RP-Department of Agricultural Economics

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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.
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.
Analysis of Rice Marketing Channels Choices in Mwea Irrigation Scheme, Kirinyaga County, Kenya
(e-palli, 2023) Murage, Boniface Wachira; Bett, Eric Kiprotich; Njehia, Bernard; Karani, Charles
The National Rice Development Strategy in (Kenya vision 2030) aims to improve food security, rural employment, and income for smallholder farmers in the Mwea irrigation scheme (MIS) through planned and intentional efforts. A study was conducted to identify major influences in choosing market avenues among rice farmers. The study used a sample size of 384 small-scale rice farmers to analyze the different rice marketing channels used in MIS, and to understand the factors that influence farmers’ choices of marketing channels. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the marketing channels, multinomial logit model was used to evaluate channel choices. The marketing channels were Channel 1: Farmer-Consumer (0.3%); Channel 2: Farmer-Brokers-Millers-Consumer (51.1%); Channel 3: Farmer-Brokers- Millers- Retailer-Consumer (42.3%); Channel 4: Farmer- Millers-Retailer-Consumer (62.72%) and Channel 5: Farmer- Millers- Wholesaler-Retailer-Consumer (37.28%). The most profitable channel was direct sales to consumers, which accounted for only 0.3% of total rice production in MIS. The study also found that factors such as education level, participation in marketing groups, distance to market, and age of the household head significantly influenced farmers’ choice of marketing channels. The study is critical in enriching literature on rice agricultural supply chains in Kenya. The study recommends policy considerations to protect small-scale farmers from exploitative brokers and suggests registering brokers to monitor their activities and set standards for fair practices, with the goal of regulating their activities to prevent exploitation of small-scale farmers in rice marketing.
Camel Herd Structure and Performance in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties, Kenya
(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2023-12) Thiakunu, Florence K.; Njehia, Bernard K.; Nguhiu, Purity N.; Arimi, Joshua M.
Urbanization and improved middle-level class income have caused an increase in demand for animal products and allowed economic growth in developing countries. Arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), which support high livestock populations have an opportunity to contribute to the economy. However, their potential may not be realized fully due to the effects of climate change. This study aimed to establish camel herd structure and performance in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties, Kenya. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and a cross-sectional study were conducted from July to August 2022 in each County. Data on the herd size and composition (the number of age and sex categories) was collected from 388 households through structured questionnaires. The pregnancy test was done on seventeen camels four months after the mating season by tail cocking and progesterone assay method. Analysis was done using descriptive, correlations, and linear regression statistics at a 0.05 significance level. There were more female camels over 4 years in Isiolo (above 12%) than in Marsabit (below 10%). In Isiolo, milk yield was above 20 and 10 liters per day in wet and dry seasons respectively, while Marsabit production was below 10 liters in both seasons. Milk production coefficients were significant for the females above four years (p < 0.05). There were more households in Marsabit (63%) having a calving interval of 24 months and below than in Isiolo (50%). The tail cocking method did not correlate with the progesterone assay method in pregnancy diagnosis. The study concludes that, in Isiolo County, pastoralists are doing camel rearing with the objective of milk production unlike in Marsabit County. The recommendation is that pastoralists should be encouraged to adjust age and sex categories to increase milk production. Further, they need to apply an accurate cost-effective pregnancy testing method.
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
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.
Determinants of Copying Strategies among Agropastoralists in Kitui and Isiolo Counties, Kenya
(Discover Agriculture, 2024-10) Wandera, Leah N.; Macharia, Ibrahim; Ngare, Lucy
Agropastoralists in Kenya’s Arid and Semi-arid Lands (ASALs) face various shocks that threaten their livelihoods and expose them to significant health and economic risks. While existing studies often focus on climate-related shocks, they frequently overlook other challenges faced by these communities. A comprehensive understanding of how agropastoralists manage diverse shocks is essential to developing effective vulnerability reduction strategies. This study examined the major shocks experienced by agropastoral households in Kenya’s ASALs, their primary coping strategies, and the determinants informing the choice of the strategies adopted. Using cross-sectional data from 371 households in Isiolo (203) and Kitui (168) counties, this study applied descriptive analysis and multivariate probit (MVP) models to assess coping strategies and influencing factors. From 2016 to 2021, households faced shocks, such as droughts, livestock pests and diseases, crop pests, theft, and intercommunal conflicts. Regional variations were observed: crop pests were common in Kitui, whereas Isiolo experienced higher theft and conflict rates. Coping strategies include income diversification, asset sales, increased farm labor, and reduced food expenditure. Severe droughts and conflicts led to migration, while floods caused extreme measures such as withdrawing children from school. Key factors influencing coping strategies include household demographics, farm characteristics, and market proximity. Households with more adults, higher literacy, or greater income from crops and livestock are less likely to adopt costly strategies. This study recommends integrated interventions to enhance resilience to both climate and non-climate shocks.
Drivers of Innovation in the Agro-Food Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises of Uganda
(Emerald publishing, 2023) Ajer, Basil; Ngare, Lucy; Macharia, Ibrahim
Purpose – With focus on Uganda, this study assessed the factors influencing agro-food micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) innovations. Kampala, Wakiso, Mukono and Jinja districts were the locations of the research. Design/methodology/approach – Primary cross-sectional data was collected using structured questionnaire for a sample of 521 agro-food MSMEs in Uganda. Descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical regression analysis were used to examine the data in SPSS. Findings – The findings indicate that MSME innovation levels were usually high, at roughly 80%. The presence of rules that encourage innovation and reward creative people would enhance innovation that is customer-focused. On the other hand, policies and principles that encourage innovation and the conduct of internal product and process improvement research would promote system-focused innovation. Research limitations/implications – Encouraging agro-food MSMEs to develop policies that support innovation would improve the overall level of innovation, while building the capacity of agro-food MSMEs to conduct product and process improvement research would increase the level of systems-focused research. Originality/value – This study assessed the drivers of innovation in agri-food MSMEs in a developing country. The uniqueness of this study is in assessing the effects of innovation support services on customerfocused and systems-focused innovations.
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.
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 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.
Effects of Concentrate Supplementation on Lactating Dromedary Camels during Mating Season in Isiolo, Kenya
(Meru University, 2024-04-22) Thiakunu, Florence; Njehia, Bernard K.; Nguhiu, Purity N.; Arimi, Joshua M.
Camels are resilient and have a high potential to contribute to food security and economic development in arid areas. However, this potential is being limited by diminishing feed resources due to the effects of climate change. Further, there is an upcoming peri-urban camel production system where the animals are limited in their movement. Consequently, camels do not get enough browse forages in terms of biomass and quality to meet their nutritional requirement. This has resulted in decreased production and reproductive performance. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of concentrate supplementation on lactating camels on productive and reproductive performance during mating season. A diet containing 16.80% crude protein (CP) and a digestible energy of 8.44 MJ/Kg was formulated and supplemented in the evenings with a group of ten camels. Another group of 10 camels acted as the control. Milking was done in the morning and production from each camel was recorded in liters. Percentage milk fat and protein analysis were done weekly using Gerber and Kjeldahl methods respectively. Serum biochemical levels were determined using spectrophotometry in the fourth week. Confirmation of pregnancy was done on the 5th month after mating by chemiluminescent progesterone assay. Camels were then divided into four groups. These were, supplemented pregnant(4) supplemented and not pregnant(6) un-supplemented pregnant(1), and un-supplemented and not pregnant(9). Paired mean comparisons were done to ascertain differences within the four groups. Mean daily milk production was 25.26±0.42 and 22.79±0.41 liters for supplemented and un-supplemented groups respectively (p<0.001). Paired mean differences were highest between pregnant supplemented and pregnant un-supplemented pair (p=0.165). Biochemical profiles, mean milk protein and fat percentages were significantly higher for supplemented than un-supplemented (p˂0.05). All supplemented camels were mated within the first two weeks and had a higher conception rate (40%) than un-supplemented (10%). The study recommends concentrate supplementation during mating season to improve fertility and milk production, especially in pregnant camels.
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.
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.
Extent of Adoption of Mobile Phone Applications by Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya
(Tylor and Francis, 2023-09) Mutuma, Samuel P.; Ngare, Wangare L.; Bett, Eric K.; Kamau, Christopher N.
In Kenya, smartphones are readily available at lower cost than before, allowing farmers to access agricultural information through mobile applications. However, despite increased ownership of smartphones and the availability of mobile applications, the overall usage of mobile applications is still low. This research aimed to assess the factors that determine the adoption of mobile phone applications among smallholder dairy farmers in Tharaka Nithi County of Kenya. A multistage stratified sampling procedure was used to interview 427 farmers. A Double Hurdle approach was employed to analyze the drivers of decision and extent of adoption of mobile applications. The study revealed that 51% of the respondents used mobile applications to access agricultural information. The decision to use a mobile phone application was influenced by the sex of the household head, age and level of education, distance to the market center, farming (as the primary occupation), access to credit, channels of access to information, farmer’s perception on the cost and ease of use of the mobile application. Subsequently, farm size and the various channels through which farmers access information about the applications positively influenced the number of mobile applications used. This study recommends strengthening the existing extension pathways to disseminate more information regarding the use of mobile applications among smallholder farmers. Supporting public-private partnerships will be crucial in increasing the utilization of mobile phone applications.
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.
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.
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 Influence of Market Orientation on Innovation Attitude and Firm Innovativeness, a Case of Agri-Food Msmes in Uganda
(Emerald, 2023) Ajer, Basil; Ngare, Lucy; Macharia, Ibrahim
Purpose – This study assessed the relationship among market orientation, innovation attitude and firm’s innovativeness in the context of agri-food micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in a developing country context. Design/methodology/approach – Cross-sectional primary data was collected using structured questionnaires from a sample of 521 agro-food MSMEs in Uganda. Data was analyzed using exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Findings – Results showed that interfunctional coordination influences both firm innovativeness and innovation attitude. On the other hand, competitor orientation does not influence innovation attitude, but negatively influences firm innovativeness, while customer orientation does not influence firm innovativeness, but positively influences innovation attitude. Results also confirm the positive influence of innovation attitude on firm innovativeness. These relationships vary by location, size of MSME, type of MSME. Research limitations/implications – The findings of study this imply that agri-food firms should focus on improving the internal coordination among departments so as to improve both attitude toward innovation and firm’s innovativeness. Originality/value – This study investigates market orientation and innovation in agro-food MSMEs in a development country
Intention to Adopt Improved Indigenous Chicken Breeds among Smallholder Farmers in Machakos County, Kenya. Do Sociopsychological Factors Matter?
(Elsevier, 2023) Kamau, Christopher N; Majiwa, Eucabeth B; Otieno, Geoffrey O; Kabuage, Lucy W
Consumption of poultry meat, eggs, and other animal-sourced commodities has dramatically risen by almost 86%, with the demand of indigenous chicken products almost doubling over the past few decades. In Kenya, poultry farmers prefer indigenous chicken due to their resilience to harsh climatic conditions, high feed conversion rates, delicious end products, ability to scavenge and potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions among other factors. Despite the high demand for poultry and its products, the gap between demand and production remains high. Poultry farmers try to keep pace with the demand by integrating the recommended improved IC breeds into their production system. Although there exists some understanding on the determinants of the farmers to adopt improved IC, still there is scanty information on how socio-psychological factors influence the intention to adoption improved IC among the farmers in Kenya. Thus, this study sought to investigate the determinants of intention to adopt improved IC while specially focusing on the role of socio-psychological factors. A total of 374 IC farmers in Machakos county were selected using a multistage sampling technique. Partial Least Square - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the data. Results from descriptive statistics showed that approximately 90% of who IC farmers in the study area were aware of the improved indigenous chicken breeds. However, the adoption of the improved IC was below average (44.9%). The path analysis results revealed that Subjective Norm (SN) was the main determinant of farmer’s intention to adopt improved IC breeds, followed by Attitude (ATT) and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC). The study recommends more emphasis to be given to psycho-social issues through well designed public and private interventions that will promote adoption of improved breeds among IC farmers.

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