Farmer participation in enhancing food productivity through agroforestry in the central highlands, Kenya

Abstract

Declining food production is a major concern in Kenya. This decline is brought about by continuous cultivation of soils without adequate external inputs. A multidisciplinary farmers' participatory trial aimed at offering farmers technologies for replenishing soil fertility. was established in the maize growing area of Meru South District of Kenya in 2000. Leafy tree biomass from leucaena, calliandra and tithonia effectively reduced the rate of soil fertility decline and improved maize yields. Attempts to expose farmers to these improved locally available technologies through field days have seen some impact in the study area, where farmers are already aware of their farming constraints and are willing to test and adopt these technologies that may regenerate or improve their farm productivity. During the 2002 long rainy season farmers in the study area were exposed to these technologies during field days, and some have adopted them to improve maize production in their farms. Seventy-six farmers were already working with these technologies and 36 more indicated willingness to try them on their farms during the 2002/2003 short rains