Socio-economic and Institutional Factors Influencing Uptake of Improved Sorghum Technologies in Embu, Kenya

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorChimoita, E. L.
dc.contributor.authorOnyango, C. M.
dc.contributor.authorGweyi-Onyango, J. P.
dc.contributor.authorKimenju, J. W.
dc.date.accessioned2021-04-15T06:34:57Z
dc.date.available2021-04-15T06:34:57Z
dc.date.issued2019
dc.descriptionAn Article Published in East African Agricultural and Forestry Journalen_US
dc.description.abstractFarmers’ socio-economic status and institutional support play a complementary role in influencing adoption of various improved agricultural value chain technologies. Despite considerable research efforts towards improving sorghum production and commercialisation to improve farmers’ socio-economic wellbeing in Kenya, a marginal number of farmers in arid areas are adopting improved technologies. The current study, therefore, evaluated farmers’ socio-economic and institutional factors influencing uptake of improved sorghum technologies in Embu County, Kenya. The study systematically selected 129 farmers from four villages. Data was collected on household size, daily expenditure, land ownership, land sizes, sources of capital, the number of farmers growing sorghum, market outlets, institutional services offered to farmers and production challenges. The study revealed that 51% of the households comprised of six to ten members, whereas 76% of the farmers spent on average three thousand Kenyan shillings (US$ 30) on a monthly basis. The study results also showed that 88% of farmers accessed extension services from government agencies, whereas 56% of the farmers accessed credit facility from private microfinance institutions. The study findings also revealed 48% farmers sold sorghum products to private agents, whereas 44% farmers sold their products on local market outlets. It was additionally revealed that 57% of farmers faced challenges in accessing credit services. There was a positive Pearson’s correlation (r = 0.43) between farmers owning individual land title deeds and the uptake of improved sorghum technologies with individual land ownership motivating farmers to invest in sorghum production. In addition, there was a positive Pearson’s correlation (r = 0.48) between farmers accessing financial training services and the uptake improved sorghum technologies. The training services significantly (p ≤ 0.01) influenced the farmers in embracing improved sorghum technologies. The study concluded that farmers’ expenditure, land ownership, financial training and credit support were the key socio-economic and institutional factors contributing to farmers’ uptake of improved sorghum technologies.en_US
dc.identifier.issn0012-8325
dc.identifier.issn2313-450X
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00128325.2019.1597568?journalCode=teaf20
dc.identifier.urihttp://ir-library.ku.ac.ke/handle/123456789/21991
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen_US
dc.subjectAgricultural Valueen_US
dc.subjectChainen_US
dc.subjectFarmers Improved Technologiesen_US
dc.subjectInstitutional Factorsen_US
dc.subjectInstitutional Supporten_US
dc.subjectSocio-Economic Statusen_US
dc.subjectSorghum Productsen_US
dc.titleSocio-economic and Institutional Factors Influencing Uptake of Improved Sorghum Technologies in Embu, Kenyaen_US
dc.typeArticleen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Socio-economic and Institutional Factors....pdf
Size:
78.29 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Abstract
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
No Thumbnail Available
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
RP-Department of Agricultural Sciences and Technology