BC-School of Agriculture and Enterprise Development

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Athari za Sera ya Lugha Afrika Mashariki na Nafasi ya Kiswahili Afrika na Ulimwenguni
(RealText Printers and Publishers, 2024) Osore, Miriam; Minyade, Sheril
Sera ya lugha ni kipengele cha mpango lugha. Haya ni maamuzi katika maandishi kuhusu jinsi lugha zinavyopaswa kutumika katika jamii ili kutekeleza majukumu mbalimbali. Maamuzi haya yanaweza kutolewa katika katiba ya nchi husika. Sera ya lugha Afrika Mashariki imepitia mabadiliko kuanzia enzi za ukoloni hadi sasa. Hata kabla ya ukoloni, Kiswahili kilikuwa tayari kinatumika kama lugha ya mawasiliano mapana katika biashara kati ya Waarabu na Waafrika. Wamishonari waliofika eneo la Afrika Mashariki walikuta Kiswahili kimeenea wakakitumia kueneza dini. Hatua za mwanzo za usanifishaji wa Kiswahili zilichukuliwa na wamishonari walioona haja ya kusanifisha Kiswahili ili kukitumia kwa mafanikio zaidi ya kueneza injili. Kiunguja kiliteuliwa kama msingi wa kusanifisha Kiswahili. Kiswahili sanifu ndicho kilitumiwa katika .maandishi. Wakoloni walipofika katika eneo la Afrika Mashariki pia walianza kukitumia Kiswahili katika shughuli za utawala na elimu. Kila nchi ilikuwa na sera tofauti za lugha: Uganda, chini ya Waingereza haikukipa Kiswahili nafasi ya kuenea. Waingereza waliotawala Kenya walisisitiza matumizi ya Kiingereza na lugha ya kwanza. Tanzania ilitawaliwa na Wajerumani na Waingereza. Kiswahili kilipewa kipaumbele; kilitumika katika shughuli zote za elimu na utawala fakala hii inalenga kubainisha jinsi sera tofauti za lugha katika nchi hiziwakati wa ukoloni na baada ya ukoloni zimeathiri kuenea kwa Kiswahili Afrika na ulimwenguni.
Banana production, constraints and their propagation methods
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Kasyoka, Martha Rhoda; Mwangi, Maina; Mbaka, J.; Gitonga, N.; Kori, N.
Banana (Musa species) is an important food crop worldwide (Robinson, 2007). About 70 million people in East and West Africa are estimated to derive more than one quarter of their food energy requirement from plantains (Rowe, 1998). Bananas are chiefly eaten raw as desert fruit, because in the ripe state they are sweet and easily digested. In their unripe state they are used as starchy fruits cooked before eating. They are usually boiled, fried or roasted. The unripe fruits are peeled, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. They are then pounded into a porridge and eaten, the starchy dish being called Matoke`. Unripe or ripe fruits may sometimes be baked, roasted or fried. In Uganda and Tanzania a nutritious beer is also brewed from plantains and large quantities of this are consumed in the region. Plantains and cooking bananas also form part of the daily diet of people in the Caribbean and Latin America .Apart from their major uses as desert fruits eaten raw, or as starchy fruits cooked before eating, only a relatively small proportion of bananas and plantains are processed to other products. Bananas and plantains do not lend themselves readily to processing because the lack of acidity makes preservation difficult and the year-round availability of fresh fruits also makes preservation unnecessary (Gowen, 1988). In addition there must be sufficient surplus fruits available as rejects from the fresh fruit market, steady supply of such fruits at low price maintained throughout the year, a viable alternative market because fresh fruits are available throughout the year, processed products must receive value-added return compared to fresh fruits because factory infrastructure and labor costs have to be covered. The different products which can be processed from bananas and plantains, and the different procedures involve canning, drying, freezing,extraction, drying or fermentation.
Cassava production and limitation of propagation through tissue culture
(FaCT: Publishing, 2010) Ogero, K.O.; Gitonga, N. M.; Omwoyo, Ombori; Ngugi, M.
With the unrelenting increase in human population it is important that concerted efforts be made to increase crop productivity so as to match the expected increase in food demand. The gravity of this problem is well appreciated considering the fact that the increasing human population is occurring on a planet with constrained and diminishing natural resources. It is therefore important to respond to this challenge by developing and disseminating technologies that increase productivity per unit area, conserve the natural resource base and impact on many rural-based communities. Droughts have played a significant role in food shortages. As a result farmers are being encouraged to grow food crops which are relatively drought tolerant and take a shorter time to mature, such as cassava. Lack of quality planting material of farmer-preferred varieties, produced locally and at a low-cost is, however, a major constraint to cassava production. Tissue culture technology whereby plant cells and tissues are multiplied in vitro under aseptic conditions, offers a feasible solution to this. Tissue culture techniques have been employed to complement and/or aid conventional methods of plant breeding. It has been used as a tool for multiplication of superior clones, ex-situ conservation of valuable germplasm and production of pathogen-free plants. However, the technology is capital, labor and energy intensive hence out of reach for resource poor farmers. Hence, it is necessary to have low cost options for propagation of important plant species.
THE COFFEE CRISIS: Old interests, new interests and illusions of development
(Lambert Academic Publishing, 2009-11-10) Mbataru, P.
Working through the coffee value chain, this work analyses the strategies of stakeholders in the wake of devastating socio-economic effects of the coffee crisis. Between 1985 and 2004, annual coffee production in Kenya fell from 150 000 to 50 000 tons. The fall in quantity and prices consequently affected the livelihoods of over two million people who depended on coffee. But the coffee problem is global in scope, a situation that threatened economies painstakingly built over the years in the south. In Kenya, coffee income in the family budget fell from 40 percent in the 1980s to less than 10 percent in the 2000s. The persistence of the price depression is more than any other in the history of coffee growing. The study asks if there is emerging a society whose economic foundations are not built on coffee: a post-coffee society. This is in the context of radically changing value chain.The study was conducted in Nyeri District in the central highlands of Kenya. The district is the leading producer of coffee in Kenya and is source of some of the best Arabicas in the world. It is a perfect microcosmic mirror of the world of peasant cash crop production and the inherent paradoxes
Consumer Willingness to Pay and Economic Benefit Analysis for Sorghum-Pigeon Pea Flakes in Makueni and Busia Counties, Kenya
(Kenyatta Univesity, 2023-07) Peter, Catherine Mueni
Quality of food and extend of safety levels plus food availability are globally considered as key facets to human development. Nutritious food, mostly comprising Carbohydrates along with Proteins (energy providers and body builders respectively) is said to be an essential requirement for human health and labour output. Of the three meals recommended in the Intensive Behavioural Interventions (IBI) studies, breakfast provides 20% of calories and on average about 20% daily proteins, total fats and saturated fats as well as dietary fibre. Thus the main objective of the study was to determine the highest amount of money consumers were willing to pay (WTP) for sorghum-pigeon pea flakes,in Makueni and Busia counties in Kenya. The three specific objectives were; i) to assess consumer awareness level, ii) to determine the highest amount the consumers were willing to pay and iii) to determine the economic benefit in consuming SPPF as a ready to eat breakfast cereal in Makueni and Busia counties, Kenya. Sample size was determined using Glen (2013) formula and direct survey via Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) was used on 223 consumers from the two selected counties. Administration of semi-structured dichotomous questionnaire was done to collect data on awareness and acceptance as well as on perceived economic benefit of the Flakes within the two counties. The data collected were subjected to statistical package for social studies (SPSS) for descriptive statistics (through cross tabulation and chi-square) and STATA vs16 for regression through double bounded logit model to assess the consumers” WTP for SPPF, finally economic benefit was determined through price-demand model. The WTP assessment results for SPPF revealed that, in both counties consumers were willing to pay for SPPF. In Busia and Makueni Counties, the average WTP value was Kshs. 140 and 136, respectively. The study too revealed that 50% of the respondents within the study area were aware of the SPPF breakfast cereal towards improving consumers’ nutrition. The results of the double-bounded logit regression revealed that gender, married, aware of SPPF and living in Busia County had positive influence on WTP for SPPF. Furthermore, based on the Economic Benefit analysis it was evident that there is EB in consuming SPPF of Ksh. 475.00 in a given week. Consequently, the study recommends WTP applications to obtain data-driven pricing decisions for new products such as SPFF fronted by farmer groups. Secondly, policy makers should involve Consumers’ participation in policy formulations and pricing strategies related to new products for its success. The research work further adds to the existing knowledge of economics, creating job opportunities and improvement of the nutritional health of the population in Makueni and Busia counties.
Contributions of Agricultural Sciences towards achieving the Millenium Development Goals
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Mwangi, Maina
All the materials included in this book were originally submitted to the 3rd International e- Conference on Agricultural Biosciences held online from June 1 - 15, 2010. This was an internet based conference designed to enable wide participation of scientists from developing countries. It is recognised that costs, e.g. transportation, hotel accommodation, per diem, visa, etc are one of the major factors hindering participation of scientists from developing countries in international symposia. However, the advent of internet and other web based communication technologies is opening new frontiers, closing the gap between communities in at different levels of development. Through this e-conferencing facility every effort is made to minimise cost related barriers. Participation in this conference is possible from an office, home or any other place with internet access. To widen reach and diversity of presentataion, the participants in the e-confetrences have opportunities to exhibit and publish presentations either as MsWord abstracts, posters or power point slides. In addition, publication of full papaers (after peer review) is possible in the online Journal of Applied BioSciences [ISSN 1997-5902] and the Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences (ISSN 2071- 7024). These are open access journals that are published monthly and are available for free download at http://www.m.elewa.org/journals.php . This book provides an additional way in which scuientists will be able to publish their research outputs. Other proceedings of the e-conference can be accessed at http://www.m.elewa.org/econferenceIeCAB.php. We believe ours is a small but important effort in helping scientists to communicate on the important research they are carrying out in different parts of the world. It is our sincere hope that more and mopre scientists will appreciate this rather new and more cost-efefctive way of communicating on what they do every day. There is no doubt science will be at the forefront of progress in reaching the goals that nations have set ahead of themselves, e.g. the Millenium Development Goals. Each one of us must play our roles to make this a better world for all. At FaCT publications we are committed to providing an enabling and supportive platform to ensure the ourputs of research are communicated to the rest of the world.
CORPORATE & INTELLECTUAL SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY: A Guide for Industry and Service Agencies in Kenya
(KurArts Designs and Digital Printers Limited, 2024) Waswa, Fuchaka
None
Dissemination of Integrated Soil Fertility Management Practices using Participatory Approaches in the Central Highlands of Kenya
(2011) Mugwe, J. N.; Mugendi, D.N.; Mucheru-Muna, M.; Merckx, R.; Vanlauwe, B.; Bationo, A.; Mairura, F.
Declining soil fertility is a critical agricultural challenge facing smallholders in central Kenya. A study to improve soil fertility and farm productivity in the area was carried out during the period 2003 to 2007. Problem- solving tools were used to build the broad conceptual and methodological approaches needed to address farming constraints. The study identified farming systems constraints and disseminated “best-bet” integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) interventions using participatory methods and mutual collaborative action. This paper describes processes in the participatory approaches, project milestones and joint experiences that were gained. The participatory approaches included Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Mother-baby approach (M-B approach), Farmer training groups (FTGs), Annual stakeholder planning meetings, Village training workshops, Cross-site visits and Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM & E). Food shortage was the main problem identified by farmers resulting from low crop yields. The causes of poor yields were biophysical factors, but several socio-economic factors influenced farmer ability to manipulate farm productivity. Village training workshops attracted a 20% higher farmer turnout than mother trial field days. Farmer and experimental evaluations showed that the most favoured technologies were tithonia, manure, manure-fertilizer combinations, and tree legumes while the most effective dissemination pathways included demonstrations, farmer training grounds, field days and farmers’ groups. Using PM& E procedures, farmers developed indicators that they used to monitor progress, and annual ISFM milestones were achieved, leading to the achievement of overall project objectives. Innovative adjustments to ISFM technology dissemination were proposed by both farmers and scientists.
Economic returns of organic and mineral fertilizer inputs for soil nutrient replenishment in Meru South district, central Kenya.
(Kenya Forestry Research Institute, 2009) Mugwe, J. N.; Muriuki, J.; Mugendi, D.N.; Kung'u, J.B.; Mucheru-Muna, M.; Merckx, R.
Farmers in the central highlands of Kenya are experiencing low land productivity due to declining soil fertility. On-farm trials were established at two sites in Meru South district, Kenya in 2004 to evaluate economics of using organic and mineral fertilizer inputs to replenish soil fertility. Net benefit, benefit to cost ratio and return to labor were used as the main economic tools. Relationship between ranking of the inputs based on the number of farmers choosing them and ranking based on calculated economic returns was determined using Spearman correlation. In Mukuuni site, net benefits for the two seasons were highest for tithonia plus fertilizer (USD420.9 ha-1), tithonia (USD410.5 ha-1) and tithonia plus manure (USD393.2 ha-1). Similarly in Murugi, net benefits were highest for tithonia plus fertilizer (USD337.9 ha-1), tithonia plus manure (USD314.5 ha-1) and tithonia (USD294.5 ha-1). Returns to labor were highest for fertilizer, manure and tithonia in Mukuuni while in Murugi, fertilizer, tithonia plus fertilizer and tithonia had the highest returns to labor. Majority of the farmers chose technologies combining organic and mineral fertilizer for further trial with 70.5% in Mukuuni and 54.1% in Murugi. Manure and tithonia were the preferred organic inputs possibly due to multiple benefits perceived, though labor requirements were high. There was a positive correlation between ranking of the inputs based on the number of farmers choosing them and ranking based on calculated economic returns. This suggests that economic returns could be used to predict choice of technologies for adoption by farmers.
Effect of Vesicular-arbuscular Mycorrhiza (vam) Inoculation on Growth Performance of Senna spectabilis
(CIAT, 2004) Kung'u, J.B.
The influence of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza (VAM) fungi inoculation on growth performance of Senna spectabilis was studied in a screen house experiment. The results obtained indicated the dependence of Senna spectabilis on mycorhizal symbiosis. Inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza significantly improved the growth performance of Senna spectabilis. The height growth increased significantly by 85% after only three months while the root collar diameter increased by 71%. Shoot production increased by 213% while root biomass increased by 241%. Inoculation with vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhiza increased plant tissue phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium content. The better growth response of mycorrhizal plants were attributed to improvement in nutrient uptake, especially phosphorous, nitrogen and potassium. Vesiculararbuscular mycorrhiza inoculation has a high potential in agroforestry as a bio-fertilizer. .
Farm Energy, Power and Machinery for Non-Engineers: A Reader for University and College Students in Kenya
(KurArts Designs and Digital Printers Limited, 2022) Waswa, Fuchaka; Shitanda, Douglas; Mukolwe, Michael
Import Substitution as an Industrial Strategy: The Tanzania Case
(2008-12-04) Kuuya, P.M.
1st Five 2nd Five ammonia anhydrite Arusha Declaration backward linkages balance of payments British calcium sulphate capacity capital intensive capitalist cement industry Cement Manufacturers LTD cement plant cement production chemical synthesis choice coal deposits coke colonial consumer costs of production country's current account decision developing countries domestic production East African Community economic activities economists established example export fertiliser plant firm Five Year Plan fuel gypsum horizontal diversification import content import substitution independence industrial strategy industrialisation interest investments investors Kenya Kenya and Uganda kiln labour LDCs limestone machinery Mahalanobis management agreement manpower Mbeya necessary nitrogenous fertilisers output paper bags phosphate Portland Cement Manufacturers problem production per tonne projects raw material inputs Ruhuhu Rweyemamu Salaam salary satellite industries sector set-up steel industry strong industrial base structural distortions substitute imported sulphuric acid Tanga Tanganyika technical total average costs trade type of import Uganda Wazo Hill
An Insight into the Consequences of Emerging Plant Responses Contaminants in Soil and Water and Plant Responses
(Springer, Cham, 2023) Sairam, Masina; Maitra, Sagar; Praharaj, Subhasisha; Nath, Suprava; Shankar, Tanmoy; Sahoo, Upasana; Santosh, D.T; Sagar, Lalichetti; Monalisha, Panda; Priya, G. Shanthi; Ashwini, T.R; Gaikwad, Dinkar J.; Hossain, Akbar; Pramanick, Biswajit; Jatav, Hanuman Singh; Gitari, Harun I.; Aftab, Tariq
With the advancement of science, better monitoring of soil and water quality has become possible. Many contaminants have been reported in the recent past that influence the quality of soil and water negatively. However, the consideration of these pollutants or contaminants is still in the initial stage and needs to be explored in detail for a better understanding of their activity as contaminants.
Integrated pest management training and information flow among smallholder horticulture farmers in Kenya.
(CABI, 2011) Bekele, N.A.; Mithöfer, D.; Amudavi, D. M; Obare, G.
A study was conducted in 5 districts in Kenya (Muranga, Thika and Maragua in Central Province, and Makueni and Embu in Eastern Province) to determine the factors linked to the acquisition of integrated pest management (IPM) knowledge and sharing among the two different group-based farmers, as well as among farmers operating individually (the control group). Data were collected from May to July 2008 focusing on active smallholder vegetable and fruit producers grouped in three categories: farmer field schools (FFS) members, common interest groups (CIG) members, and control farmers. The control farmers were not members of the two group-based training approaches, but they were sampled from the same villages as the FFS and CIG farmers. According to the marginal effect result, FFS and CIG membership, the number of groups to which farmers belonged (excluding FFS and CIG), farmer household memberś literacy and locality positively and significantly affected IPM knowledge acquisition, whereas household size, land size, permanent labour, casual labour, access to horticulture production information, distance to extension services, farmer visitors, frequency of listening to horticulture production information on the radio, and frequency of reading newspaper articles on horticulture production negatively and significantly affected IPM knowledge acquisition. Knowledge sharing was significantly and positively associated with the number of casual labourers employed, IPM knowledge acquisition, and the number of visitors received, whereas membership in FFS, gender and locality significantly and negatively affected IPM knowledge sharing.
Introduction to Crop Protection: Homoptera
(2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Order Homoptera include aphids, whitefly, scales, leafhoppers, and mealybugs. They are plant-sucking, and many excrete honeydew, a liquid high in sugar, which attracts ants and is used as a substrate for sooty mold fungus, which interferes with plant photosynthesis. Some are soft bodied, slow moving, or sedentary, forming colonies with wingless forms. Others are active. Adults have wings held roof-like over the body; the antennae are often short and bristle-like (as with leafhoppers). With sucking piercing mouthparts, many are vectors of plant viruses.Some secrete molted skins or a waxy, powdery substance that covers the body. Many are spread by the wind or carried by ants that feed on the honeydew and protect the insects from natural enemies.
Introduction to Crop Protection: Major Insect Pests
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
The major quarantine pests identified recently on cut flowers include bollworms (Helicoverpa armigera, Spodoptera spp.), leaf miner (Liriomyza sp.), white flies (mainly Bemisia tabaci), thrips (mainly western flower thrips – Frankliniella spp.), and fruit flies (Otieno, unpubl.). The greenhouse provides a modified environment which, in many ways, favours the proliferation of cut flower pests and diseases. During certain times of the year, day temperatures in the greenhouse may soar upto 26° -33°C which reduces the regeneration cycle for many pests.
Introduction to Crop Protection: Plant Diseases
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Plants, whether cultivated or wild, grow and produce well as long as the soil provides them with sufficient nutrients and moisture, sufficient light reaches their leaves, and the temperature remains within a certain “normal” range. Plants, however, also get sick. Sick plants grow and produce poorly, they exhibit various types of symptoms, and, often, parts of plants or whole plants diet. The agents that cause disease in plants are the same or very similar to those causing disease in humans and animals. They include pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes, and unfavorable environmental conditions, such as lack or excess of nutrients, moisture, and light, and the presence of toxic chemicals in air or soil. Plants also suffer from competition with other, unwanted plants (weeds), and, of course, they are often damaged by attacks of insects. Plant pathology is the study of the organisms and of the environmental factors that cause disease in plants; of the mechanisms by which these factors induce disease in plants; and of the methods of preventing or controlling disease and reducing the damage it causes. Each discipline studies the causes, mechanisms, and control of diseases affecting the organisms with which it deals. Plant pathology is an integrative science and profession that uses and combines the basic knowledge of botany, mycology, bacteriology, virology, nematology, plant anatomy, plant physiology, genetics, molecular biology and genetic engineering, biochemistry, horticulture, agronomy, tissue culture, soil science, forestry, chemistry, physics, meteorology, and many other branches of science.
Management of Plant Diseases
(Kenyatta University, 2020) Namikoye, Everlyne Samita
Most serious diseases of crop plants appear on a few plants in an area year after year, spread rapidly, and are difficult to cure after they have begun to develop. Therefore, almost all control methods are aimed at protecting plants from becoming diseased rather than at curing them after they have become diseased. Few infectious plant diseases can be controlled satisfactorily in the field by therapeutic means. The various control methods can be classified as regulatory, cultural, biological, physical, and chemical, depending on the nature of the agents employed. Regulatory control measures aim at excluding a pathogen from a host or from a certain geographic area. Most cultural control methods aim at helping plants avoid contact with a pathogen, creating environmental conditions unfavorable to the pathogen or avoiding favorable ones, and eradicating or reducing the amount of a pathogen in a plant, a field, or an area. Most biological and some cultural control methods aim at improving the resistance of the host or favoring microorganisms antagonistic to the pathogen. A new type of biological control involves the transfer of genetic material (DNA) into plants and the generation of transgenic plants that exhibit resistance to a certain disease(s). Finally, physical and chemical methods aim at protecting the plants from pathogen inoculum that has arrived, or is likely to arrive, or curing an infection that is already in progress.
The Orma Boran—ten years of field observations
(Towards Increased Use of Trypanotolerance: Current Research and Future Directions, 1994) Munga, Leonard
In 1913 Balfour reported Bos indicus cattle in the Koalib area of Sudan which he claimed were immune to trypanosomiasis (Balfour, 1913). Since that date trypanotolerance has been reported in other Bos indicus breeds in Sudan, Zaire, Uganda and Kenya (see Dolan, 1987 for references). Yet, despite these reports in the literature, little effort has been made to investigate the nature or extent of differential susceptibility to trypanosomiasis amongst
Passion fruit production in Kenya: Opportunities and constraints
(FaCT Publishing, 2010) Wangungu, C.W.; Mwangi, Maina; Gathu, R.K.; Mbaka, J.; Kori, J.N.
Passion fruit is ranked third in importance among the horticultural crops in Kenya. In recent years, the fruit has gained high demand due to activities of beverage producing companies. The fruit has dynamically changed the lives of most farmers, being their source of livelihood. Its wide usage makes it an economical fruit to produce i.e. almost all its products (vines, leaves, pulp, juice and seeds) are useful. In recent years, various challenges have led to low supply threatening the passion industry with collapse. The major challenges are diseases and pests and the effects of climate change. These have led to a 50% decline in fruit production in the past 4 years. Research activities have gathered considerable information but a lot remains to be done to effectively revive the passion fruit sector. This paper discusses some of the issues that should be addressed to support the passion fruit value chain.

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