Determinants of the Speed of Adoption of Soil Fertility-Enhancing Technologies in Western Kenya

Most adoption studies have employed cross-sectional data in a static discrete choice modelling framework to analyze why some farmers adopt at a certain point in time. The static approach does not consider the dynamic environment in which the adoption decision is made and thus does not incorporate the speed of adoption and the effect of time-dependent elements in explaining adoption. The adoption speed of an innovation is important in various aspects. Based on data from a survey of a random sample of 331 smallholder households in western Kenya, this study investigated determinants of time to adoption of mineral fertilizer, animal manure and compost using Duration analysis. Results revealed that factors that influenced timing of the adoption varied by the practices. Whilst education level of the household head, cattle ownership, location of the farm, access to extension services, and participation in land management programmes accelerated the adoption of different practices, age of household head, relative farming experience and market liberalization retarded the adoption. Gender of household head gave mixed results. To speed up adoption of the practices requires policies that promote farmers’ participation in land management programs, access to extension services and markets in addition to stratified targeting of different practices to specific locations and farmers.Adoption, duration analysis, soil nutrients, Crop Production/Industries, Land Economics/Use,

Is Value Addition in Honey a Panacea for Poverty Reduction in the ASAL in Africa? Empirical Evidence from Baringo District, Kenya

Using survey data from 110 randomly selected honey producers from two divisions in Baringo this paper analyzes the constraints and drivers of value addition in honey, an economic activity with a potential to improve household livelihoods but whose development has remained rudimentary. Baringo District undergoes frequent and prolonged drought that impacts on household livelihood assets. The livelihoods have traditionally been agro-based but due to variations in climatic conditions, crop production has been very low. Livestock production has also been adversely affected by these trends, leaving honey production as a viable alternative for smallholder farmers since it is less dependent on, or affected by climatic variations and is not resource intensive. This study uses Heckman two stage and the logistic regression models to determine the extent of value addition contingent on the decision of a honey producer to participate in value addition activity, and to assess the link between honey value addition and household poverty status, respectively. The results show that the decision to add value is positively and significantly influenced by the amount of honey harvested, group membership and amount of hours spent on off-farm activities, while it is negatively influenced the age of the farmers and the education level of the household head. Value addition contributes to the reduction of poverty through the improvement of household incomes. This paper concludes measures need to be put in place that would encourage and facilitate the practice of value addition if the welfare of the poor rural population is to be improved.value addition, poverty reduction, drought, ASAL, Africa, Livestock Production/Industries,

CATTLE AS ASSETS: ASSESSMENT OF NON-MARKET BENEFITS FROM CATTLE IN SMALLHOLDER KENYAN CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS

This paper uses data from a survey of two hundred and fifty cattle households in three cattle keeping systems; intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems to estimate the value of non-market, socio-economic benefits of cattle in Kenya. These benefits of cattle keeping are of special importance in developing countries, where financial markets function poorly and opportunities for risk management through formal insurance generally absent. However, when estimating the total contribution of livestock, these non-market functions are often ignored since they are difficult to value, yet they may contribute to a better understanding of livestock production systems. The use of contingent valuation method is employed in this study to elicit these non-market values. Econometric estimations are then used to assess the factors influencing the non-market benefits function. The results indicate that these benefits are highly valued by cattle keepers and comprise approximately 20% of the animal's total value across the three systems. They are influenced by various production system and household related factors. Implications for policy are drawn.Livestock Production/Industries, QQ112, QQ118, DD223,

The Influence of Social Capital on Natural Resource Management in Marginal Areas of Kenya

This paper analyzes the influence of social capital on the farmers' perception of the soil erosion problem and the level of investments in soil conservation in marginal areas of Kenya. It uses data from a survey of 321 households in Machakos and Taita-Taveta Districts. A Heckman's two-step model is applied to assess the influence of social capital on investments in soil conservation by farmers. Results show that the education level of the household head, slope of farmers' fields, proportion of off-farm income, and the status of soil erosion are significant determinants of the likelihood of farmers recognizing soil erosion as an important problem. Household size, slope, land tenure security, membership diversity, age of household head, farm size per capita and membership in groups influence investments in soil control measures such as terraces. The effects, however, are location-specific. The policy challenge is to establish and strengthen social capital elements that have a strong influence on communities undertaking soil conservation measures to promote sustainable agriculture, and improve land tenure security.Resource /Energy Economics and Policy,

Agriculture, Income Risks and Rural Poverty Dynamics: Strategies of Smallholder Producers in Kenya

Poverty in Kenya has been on the increase over the last decade. It is estimated that 56% of the total population live in absolute poverty. Most of the poor reside in rural areas where agriculture is the main livelihood activity. Majority of Kenya's farmers are smallholders. They account for 75% of the total agricultural output and about 70% of marketed agricultural produce. The fate of smallholder agriculture in this country is therefore central to poverty reduction. A collapse in output and incomes from smallholder agriculture is likely to have damaging welfare effects and retard pro-poor economic growth. Smallholders often operate in a risky environment, which affects the level and variability of household resource endowments and income. The importance of risk analysis in smallholder production systems arises from the fact that strategies to help farmers raise their productivity and income require an understanding of how risk affects their production decisions. Using cross-sectional input-output data from 240 randomly selected households from Vihiga and Kilifi districts covering the 2003/4 agricultural year, and time series data on yields, this study investigates how risk affects farmers' production choices in the crop-livestock systems. Further, it explores the possibility of improving production and income on these smallholder farms. Linear programming and MOTAD are used in analysis. Results indicate there is potential to improve production and income on these smallholder farms through a change in the enterprise mix. The farm plans are sensitive to risk, with trade-offs occurring between higher risk and returns.Smallholder farms, Income risk, Rural Poverty, Linear Programming, Kenya, Farm Management, C61, D13, L23, Q18,

Factors Determining Choice of Clean Domestic Energy by Households: Evidence from Nakuru Municipality, Kenya

As in most developing countries, many attempts have been made and are continuously made to in Kenya to reduce dependence of forests as a source of energy through introduction of bans on logging and campaigns to households to shift to cleaner energy sources. Attempts through rural electrification program as envisaged in the energy policy of Kenya have been geared towards expanding clean energy access to previously unconnected sections of the population. Yet the majority households in urban areas as exemplified by Nakuru municipality residents of Kenya continue to depend on semi-clean fuels as primary source of energy. Using survey data from 300 randomly selected households in Nakuru Municipality, we sought to empirically determine the factors that influence household choice of clean domestic energy. A Multinomial logit model results showed that household’s choice between clean and semi-clean fuels was influenced by Socio-economic and demographic factors, and government energy policies. In particular,  the likelihood of clean fuels was significantly higher in households with higher relative incomes while the likelihood of use of “dirty” and semi – clean fuels was higher with middle and low income households. Based on the study results we draw policy implications. Keywords: Energy, Choice and Domestic Fuels, Multinomial Logit, Kenya, Nakuru Municipalit

Determining smallholder farmers’ preferences for Push-Pull technology dissemination pathways in western Kenya

The push-pull technology (PPT) has widely been disseminated to control stemborer (Chilo partellus and Busseola fusca) and Striga weeds (Striga hermonthica and Striga asiatica) in maize fields in Kenya. This study examined farmers’ preferences for various dissemination pathways in order to proffer better targeting of resources in an optimal dissemination strategy. The pathways considered were public meetings (barazas), radio, farmer field schools (FFS), field days (FD), farmer teachers (FT), the fellow farmers (FF) and print materials. Using a weighted score index and ordered probit regression, the different pathways were sequentially ranked as FD, FT, FFS, FF, print materials, Radio, and barazas. Marginal effects from ordered probit showed that farmers had the least preferences for baraza and radio pathways. The farmer categories with the highest preference for particular pathways were: less educated farmers for FD, farmers with small land sizes for FT, farmers belonging to groups for FFS, and young educated farmers for the print materials. This information is extremely important for targeting the different segments of farmers.Push-pull technology, Stemborer, Striga, Dissemination pathways, preference, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

Social Capital and Soil Erosion Control in Agriculturally Marginal Areas of Kenya: The Case of Machakos and Taita-Taveta Districts

This paper evaluates the farmers perception of the soil erosion problem, and identifies and analyses social capital elements that motivate households to actively participate in soil conservation in agricultural production process. The data used in the study was generated using a structured questionnaire in a survey that covered 321 households in Kenyas semi arid districts of Machakos and Taita-Taveta Districts. Two modelling strategies were used: A Probit model was used to estimate the likelihoods of factors that may influence farmers perception of soil erosion problem, and a Tobit to estimate parameters of factors that influence terracing intensity. The results indicate that although perception of the soil erosion problem is relatively high in the study sites, its effect on soil conservation investments is not significant. In Machakos, the significant determinants of terracing intensity include land tenure, crop area, household size, and membership diversity whereas in Taita-Taveta they include age of household head and consumer-worker ratio. Results from the aggregated data show that lagged crop output, group membership density and diversity, cognitive social capital and location significantly influence the terracing intensity on farm household fields. The policy challenge is to establish and strengthen social capital elements that have a strong influence on communities undertaking soil erosion control measures for sustainable agriculture and rural development.Social capital, Marginal areas, Soil erosion, Perception, Two-step estimation, Kenya, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies, C24, D23, Q15, Z13,

Analysis of Resource Use Efficiency in Smallholder Mixed Crop-Livestock Agricultural Systems: Empirical Evidence from the Central Highlands of Ethiopia

The study uses data generated through a survey from rural households in Ethiopian central highland districts to assess farm-level resource use efficiency in the production of major crops including teff, wheat and chickpea in the mixed crop-livestock agricultural systems of Ethiopia, under conditions of diminishing land resource and environmental constraints. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) results show that smallholder farmers are resource use inefficient in the production of major crops with mean technical, allocative and economic efficiency levels of 0.74, 0.68 and 0.50, respectively. A Tobit model regression results on the determinants of inefficiency reveal that livestock ownership and participation in off-farm activities are associated with reduced level of resource use inefficiency. Furthermore, large family size and membership to associations contribute to higher level of resource use inefficiency. The findings suggest that resource use efficiency would be significantly improved through a better integrated livestock and crop production systems; expansion and promotion of off-farm activities; and reform of farmer’s associations. Keywords: Data Envelopment Analysis; Tobit; Resource use efficiency; mixed crop-livestock agriculture; Ethiopi

Resource use efficiency of smallholder crop production in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Abstract Resource use efficiency in agricultural production has been a major concern in Ethiopia. In this article data from 700 households in the central highland districts were used to assess farm-level resource use efficiency and to determine factors that influence inefficiencies in the production of teff (Eragrostis tef), wheat and chickpea, the major important crops in the country. The study established that smallholder farmers are resource use inefficient. Moreover, a two-limit Tobit regression model results reveal that inefficiency in resource use is positively and significantly affected by family size, farming experience and membership to associations. It is also found that those households whose decision makers have roles in their community activities show improved resource use efficiency. Moreover, the findings show that eliminating resource use inefficiency could contribute about 31.28% of the minimum annual income required for the sustenance of an average farm household. The study established that resource use efficiency and productivity gains are likely to be significantly improved through expansion of nonfarm sectors, reform of farmer related associations and integrating community leadership in various community activities and programs. Moreover, market infrastructure development would likely increase efficiency and agricultural productivity. JEL classification: C21, C61, Q1