Factors affecting maize farmers’ participation in agricultural extension education: a comparison of farmers in Turkana and Uasin-gishu Counties, Kenya

Abstract

The main objective of this research was to investigate the major factors influencing maize farmers‟ contribution in the agricultural extension education programmes. A model was developed to describe the relationship among independent (institutional, socio-cultural and structural) and the dependent variables (participation). A common thread in the literature concerning adult learning is the premise that adult educators or programme planners should respond to the needs, interests, and real-life problems of adult learners. Descriptive survey research design was used. Data was collected by the use of questionnaire, and semi-structured interview. To select the respondent groups, simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used. Frequencies, percentages and means, were used as statistical tools to analyze the data. Findings indicated that in both (Turkana and Uasin-Gishu) counties, about three quarters of the farmers had ever attended agricultural extension education programme, 244(74.2%) and 42(76.4%) for Uasin-Gishu and Turkana respectively. All the farmers in Turkana county are barely involved in the planning process of the training programme while in Uasin-Gishu county, more than half (55.6%) are fully involved. Farmers participate in the evaluation of the training programme, identifying the training needs, selection of the most urgent needs in the programme development. Participation in the agricultural extension-training programme was high in Uasin-Gishu but low in Turkana County and therefore the Government should set-up training centres close to farmers as a way of encouraging improve participation.