Socio-Economic and Technological Factors Affecting Macadamia Farming among Small-Scale Farmers in Meru County, Kenya.
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Date
2025-02
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Kenyatta University
Abstract
The global market demand for macadamia has risen rapidly over the last two decades due to its high nutritional value. In Kenya, many farmers from areas previously predominated by coffee cultivation have diversified to macadamia farming. However, farmers in Meru County have not achieved optimal returns, with a yield of 35kg against the potential of 70 to 100 kg per tree per year. This study was prompted by the persistence of low macadamia yields among farmers. The study examined the socio-economic and technological factors affecting macadamia farming among small-scale farmers in Meru County. The objectives included: To determine the social factors affecting macadamia farming among small-scale farmers in Meru County, to determine economic factors affecting macadamia farming among small-scale farmers in Meru County, to evaluate technological factors affecting macadamia farming among small-scale farmers in Meru County, to determine the benefits experienced by small scale macadamia farmers in Meru County, and to determine the challenges experienced by small-scale macadamia farmers in Meru County. The study was informed by Cobb-Douglas production theory and adopted a descriptive survey research design, employing the stratified sampling technique to select respondents, with the four wards of Central Imenti sub-county serving as the strata. The sample size of 98 respondents was proportionally distributed across the four wards, and a simple random sampling technique was employed for their selection. Purposive sampling technique was used in selection of key informants. The data instruments included observation schedule, questionnaires for small-scale macadamia farmers, and an interview guide for key informants. SPSS v28 was used in processing the data. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive statistics while thematic analysis was used for qualitative data. Cobb-Douglas production function was used for inferential statistics for the first three objectives. The findings indicated that social, economic and technological factors affect macadamia farming. Significant social factors include household size, education level, marital status and gender. Significant economic factors encompass household income, farm size, number of macadamia trees, access to credit, labour and market type. Significant technological factors include cultivation of improved varieties, pesticides usage, application of inorganic and organic fertilizers, irrigation practices and access to agricultural technology extension. Further, the study revealed that macadamia farming offers various benefits to farmers, including high returns, low dependence on external inputs, and opportunities for long-term investment. Additionally, the study identified several challenges encountered by macadamia farmers, such as pests and diseases, theft of macadamia nuts, fluctuation of market prices, exploitation by middlemen and inadequate access to market price information. The study recommends that the County Government of Meru support young farmers and promote gender equality through training, financial aid, and mentorship. It also suggests that farmers form cooperatives to improve access to credit and market opportunities. Extension officers should assist with the adoption of modern technologies and, in collaboration with the government, facilitate market linkages and value-added processing. Additionally, enhanced security measures and pest management training should be provided to ensure productivity and prevent theft.
Description
A Thesis Submitted to the School of Law, Arts and Social Sciences in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Arts Geography (Urban and Regional Planning) of Kenyatta University, February 2025.
Supervisor
1. Susan Wanjiru Mbuthia
2. Philomena Muiruri Wairimu