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

Effects of Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation on Stakeholder Relationships and Project Quality in the Local Authority Service Delivery Action Planning (LASDAP) Process in Bondo Sub County in Siaya County, Kenya

Community participation has remained a key concept in the development process in Kenya and many parts of the world today as a measure of improving good governance. Local Authority Service Delivery Action Planning (LASDAP) was meant to achieve community participation in development projects. Participatory monitoring and evaluation (PM&E) was incorporated as the driving force for enhancing community participation. Many projects have been implemented yet no study had been carried out to determine the effect of participatory monitoring and evaluation on the LASDAP project implementation. The study intended to investigate the effect of participatory monitoring and evaluation on the LASDAP project implementation in the former Bondo County Council now named Bondo sub-county in the new structure of county government in Kenya. Ex-post-facto design was used in the study to examine the effects of participatory monitoring and evaluation since it was introduced in 2008.  The target population of the study comprised of 1260 LASDAP project committee members within the Bondo sub-county. Multi-stage sampling method was used to select seven wards out of the 14 wards. 42 projects were selected using both purposive and simple random sampling methods from the eight wards. Seven respondents were selected from each of the 42 projects. Purposive sampling method was then used to select 3 females and simple random sampling method to select four males respectively to yield a study sample of 294 respondents. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Validity of the instruments was examined by a team of experts from the department of Applied Community Development Studies. The questionnaires were pilot tested in Gem sub-county formerly Siaya county council for reliability and a reliability coefficient of 0.78 obtained. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) V.20. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze data, which included frequencies, means, percentages and standard deviations to determine the associations and trends in the interactions of variables. The study found that PM&E in general improved the LASDAP process and especially stakeholder relationships and the project output in terms of quality. PM&E also enhanced good governance with the increased accountability, responsiveness to the needs of the citizens and level of transparency. These findings led to the recommendation that the Siaya county government adopt monitoring structures used by the Project Management Committees (PMCs) in current and future projects. Keywords: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation, Stakeholder Relationships, Project Qualit