Analysis of Improved Indigenous Chicken Adoption Among Smallholder Farmers: Case of Makueni and Kakamega Counties, Kenya
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Date
2019
Authors
Kamau, Christopher N
Kabuage, Lucy W.
Bett, Eric K.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
IJAE
Abstract
Indigenous chicken (IC) production is a source of food security and income among smallholder farmers within high
potential areas and semi-arid lands (ASAL). The demand for IC eggs and meat is anticipated to increase threefold by
the year 2020 by health conscious consumers. However, potential of IC to contribute to household incomes and
poverty alleviation in ASAL is constrained by slow maturity of IC and low productivity. Hence, to address these
constraints improved indigenous chicken (IIC) technologies have been developed and introduced to smallholders in
high potential area and ASAL. However, only a few smallholder farmers have adopted the IIC technologies. Therefore,
the objective of this study was to determine the effect of farmer socioeconomic characteristics on adoption and
intensity of adoption the IIC technology in Makueni and Kakamega counties. A total of 384 households were sampled
using multi-stage sampling to collect data through interviews. The collected data was analysed using a double hurdle
model. The results suggest that sex of the household head, farm size, group membership, which had not been
previously identified in IIC studies as a significant variable, distance to training centre, off-farm activities and IIC
awareness significantly affected adoption decision of improved IC. On the other hand, education of the household
head, household size, farm size, source of information on IIC and awareness on IIC had significant effects on the level
of adoption. The recommendations from this study have an implication on extension policy, land use policy, food
policy, collective action and pricing policy in the context of technology adoption in Kenya.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Adoption, double hurdle, Indigenous chicken, Membership, Training, Technology
Citation
Kamau, C. N., Kabuage, L. W., & Bett, E. K. (2019). Analysis of improved indigenous chicken adoption among smallholder farmers: Case of Makueni and Kakamega counties, Kenya. International Journal of Agricultural Extension, 7(1), 21-37.