MST-Department of Agricultural Resources Management (ARM)

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Assessing the Status of Crop Farming and Strategies Used to Scaleup Yields for Enhanced Food Security in Turkana County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Mutai, Philip
Despite being a culture-centred livelihood activity, pastoralism alone has not guaranteed food and nutrition security for households in Turkana, Kenya. The frequency of droughts and their negative impact on livestock production in the County translate into reduced purchasing power of the pastoral households; causing perennial food insecurity and consequent human indignity. As a growing response to this perennial situation, rain-fed crop production has been introduced in the County at subsistence level. Most pastoralists however still tend to shy away from crop farming largely due to cultural factors and not their technical feasibility. This study assessed the current status of crop farming and analyzed factors limiting diversification to crop farming. Further it appraised measures towards increased adoption of viable crop production systems within households in five locations purposively selected from two Sub-counties of Turkana Central and Loima. A cross-sectional descriptive survey design targeting 357 respondents was used in this study. In addition data was collected from a few key respondents from sub-County Agricultural Extension Offices. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and interview schedules. On farm experimentation on crop performance under different treatments (drip & bucket irrigation methods) was done in order to demonstrate the potential inherent in crop farming under appropriate crop and land husbandry practices. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Experimental data was subjected to analysis of variance. Results showed that an increasing number of pastoralists are now venturing into crop farming for survival purposes; of which seventy three percent (73%) of the respondents were agro-pastoralists. With a change in attitude away from cultural pastoralism, this percentage can increase with more deliberate and targeted extension service at the County level. Annual average yield of maize in Turkana County was twelve 90kg-bags per acre, while its annual cost of production was Ksh 12,600/acre and the annual revenue was Ksh 32,400/acre. The annual average yield of sorghum in the County was relatively the same as that of maize, and its annual cost of production was Ksh 6,800/acre, while the annual revenue was Ksh 43,200/acre. The study concluded that there is potential and opportunity to improve crop farming under proper land and crop husbandry practices including water use efficiency in Turkana County. Currently, there is a shift from pastoralism to agro-pastoralism. However, this shift is still slow and adoption levels low leading to poor crop yields. The main challenges that constrain crop farming include general lack of knowledge in crop farming and low adoption levels of modern agricultural practices such as use of manure and fertilizer. The study established that drip irrigation had good crop yields, though not used due to high initial costs. Where irrigation is being used, increasing salinity problem was noted. On farm trials with spinach (Spinacia oleracea) as the test crop demonstrated the superiority of water use efficiency under drip irrigation than under bucket method of irrigation. The use of inorganic fertilizers is not common in Turkana County because of the combined reasons of costs and knowledge on fertilizer use under water scarcity conditions. Some farmers use farmyard manure, which readily available from the large herds and flocks kept, but the level of use is low. The study recommended a more deliberate and targeted extension service to introduce improved crop agriculture which can be integrated with the cultural way of life of pastoralists which would ensure improved livelihoods and food security
Assessment of Vertical Price Transmission in Rice Markets in Nairobi City County, Kenya
(kenyatta University, 2020-06) Letting, Irene Cherono; Bernard Njehia; Lucy Ngare
Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) agricultural commodity markets have been liberalised since the 1980s through Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs). The aim was to foster market integration and efficiency. Liberalisation of markets allows free flow of goods and services from areas with excesses to those with a deficit. But most Sub-Saharan countries, Kenya included, has associated liberalisation with failure and unsustainable food markets though agriculture is the mainstay of the economy. Price information is a conduit connecting and integrating different market locations and levels. Thus, this study assessed the degree of market integration and direction of price influence between the wholesale and retail rice market levels in Nairobi City County. Besides, the research examined the role of market structure and conduct in vertical market integration and Granger causality. The Eastern African Grain Council (EAGC) provided the weekly wholesale and retail price data from January to December of the year 2016. Data analysis was done in E-views 9. Primary data were randomly gathered from 80 rice traders in Nyamakima and Toi markets through questionnaires. The data consisted of socioeconomic aspects, market structure, and market conduct of rice wholesalers and retailers. This data was analysed using SPSS 20. Johansen cointegration method revealed the absence of cointegration between the wholesale and retail rice markets. Further, wholesale and retail prices exhibited independent Granger causality. The assessment of socioeconomic characteristics showed the dominance of female retailers. Further, most retailers were in their productive ages while most wholesalers were old. Also, wholesalers were more educated than retailers, and retailers possessed more experience than wholesalers. The assessment of market structure showed a high concentration in the wholesale market (HHI of 0.33) while the retail market had a moderate concentration (HHI 0.21). The examination of market conduct showed a majority of both wholesalers and retailers shared a similar source of rice supplies (brokers). Besides, the word of mouth provided most of the market information. The study concluded the rice market in Nairobi City County were not integrated and inefficient. It links this to the presence of market power at wholesale and retail market levels, minimal price interaction, and unreliable market information. Policies that favour a formal centralised information system can improve market integration. Adoption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) can also enhance reliability of information and access to formal financial services.
Impact of Youth Enterprise Development Fund on Performance of Small Scale Improved Indigenous Chicken Enterprises in Siaya County, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2022-06) Mango, Sarah Laura; Eric Kiprotich Bett; Newton Nyairo
Microfinance entails providing financial services and the management of money through a range of products and a system of support functions targeting low-income clients. Their primary objective is to provide an opportunity for their clients to access finances for investment in income-generating activities especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, for employment creation. The Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) is one of the most significant strategies established by the Kenyan Government to provide solutions that help create employment opportunities for young people through enterprise development. Sixty per cent of Kenyan youth are rural-based, meaning their livelihood and employment opportunities are mainly in agriculture. Poultry production, which constitutes 30% of the Agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP), is a high potential agribusiness value chain practiced by several youths who are entrepreneurship enthusiasts and have a drive to create employment for themselves and other young people. At the onset of the fund’s services in the study area, 16 % of the beneficiaries invested the YEDF credit in poultry enterprises, but the impacts of the investment on the performance of the enterprise remains unknown. The aim of this research was to map out the impact of YEDF use on small scale improved indigenous chicken (IIC) enterprise performance. The study aimed at determining the factors influencing the use of YEDF credit by small scale farmers in IIC enterprises, to assess the level of use of improved management techniques in the improved indigenous chicken enterprises, and to analyse the impact of YEDF credit use in improved indigenous chicken enterprise income. A systematic sampling technique was employed to obtain study participants from all the wards in Gem Sub-County. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data. Descriptive statistics were used to assess the level of use of management practices in IIC enterprises. The probit regression model was then employed to investigate factors influencing YEDF credit use in IIC enterprises. The impact of YEDF credit use on IIC enterprise income was then analysed using Propensity Score Matching. The outcomes of the analysis revealed that age group; source of income, farm size (hectares), and role in the enterprise had an influence on the use of YEDF in IIC enterprise at a 5% level of significance. It also revealed a significant correlation between use of YEDF and disease control and chick management practices in IIC enterprises. Farmers were found not to implement the full package of improved management practices. However, the use of YEDF credit in IIC enterprise had a statistically significant impact on enterprise income at a 5% level of significance. The study recommends development of innovative agribusiness credit packages that take into account the age and cushions risks for young farmers to enhance agribusiness enterprise development. It also recommends enhanced competence-based skills development to increase uptake of management practices among young agribusiness entrepreneurs. The study concludes that credit access has positive significant effect on agribusiness enterprises in Improved Indigenous chicken value chain
Lactation Performance, Profitability and Mastitis Susceptibility of Holstein Friesian Cows Fed Rumen Protected Methionine in Kenya
(kenyatta university, 2023) Owaga, John Owino; Purity Nguhiu; Isaac M. Osuga
The purpose of the research was to determine how rumen-protected methionine (Mepron®) affects milk output, cost efficiency, and mastitis resistance in dairy cows in Kenya. This research also aimed to address the issue of high cost of dairy concentrate feeds that emerges from formulating diets based on crude protein. Majority of diets intended for high-yielding dairy cows, are designed with crude protein of 17 to 18%. To achieve this high crude protein level, additional protein sources are required, resulting in more costly dairy feed. This study was carried out in a commercial dairy farm (Risa Farm) located in Ngecha ward, Limuru sub-county, Kiambu County, Kenya. Twelve Holstein Friesian dairy cows in their transition period (<100 in milk) usually when methionine need is highest, were recruited for this study. The cows chosen ranged in parity from the first to the fourth. Four replicates of each of the three treatments (T1, T2, and T3) were used in a completely randomized design (CRD). The treatment diets comprised dairy meal adjusted for amino acids using Mepron® (T1), commercial dairy meal prepared using crude protein (T2) and farm dairy meal developed using crude protein (T3). Near Infra-Red Reflectance (NIR) technique was used to determine the proximate and amino acid content of the ingredients used to create the treatment diets. AMINOCow software was used to design the rations and feed optimizer (Brill) was used to optimize the treatment rations. Milk production for each cow was recorded every day at 10 am, 5 pm, and 2 am. California mastitis test (CMT) was done on each cow every two days throughout the experimental period. Data was collected for 7 weeks, after one week of acclimatization of the cows to the treatment rations and procedures. The gathered data was submitted to analysis of variance, where means with p< 0.05 were considered significant and Student Newman Keuls (SNK) test used to distinguish the significant means. R software for Windows (Version 4.0.2) was used to run all statistical analyses. In the cow group given treatment T1 (dairy meal balanced for methionine using Mepron®), the findings revealed a numerical increase of milk output of 1.2 liters per day during the course of the trial. Throughout the course of the trial, the milk output of the cows given treatments T2 and T3 decreased by 2.62 and 1.60 liters per day, respectively. In T1, the total performance exhibited an upward trend, which was statistically significant (p = 0.004). Methionine levels in the treatment meals and cow milk output were shown to be positively correlated. Mastitis incidence was significant across the groups. Mepron® group (T1), followed by T3 (Farm dairy meal), and T2 had considerably greater score 0 (-ve Mastitis) and 1 (+ve mastitis in one quarter, respectively) (Commercial dairy meal). A score of 3 and 4 were not found in the Mepron® group (T1), which emphasizes the association between methionine adequacy and the prevalence of mastitis. Dairy ration balancing using Mepron (T1) permitted feed cost decrease of 19.44% compared to T3 and 0.04% compared to T2 rations. This research shows that using rumen protected such as Mepron®) to balance dairy rations lead to increased milk output, decreased mastitis occurrences, and is cost-effective.
Pig Management Practices and their Contribution to Ocurrence of Porcine Cysticercosis in Thika Municipality and its Environs, Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2019-11) Mwangi, Samuel Njogu
The pork tapeworm (Taenia solium) is an important parasite that causes disease in humans and pigs where humans host the adult worm in the small intestines and the larval stages are found in the muscles, brain and other tissues in humans and pigs (cysticercosis). Neurocysticercosisis (where the larva of Taenia solium is in the brain) is a major cause of epilepsy in humans. Humans can get the infection by consumption of infected pig meat while consumption of food and water contaminated with Taenia solium eggs can cause infection in both pig and human. Porcine cysticercosis causes loss to farmers through condemnation of carcasses during meat inspection and loss of market when pork eaters shy away due to fear of infection. The study was carried out to evaluate the Prevalence and risk factors in pig production management systems that can contribute to the occurrence of porcine cysticercosis in Thika municipality and its environs, Kenya in 2016. Cluster sampling method was used to randomly select farmers from four wards of Kamenu, Gatuanyaga, Township and Kimorori. Among the selected farmers, 81 pig farms were visited and structured questionnaires were administered to the pig farmers to collect data on management practices and awareness on porcine cysticercosis. A study sample of 1-5 pigs per farm was randomly selected based on the available number of pigs and criteria of selection. The study pigs were examined by lingual palpation for presence of cysts which appears as nodules on the ventral side of the tongue. Data was analysed using SPSS version 20 where means and percentages were calculated as well as logic regression to determine the relationship between prevalence of porcine cysticercosis and management practices. The farm and pig prevalence of cysticercosis was 6.2% and 1.8% respectively. Porcine cysticercosis was significantly associated with feed source: swill (P=0.001), neighbour’s leftovers (p=0.001), home mixed feeds (0.006), and the frequency of de-worming pigs (p=0.027). The main risk factor for porcine cysticercosis was the feeding of swill (P=0.001). Majority (55.6%) of the respondents were females, the pig stock sizes were ranging from 1 pig to 78 pigs and with an average of 11. Majority (97.5%) of pig farmers in the study area practiced zero grazing system. In order of preference, the farmers reported to feed their pigs on manufactured feeds (55.6%), home mixed feeds (28.4%), swill from garbage (12.3%), household leftovers or waste (2.5%) and neighbours leftovers (1.2%). The main (71.6) source of water for watering livestock was tap water. Other sources were wells and borehole, reported by 27.2% and 1.2% of the respondents, respectively. On animal health practices, 88.9% of the pig keepers de-wormed their pigs while 97.5% sought veterinary services. There were 69.1% of the respondents who reported that they usually buy replacement pigs. All the respondents kept pigs for commercial purposes. This study showed that cysticercosis was present in Thika with a low prevalence and the main risk factor for the disease was the practice of feeding pigs on swill. The results of this study shows that there is need to create awareness on the occurrence of the disease in the study area, to give advice on improved pig husbandry practices and especially avoid feeding of swill or cook before feeding it to pigs.

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