Bean production in Kenya's central and Eastern provinces: survey of the situation, analysis of problems, recomendations for extension and infrastructural support

This is a report on a survey of bean production in Kenya's Central and Eastern Provinces,carried out in June and July, 1975 by staff members from the Institute for Development Studies and the Thika Grain Legume Research Project. The survey was based on eight districts where beans are widely grown, and 242 farmers were interviewed, 72 bean sellers in local markets and officers of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Maize and Produce Board. First the present situation is reviewed, including the seed types used, crop husbandry practises, yield levels, storage, marketing and pricing, and extension services for beans. Then the economics of bean production are discussed, as well as the basic constraints on the intensification and expansion of bean production, both in high-rainfall small-farm areas and in dryer areas where farms are larger and land is not such a limiting factor. Specific problems are discussed relating to seeds, land preparation, planting systems and plant density, the application of fertiliser and manure, weed control, pests and diseases, storage, and marketing and pricing. Finally an extension project is proposed and described in some detail which would promote the production of beans in Kenya. The infrastructural support which would be needed for expanded bean production is also described, particularly wider availability of inputs and a viable marketing and pricing system

New extension methods to speed up diffusion of agricultural innovations

This paper is based on field experiments carried out by researchers at the University of Nairobi's Institute for Development Studies in collaboration with Kenya District Agricultural Offices. The research has aimed at developing more efficient methods for stimulating diffusion of agricultural innovations and at the same time reducing the dualistic pattern of rural development . The governments of many developing countries have based their agricultural extension services on the diffusion theory of E.M. Rogers (Diffusion of Innovation, New York, Free Press, 1962), directing their efforts to the 'most progressive' farmers, with the expectation that the adoption of innovations would trickle down to the majority of farmers -- the 'less progressive'. Yet many researchers and planners have realised that under conditions of dualistic development agricultural innovations are rarely communicated in this direction, and furthermore, when extension efforts are directed towards the most progressive farmers the division in rural society is actually aggravated. Thus researchers and politicians in Kenya have sought alternative approaches to agricultural extension which will reach the majority of farmers without requiring a greatly expanded level of investment The research has shown that in a situation of dualistic rural development communications from more progressive farmers to less progressive farmers tend to break down. However, there is intense communication of agricultural innovations among farmers on the same or similar level of progressiveness, and more progressive farmers also readily adopt innovations from less progressive farmers if they perceive that it is to their advantage. Thus diffusion is maximised when innovations are introduced through less progressive farmers, even though it is more difficult to make less progressive farmers successful first adopters of an innovation. This paper reports on experiments carried out within the government extension organisation to find out how this can be done. The results are considered clearly encouraging

Rapid development for Kenya's small farms

The proposed research aims at developing more efficient replicable extension strategies for income generating innovations. The basic concept, theoretically founded, is to change the target groups for the extension service. Traditionally most progressive farmers are being approached to become first adopters of an innovation. The large majority of farmers (less progressives) is reached by a very slow diffusion process only and often the diffusion process completely leaves out a major part of the farmers. If less progressives (below average) are approached to become the first adopters, the diffusion process from them to the top progressives is very quick and the diffusion process among the target group itself is quicker and reaches more. This is founded on communication - and social stratification factors. The practical problem, however, seems to be the greater difficulty in making less, progressives first adopters. This problem could be solved by an appropriate package extension method already successfully tested in the "Tetu Project”. The only major problem with "Tetu", the very limited number of farmers which can be reached by this extension method, could be solved by taking the training out of the FTCs to the field and by approaching the farmers in groups. Summing up, the research therefore aims at: a) further testing of the new strategy, b) developing and evaluating methods of approaching farmers in groups, c) improving the replicability of the more efficient extension strategies and methods, and d) promoting their replication

Discussion of a food and nutrition policy for Kenya : (paper prepared for the United Nations World Food Conference- Rome, 5-16 November, 1974; Kenya delegation; item 9 (B) )

The paper was produced on request of the Head of the Kenya Delegation to the 1974 World Food Conference in Rome. It reflects the authors’ views on basic policies to improve the nutritional status of vulnerable groups in Kenya. The authors state that vulnerable groups in Kenya are the mothers and pre-school children of the low income groups in society. These can be found especially among "less progressive" smallholding farmers, further in communities living in semiarid and arid rural areas and among the urban unemployed or underemployed. The authors have reservation on feeding programs. They stress preventive measures which centre around a certain extent of self reliance in food production and most of all on income generating projects for the endangered groups. "Less progressive" oriented agricultural extension and appropriate technology are two measures considered important among others discussed. Programmes such as nutrition education, population planning and health are considered to assist in eliminating malnutrition. A priority system of policies related to nutrition (chart) is given as a short summary of the paper’s suggested approach to eradicate malnutrition