supply chain failure in agribusiness sector, rather than lack of food in the country. The study therefore recommends that discussions about food insecurity in Kenya should focus on how to improve infrastructure, enhancement of agripreneurship competencies along the whole food value chain including seed, agricultural production and distribution factors. There is also need to shift towards irrigation as opposed to over reliance on rain fed agriculture. The study has also suggested the need to use an integrated model and some propositions to be tested as hypotheses to generate data to facilitate evidence based solutions to enhance agribusiness sector productivity, food and nutrition security in Kenya.
The Potential Economic Benefits of Insect-Based Feed in Uganda
(Frontiers Media, 2022-11) Abro, Zewdu; Macharia, Ibrahim; Mulungu, Kelvin; Subramanian, Sevgan; Tanga, Chrysantus Mbi; Kassie, Menale
Black soldier fly farming is gaining traction globally as a strategy for recycling organic waste into high-quality proteins and fat for feed and organic fertilizer for crop production. The support of governments in East Africa to integrate insect meal in livestock feed has opened opportunities for commercializing insect products. Understanding the potential value of Black soldier fly larvae meal (BSFLM) is paramount to inform policies and practices to promote insect farming and insect-based feed for livestock production. This paper uses the economic surplus method to generate evidence on the potential socioeconomic impact of replacing conventional soybean and fish meal protein sources with insect-based feed (IBF), BSFLM, in Uganda. Results indicate that substitution of IBF for existing protein sources will generate net economic benefits of USD 0.73 billion in 20 years (0.037 billion per year). The benefit-cost ratio is estimated at 28:1, and the internal rate of return is 138%, indicating that the insect-based animal feed industry is a profitable investment. Even in the worst-case scenario, when the replacement rate of IBF and its economic benefits are reduced by half, the benefit-cost ratio remains high (8:1). The estimated economic benefit can lift about 4.53 million people above the poverty line in the country. It can also create about 1,252─563,302 new jobs per annum, depending on the substitution rate of conventional protein feeds with IBF (0.1%─45%). Uganda has the potential to produce from about 3,244 tons to 1.5 million tons of IBF. Similarly, using the same replacement rates, the country can produce about 695─312,678 tons of NPK fertilizer from biowaste recycling. About 0.09-41 million tons of biowaste could be recycled, depending on the replacement rate of conventional feed sources with IBF. Our results justify that investing in the insect feed value chain can contribute to Uganda’s economic, social, and environmental sustainability.
Adoption and Intensity of Integrated Agriculture Aquaculture among Smallholder Fish Farmers in Kenya
(Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 2023) Fonda, Jane Awuor; Macharia, Ibrahim Ndegwa; Mulwa, Richard Mbithi
This paper examined the adoption and intensity of using integrated agriculture aquaculture (IAA) among smallholder fish farming households in Kenya. The analysis was based on crossectional farm-level data collected from four counties in Kenya: Nyeri, Kakamega, Siaya, and Busia. Results showed that risk plays a central role in farmers’ decisions through the direct effect of the sample moments of the profit distribution. Specifically, the first moment (mean profit) had a highly significant positive effect on the adoption and intensity of IAA. Profit variability, as reflected by the second moment, negatively impacted adoption and the intensity of IAA. Other factors that were important in IAA adoption included the proportion of economically active members, full-time land ownership, awareness of IAA, accessibility to irrigation, and flat farm topography, all of which were statistically significant in influencing IAA adoption positively. Other factors which were found to influence the intensity of IAA positively and significantly were: age, education level, number of economically active members, full-time land ownership, awareness of IAA, flat farm topography, and clay soil type. Thus, IAA should be promoted alongside farmers’ education, farm size, access to affordable and accessible credit, number of farm enterprises, and IAA awareness as a mechanism for enhancing smallholder IAA adoption and intensity of use.

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