CW-Department of Agribusiness Management and Trade (AMT)
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Item Analysis of profitability of organic vegetable production system in Kiambu and Kajiado counties of Kenya(African Crop Science Society, 2013) Ndungu, S.K.; Macharia, I.; Kahuthia-Gathu, R.Though there are many documented reasons that make farmers adopt organic farming system, economic benefits present a major motivation. The study was conducted to analyse the profitability of organic production system as an investment alternative to conventional farming in the two Kenyan Counties of Kiambu and Kijiado so as to appraise its contribution to improvement of rural livelihoods. The study collected data on costs and returns from 208 smallholder vegetable farmers who were composed of 78 organic and 130 conventional farmers. The means of variables of the two samples were compared using chi square, while factors associated with adoption of organic production system were analysed using logistic regression. Factors influencing profitability of organic production system were evaluated using ordinary least square regression. Organic production system was found to have higher gross margins for kales and spinach. Age, farming experience, and number of trainings attended; availability of irrigation, target market selected, production per acre, cost of production and price per unit were found to have a bearing on the profitability of an a given vegetable. In addition, age, farming experience, irrigation, land ownership and County of residence were found to be associated with adoption of organic vegetable production system.Item The Effect of Gender on the Adoption of Agricultural Innovations: The Case of Improved Cotton Technology in Kenya(Tropentag, 2013-09) Bett, E.K.; Muriithi, A.G.; Kinyanjui, C.The Government of Kenya has identified cotton as a key sub-sector in the Vision 2030 which is a vehicle for accelerating transformation of the country into a rapidly industriali- sing middle-income nation by the year 2030. The sector has potential to benefit 8 million people in production, ginning, marketing and other activities along the value chain. Since the crop thrives well in dry areas of the country with limited alternative opportunities for development, it is being promoted in Kenya on poverty-reduction grounds and to spur economic development in these areas. The country has potential of producing 300,000 bales of lint while the local demand is 200,000 bales per year to meet the annual local fabric demand of over 225 million square meters. In the past, lint production has stagnated at 20,000 bales, produced from 30,000 hectares under rain fed cotton production with pro- duction ranging from 400 to 600kg of seed cotton per hectare. Over ninety percent of this production is realised from small scale producers who own less than two hectares of land. Data on the adoption of cotton varieties and inorganic fertilisers were collected through a national survey of cotton farmers carried out between March and November 2012. A three stage clustered, randomised procedure was used to select a representative sample of 500 farmers located in 50 villages throughout the country. The results from this survey suggest that gender-linked differences in the adoption of modern cotton varieties and inorganic fer- tilisers result from gender-linked differences in access to complementary inputs. This study further proposes the enactment of a policy that will ensure better access of complementary inputs to women especially extension services, land and labourItem Determinants of Pesticide Handling Practices in Vegetable Production in Kenya.(2012-04-12) Macharia, Ibrahim;