DETERMINANTS OF PARENTS’ PERCEPTION ON SCHOOL READINESS AMONG PRE-PRIMARY SCHOOL PUPILS IN KARASANI DIVISION, NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Global studies show the need for parental involvement in children’s school readiness. In Kenya, studies show that students’ poor performance in school is mainly caused by lack of school readiness. This study was guided by the Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory which regards children as the center of various layers of systems. Survey research design was used to guide the study. The location of the study was Kasarani Division. The target population was parents with children aged 5 to 6 years in pre-unit class enrolled in pre-primary schools in Kasarani Division. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used to obtain data from the respondents. Pilot study was done in two pre-schools within Kasarani Division. Content validity was used to determine the validity of the instruments, while the reliability of the instruments was determined using test re-test method. Data was collected in two stages. Descriptive and inferential methods were used to analyze the collected data. ANOVA and Chi-square tests were used to test the null hypotheses at a significance level of 0.05. The findings showed that various factors were influenced parents’ perception on children’s school readiness. It was recommended that managers and administrators in public preschools ought to put systems in place to ensure that parents’ perceptions on school readiness are enhanced.  Article visualizations

Early changes in farmers’ adoption and use of an improved maize seed: An assessment of the impact of demos and field days

Background: Demonstration plots are widely used in the seed industry to create awareness and promote improved seed among smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. However, the magnitude of effects on farmers’ adoption behaviour is less known. Objectives: This study assessed the impact of demonstration plots and field days on farmers’ awareness, knowledge and use of the improved maize variety that was being promoted. The study also assessed the impact on maize yields and production. Method: A promotion campaign was mounted by a local seed company in eastern and western Uganda, where demonstration plots were established and field days were held for two seasons. These were aimed at augmenting effects of radio messages that were aired over the same period. We used quasi-experimental approaches to determine changes in farmers’ adoption behaviour towards a new maize variety, and the subsequent effects on productivity. Farm household data were collected at the baseline and midline from a sample of 2050 households. Results: The findings showed no effect on the proportion of farmers planting the promoted variety, the acreage or proportion of land planted with the promoted variety. This was not surprising as farmers’ awareness and knowledge about the variety remained very low. Conclusion: The early result shows that demonstration plots were not effective, suggesting that more effective approaches should be explored. It may also be the case that the assessment was too early in the adoption cycle, in which case results after two more seasons of promotion will provide a better estimate of the effect

Cardiovascular Disease Behavioral Risk Factors in Select Countries of Sub-Saharan Africa: An Inter-Country Comparative Study from a Cross-Sectional Population-Based Survey

Cardiovascular Disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Cardiovascular disease causes 30% of total deaths globally; 82% of these deaths take place in low- and middle-income countries (WHO, 2012). Sub-Saharan Africa is now facing a double burden of disease with a rising wave of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease along with the current communicable diseases epidemic. Behavioral factors that have been shown to increase risk of developing cardiovascular disease include: physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol. The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence, distribution and association of cardiovascular disease behavioral risk factors (physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol) in Sub-Saharan Africa (Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Senegal). Secondary analysis was conducted on data generated from a 2003 population-based survey (World Health Survey) by the World Health Organization (WHO) with a sample consisting of 13,851 individuals. In addition, secondary analysis was conducted on data from the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to determine if there is any association between implementation of country-specific tobacco control policies and self-reported tobacco use prevalence in Kenya, Ghana, South Africa and Senegal. This study documented a high prevalence of unhealthy diet (67% overall) that is relatively similar to unhealthy diet prevalence in the U.S (75%). In the countries of interest, the overall prevalence of physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol (12%, 14%, and 6%) respectively were lower as compared to developed countries. Implementation of country-specific tobacco policies was associated with a higher reduction in the rate of country reported tobacco use prevalence. Results showed that there was variability in prevalence and distribution of the four examined cardiovascular disease behavioral risk factors. The study showed that there were both within-country and between-country differences. These risk factors varied by age, gender, living location and level of education attainment. A trend of increased behavioral risk factors associated with increased age, male gender and lower education attainment was observed which places older adults, males and those with lower education attainment at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease

Farmer Demand for Soil Fertility Management Practices in Kenya’s Grain Basket

Land degradation cripples smallholder crop production in Sub-Saharan Africa, including those found in the densely populated, grain basket areas of Kenya. Research in the early nineties already documented and rated nutrient depletion to be very high in the east African Highlands. Whereas some of the soil related problems are inherent, smallholder farmer practices have contributed to the degradation, including the increasing soil nutrient depletion

Farmer Demand for Soil Fertility Management Practices in Kenya’s Grain Basket

Use of soil amendments, including organic materials and mineral fertilizers, is highly recommended for the replenishment of soil nutrients, improved soil health and more efficient use of fertilizers in sub-Saharan Africa. Along with other constraints, underdeveloped markets are often cited as a reason for limited uptake of recommended practices. Recognizing the potential interrelationship among practices, we estimate seemingly-unrelated, multivariate probit models to identify the factors that determine use of inorganic fertilizer, other soil amendments, and practices to control erosion by smallholder farmers in Kenya. We then estimate demand for the most common soil nutrients (N and P). We find that, consistent with theory, farmers are price-responsive and remoteness depresses demand for mineral fertilizers. Knowledge and plot tenure have a strong influence on use of soil fertility management practices. Sex of household head affects use of soil fertility management practices only in maize production, and particularly in use of N and P. Decisions to use different categories of soil fertility management practices are correlated

Labour allocative efficiency and factors influencing farm households interaction with the labour market

Farm households in western Kenya show preference for different labour market participation strategies. This paper examines efficiency in labour allocation between farm and off-farm activities and the factors influencing labour supply. Unlike previous studies where the household decisions are determined by a single wage, this study allowed household decisions to be influenced by both the shadow wage and the off-farm wage. Returns to labour vary within the farm and between household members working off-farm so this heterogeneity was exploited to generate a household specific shadow wage and off-farm wage rate. The results reveal that on average, farm households are not efficient. However participation in the labour markets increases labour use efficiency on the farm. Labour supply to the farm decreases with income and increases with the education level. Supply off-farm depends on the education level and labour capacity. The lack of opportunities or rationing in off-farm employment is a problem for households whose head has more than the basic level of education

Labor markets and labor allocative efficiency among farm households in western Kenya

This paper evaluates how efficiently farm households allocate labor between farm and off-farm activities. It estimates farm and off-farm labor supply functions to determine the factors that influence labor allocation. Both the shadow wage and the off-farm wage rate are included as regressors in the supply functions. The study reveals that, on average, farm households are inefficient, but when linked to labor markets their productivity and internal efficiency increase. The decision to sell labor is influenced by location, and off-farm employment is difficult to find, particularly for the better educated. Interventions should aim to increase opportunities for off-farm employment for persons with skills or with higher than the basic level of education, and to reduce the cost of participating in labor markets, for example by improving rural infrastructure. Addressing failures in rural financial markets would save poor households from having to sell their labor for less than they get from their farms

The Impact of Certification on Smallholder Coffee Farmers in Kenya: The case of ‘UTZ’ certification program

Increased awareness among coffee consumers of the impact of their consumption habits on the people and environment in coffee producing countries has resulted to implementation of certification programs in the coffee sector as an assurance of good practices in production and marketing of coffee. The UTZ certificate was the first to be introduced in the Kenyan coffee industry and this study provides the first quantitative assessment of its impact on smallholder farmers. The propensity score matching technique was used because it solves the ‘selection bias’ problem in assessment of the impact of development programs. The impact of the certification program differed between the two regions where it is being implemented probably due to the differences in bio-economic characteristics. Overall, the impact of the program ranges from higher coffee prices and coffee incomes, increased access to greater amounts of credit for agricultural purposes, increased incomes from other crop enterprises or off-farm activities, greater savings by households and increased investments on land. UTZ certification also resulted to better service provision by the cooperative societies. The perception by certified households that their economic situation has not changed may be attributed to the short period that the certification program has been in existence and also to the reference period (2008) which was a difficult year in Kenya due to the post election and economic crises

Labor markets and labor allocative efficiency among farm households in western Kenya

This paper evaluates how efficiently farm households allocate labor between farm and off-farm activities. It estimates farm and off-farm labor supply functions to determine the factors that influence labor allocation. Both the shadow wage and the off-farm wage rate are included as regressors in the supply functions. The study reveals that, on average, farm households are inefficient, but when linked to labor markets their productivity and internal efficiency increase. The decision to sell labor is influenced by location, and off-farm employment is difficult to find, particularly for the better educated. Interventions should aim to increase opportunities for off-farm employment for persons with skills or with higher than the basic level of education, and to reduce the cost of participating in labor markets, for example by improving rural infrastructure. Addressing failures in rural financial markets would save poor households from having to sell their labor for less than they get from their farms.labor market, allocative efficiency, labor supply, Kenya, Labor and Human Capital,

The Role of Varietal Attributes on Adoption of Improved Seed Varieties. The Case of Sorghum in Kenya

This paper examines the effect of variety attributes on adoption of improved sorghum varieties in Kenya. Using data from 140 farmers, the paper uses a multivariate probit to identify variety-specific drivers of adoption. The results on the perception of farmers variety attributes show that improved varieties had desirable production and marketing attributes while the local varieties were perceived to have the best consumption attributes. Evidence further indicates that the major sorghum variety attributes driving rapid adoption are taste, drought tolerance, yield, ease of cooking and the variety’s ability to fetch a price premium. Early maturity, a major focus of research has no effect on adoption. The findings of the study imply that, while developing improved seed varieties, breeders should also focus on non yield attributes like taste and ease of cooking. Secondly, it is important that both producers and consumers of sorghum be involved in the seed evaluation process