Contribution of Agricultural Extension to Insect Farming for Food and Nutritional Security among Smallholder Farmers in the Kenyan Lake Victoria Basin

The study intended to investigate the contribution of agricultural extension on edible insect farming for food and feed nutritional security among smallholder farmers of Siaya County in Kenya. There was no explicit study on the contribution of agricultural extension on insect farming as evidenced by the existing literature. Specifically, the study aimed at determining the influence of agricultural extension on the production of insects as food and feeds among smallholder farmers in the study area. In so doing, the study probed relevant questions to establish the role of agricultural extension in the promotion of insects for food. The study adopted a descriptive survey design since it allows for collection of large amounts of data from the target population. Both primary and secondary data was collected from the respondents which included small holder farmers, extension service providers and stakeholders in the insect food farming and value addition sectors. A sample size of 210 respondents from a population of 443 were interviewed using questionnaires. The data collected was analysed quantitatively using standard statistical packages to extract various  pieces of information namely household characteristics, insect food and feed technology within households, status of food and nutritional security, status of livelihoods and challenges to improvement of food and feed nutritional security and general livelihoods. The general outcome of the analysis indicated that extension service provision had influence on the production of insects among small holder farmers. The study generated crucial knowledge to various stakeholders and players in the agricultural sector, key among them being Governments and Non-Governmental agencies promoting new technologies to enhance food and nutritional security. Keywords: contribution of agricultural extension, insect farming for food and feeds, small holder farmer, value addition, adoption, nutrition security DOI: 10.7176/DCS/13-1-03 Publication date: January 31st 202

Contribution of Agricultural Extension to Promotion of Value Addition of Insects for Enhanced of Nutritional Security Among Smallholder Farmers

The study intended to investigate the contribution of agricultural extension on edible insect farming for food and feed nutritional security among smallholder farmers of Siaya County in Kenya. The study aimed at examining the role of agricultural extensions towards value addition of insects among smallholder farmers in the study area. In so doing, the study probed relevant questions to establish the role of agricultural extension in the promotion of insects for food, sought to identify factors determining adoption of insect farming and the role of agricultural extension in the value addition of insects among food and feed industry. The study adopted a descriptive survey design since it allows for collection of large amounts of data from the target population. Both primary and secondary data was collected from the respondents which included small holder farmers, extension service providers and stakeholders in the insect food farming and value addition sectors. A sample size of 210 respondents from a population of 443 were interviewed using questionnaires. Additional data was obtained from intermediary respondents through the use of interview guides.  Regression analysis was run to estimate the relationships between value addition as the dependent variable and mechanization of the insect farms, rearing methods, pest and disease management, breeding technologies, marketing, consumption and other forms of utilization, credit acquisition and management and finally climate change and its effects. The general outcome of the analysis indicated that extension service provision had influence on production, rate of adoption and value addition of insects among small holder farmers. The study has generated crucial knowledge to various stakeholders and players in the agricultural sector, key among them being Governments and Non-Governmental agencies promoting new technologies to enhance food and nutritional security. Keywords: contribution of agricultural extension, insect farming for food and feeds, small holder farmer, value addition, adoption, nutrition security DOI: 10.7176/DCS/13-1-04 Publication date: January 31st 202

Influence of Selected Alternative Extension Approaches on the Acquisition of Knowledge, Skills for Agricultural Productivity in the Lake Victoria Region, Kenya

The role of agricultural extension is vital to the diffusion of new technologies, but extension is currently not very effective in many African nations, with traditional extension approaches having minimal impact. In Kenya, there have been gaps on the availability of studies and documentation of the specific extension approaches and their influence on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and productivity for household food security despite the various extension efforts and resources put in place in many parts of the country. This study therefore investigated the influence of three selected alternative extension approaches on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and productivity for household food security in the Lake Victoria region, Kenya. The main objective of the study was to compare the individual and collective influence of Farmer Field Schools, On-Farm Research and Focal Area approaches on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and farm productivity for enhanced household security in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya. A cross sectional survey design was adopted in order to develop a detailed account of the effect of the three approaches. The total population of the study area was 188,661 households from which a random sample of 396 was selected comprising of small-scale farmers from three sub counties: Bondo, Rachuonyo and Nyamira. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 18.0) at 5 percent level of significance. Findings revealed that Farmer Field School contributed to the acquisition of knowledge and skills in various agricultural production activities and an increase in farm productivity. Results on On-Farm Research revealed that it contributed to knowledge and skills as well as improvement of farm productivity. However, a hypothesis test showed no significant influence on knowledge, skills and productivity for household food security. Findings about Focal Area approach revealed that it contributed to the acquisition of knowledge, skills and productivity for household food security. Focal Area approach proved to be the most effective of the three approache

Influence of Farmer FFS Approach on the Acquisition of Knowledge, Skills for Agricultural Productivity in the Lake Victoria Region, Kenya

The role of agricultural extension is vital to the diffusion of new technologies, but extension is currently not very effective in many African nations, with traditional extension approaches having minimal impact. In Kenya, there have been gaps on the availability of studies and documentation of the specific extension approaches and their influence on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and productivity for household food security despite the various extension efforts and resources put in place in many parts of the country. This study therefore investigated the influence of Farmer Field Schools extension approaches on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and productivity for household food security in the Lake Victoria region, Kenya. The main objective of the study was to compare the influence of Farmer Field Schools and Conventional extension on the acquisition of knowledge, skills and farm productivity for enhanced household security in the Lake Victoria region of Kenya. A cross sectional survey design was adopted in order to develop a detailed account of the effect of the three approaches. The total population of the study area was 188,661 households from which a random sample of 236 was selected comprising of small-scale farmers from three sub counties: Bondo, Rachuonyo and Nyamira. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 18.0) at 5 percent level of significance. Findings revealed that Farmer Field School contributed to the acquisition of knowledge and skills in various agricultural production activities and an increase in farm productivity. Results on On-Farm Research revealed that it contributed more in the acquisition of knowledge and skills as well as improvement of farm productivity as compared to Conventional Extension. Furthermore a hypothesis test showed a significant difference between the two approaches. It is hoped that the findings of this study will contribute to greater understanding of agricultural extension approaches especially in policy formulation and design of the provision of extension services to communities in Kenya

Converting Water Hyacinth to Briquettes: A Beach Community Based Approach

Attempts by the government of Kenya to control the noxious water hyacinth via various intervention efforts have had limited success only for the weed to resurge. The proliferation of water hyacinth in Lake Victori

Youth Knowledge on the Utilization of Edible Insects as Food and Feed

The utilization of edible insects as food and feed is not a new concept, it is a practice that has been part of the tradition of many communities around the world. They have been primarily used as supplementary food in most African countries. However, there has been a significant decline in the consumption of insects over the years, especially among young people. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the knowledge on entomophagy and the utilization of insects among the youth. The study revealed that the majority of youth had limited knowledge about consumption, nutrition, harvesting, preparation and use of edible insects as livestock feed. From the Chi-square analysis it was observed that age and education level have a significant relationship to the familiarity of consumption of edible insects, P=0.014 and P=0.009 respectively. The results also show that there is a significant association between awareness on the nutritional value of insects with age and education level, P=0.001 and P=0.009 respectively. Logistic regression analysis was used to find the association between demographic characteristics, knowledge and the utilization of edible insects. The results revealed that education level, age and knowledge have an impact on the utilization of edible insects. Lack of knowledge contribute to the unwillingness of youth to consume insects. It is noticeable that indigenous knowledge on entomophagy is slowly disappearing with the shift in eating habits and changes in the socio-economic environments. As such, it is imperative that indigenous knowledge is preserved and educational interventions are done to raise awareness on the benefits of entomophagy in order to improve the utilization of insects among the youth

High fluoride water in Bondo-Rarieda area of Siaya County, Kenya: a hydro-geological implication on public health in the Lake Victoria Basin

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