Complementarity of inorganic fertilizers and improved maize varieties and farmer efficiency in maize production in Kenya

This study contributes to the literature and policy on the impact of partial and package adoption of inorganic fertilizers and improved maize varieties on yields among smallholder households in Kenya. We use a blend of the quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach and propensity score matching to control for both time-variant and time-invariant unobservable household heterogeneity. Our findings show that inorganic fertilizers and improved maize varieties significantly improve yields when adopted as a package rather than as individual elements. The impact is greater at the lower end of the yield distribution than at the upper end, and when technical efficiency of the farmers improves. A positive effect of partial adoption is experienced only in the lower quantile of the yield distribution. The policy implication is that complementary agricultural technologies should be promoted as a package, and should target households and areas which are already experiencing low yields for greater impact.Keywords: Technology Adoption; Yield; Difference-in-Differences; Keny

Environmental goods collection and children’s schooling: evidence from Kenya

ArticleThis study examines the link between environmental goods collection and children schooling in Kiambu District, Kenya. The study was carried out against the increasing consensus in the literature on household dependence on natural resources and the suggested consequences on households investing more time in collection of those scarce resources especially firewood and water. Children schooling is measured as the child’s school attendance and performance in school. Our study uses data collected from 200 households using a detailed questionnaire. The sample had 609 children from Lari, Ndeiya and Kikuyu Divisions of Kiambu District. The descriptive statistics indicates that children are involved in both decisions of resource collection and school attendance. Since the two decisions are jointly determined we first estimate the bivariate probit model. In addition, possible endogeneity of resource collection work in the school attendance equation is corrected for, using instrumental variable Probit estimation. The probit model was also estimated for the performance model. The results support the hypothesis of a negative relationship between children resource collection work and their likelihood of attending school. The results also suggest that performance in school does not depend on environmental goods/resource collection work of children. Finally the study recommends ways of increasing water supply to reduce the time children spend on collecting it and ways of substituting firewood.This study examines the link between environmental goods collection and children schooling in Kiambu District, Kenya. The study was carried out against the increasing consensus in the literature on household dependence on natural resources and the suggested consequences on households investing more time in collection of those scarce resources especially firewood and water. Children schooling is measured as the child’s school attendance and performance in school. Our study uses data collected from 200 households using a detailed questionnaire. The sample had 609 children from Lari, Ndeiya and Kikuyu Divisions of Kiambu District. The descriptive statistics indicates that children are involved in both decisions of resource collection and school attendance. Since the two decisions are jointly determined we first estimate the bivariate probit model. In addition, possible endogeneity of resource collection work in the school attendance equation is corrected for, using instrumental variable Probit estimation. The probit model was also estimated for the performance model. The results support the hypothesis of a negative relationship between children resource collection work and their likelihood of attending school. The results also suggest that performance in school does not depend on environmental goods/resource collection work of children. Finally the study recommends ways of increasing water supply to reduce the time children spend on collecting it and ways of substituting firewood

Effect of cropping policy on landowner reactions towards wildlife: a case of Naivasha area, Kenya

Wildlife policy in Kenya has in most part been protectionist with little incentives to private landowners, who host wildlife in their farms to participate in their conservation. However, in recognition of the role of incentives in conservation, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) piloted a wildlife utilization policy in which organized landowners were allowed a cropping quota based on the number of wildlife present within their land. This study investigates the impact of such policy on human-wildlife conflicts using data compiled from a list of complaints lodged at the KWS warden’s office from farms around Lake Naivasha. Using this data, Poisson and negative binomial regression models are employed to estimate the effect of the wildlife cropping and policy and other factors on the frequency of wildlife damage incidences reported at the KWS offices. Results indicate that the policy may not have worked as intended since rather than reducing the number of conflict reports, it had an unexpected effect of increasing problem reports to KWS. The results are discussed and some recommendations provided.Wildlife; Cropping; Count data regression; Buffalo; Landowners

Impact of Tobacco Expenditure on Household Spending Patterns in Kenya

Despite measures to control tobacco use in Kenya, there is still an increasing importance in the use of tobacco. This is seen by the growth in per capita consumption over time. Tobacco, being an addictive product, creates a situation where consumers allocate part of their resources towards its consumption and therefore positions the use of tobacco as an important expenditure decision in households in Kenya. Due to budget constraints faced by households in Kenya, tobacco consumption may crowd out consumption of essential goods and services. This paper therefore focuses on the impact of tobacco expenditure on household spending patterns in Kenya. Using the 2005/2006 Kenya Integrated Household and Budget survey, a Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System was used to estimate a system of Engel curves to check whether the differences in expenditure between the two types of households is as a result of tobacco use or not. Results suggest that tobacco crowds out the consumption of food, health care, schooling, clothing, entertainment, house care, and personal care. Geographical location and socio-economic standing of households have a significant influence on the magnitude and pattern of crowding out. The policy implication of this finding is that tobacco control should be an integral part of governments’ poverty alleviation strategy

Effect of cropping policy on landowner reactions towards wildlife: a case of Naivasha area, Kenya

Wildlife policy in Kenya has in most part been protectionist with little incentives to private landowners, who host wildlife in their farms to participate in their conservation. However, in recognition of the role of incentives in conservation, the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) piloted a wildlife utilization policy in which organized landowners were allowed a cropping quota based on the number of wildlife present within their land. This study investigates the impact of such policy on human-wildlife conflicts using data compiled from a list of complaints lodged at the KWS warden’s office from farms around Lake Naivasha. Using this data, Poisson and negative binomial regression models are employed to estimate the effect of the wildlife cropping and policy and other factors on the frequency of wildlife damage incidences reported at the KWS offices. Results indicate that the policy may not have worked as intended since rather than reducing the number of conflict reports, it had an unexpected effect of increasing problem reports to KWS. The results are discussed and some recommendations provided

Essays on Soil Conservation, Social Capital and Technology Adoption

Erosion of agricultural land remains a major constraint to agricultural development in Kenya, which has a complex topography. Government and donor institutions are promoting soil and water conservation practices. Several hypotheses have been put forward to explain the process and driving forces for the adoption of these practices. Yet there is a lack of accurate information on the determinants and benefits of these investments. A better understanding of the possible driving forces for adoption would help design research policy and mechanisms to facilitate beneficial outcomes from the process. A better understanding of the process is important because in Kenya, a growing population has pushed more people to farm on fragile and steeply sloped land. Furthermore, there are concerns that agricultural output and productivity growth lag behind population growth. One element that is hypothesized to have a bearing on soil conservation adoption is social capital, which is generally interpreted as the degree of trust, cooperative norms, and networks and associations within a society. Economic work on the role of social interactions for collective action, in particular for soil conservation, is still scarce. However, attention to the significance of social relations for economic outcomes and economic development in particular, suggests the pertinence of this study. The objective of this thesis is to provide a better understanding of the role of social capital and the economics of soil conservation by: (1) developing a method of aggregating social capital measures, (2) conducting a social economic analysis of determinants of soil conservation adoption in particular the impact of social capital differences, and (3) understanding the productivity impacts of different soil conservation structures. This thesis comprises three papers. Paper 1: This paper sets out to investigate two questions. First, it seeks to derive measures of social capital in agrarian societies using survey data. Second, the analysis verifies the hypothesis that there are differences in social capital between Machakos on one hand and Kiambu and Meru on the other. We find significant differences between Machakos and the other two regions. Paper 2: This paper examines two issues. First, we discuss how social capital may affect economic performance, in particular the need for collective action, as revealed in the theoretical and empirical literature. This has implications for whether social capital can be modelled as a determinant of farm technology adoption. Second, it examines whether and to what extent household and village level social capital affect plot level adoption of soil and water conservation. Paper 3: Soil erosion is an important economic and environmental problem in Kenya. Physical soil conservation structures have been promoted as promising techniques for reducing soil erosion. Evidence regarding yield enhancing properties of these techniques is inconclusive. This paper provides an economic analysis of soil conservation investments and their impact on value of yield. Results indicate that soil conservation structures increase returns on degraded land and even increase the returns from some inputs

WB World Bank

We investigate allocations of foreign aid by donors to the environment sector in Kenya covering the period 2001-12. Our data are largely obtained from official government and global aid databases complemented with donor interviews. We find that donor funding remained significant with emphasis on economic sectors such as agriculture, industry infrastructure and public debt. Allocations to environment have not been priority for donors in spite of several policy statements. Further, aid flows remained unpredictable, with huge disbursements occurring as emergency funds during disasters

Estimating Returns to Soil and Water Conservation Investments - An Application to Crop Yield in Kenya

Productivity gains from soil and water conservation (SWC) have empirical support in research stations. Previous empirical results from on-farm adoption of SWC are, however, varied. This study investigated the impact of soil conservation investment on farm productivity in three regions in Kenya. Using plot-level survey data, we focused on land productivity on plots with and without SWC. We tested the overall soil conservation hypothesis that increased SWC is beneficial for yield, as well as more specific hypotheses that SWC affects levels of inputs, returns from these inputs, and crop characteristics. The results showed a mixed picture where plots without SWC generally have higher yield values per hectare. However, plots with SWC are significantly steeper and more eroded than plots without SWC. A more careful analysis of a two-stage random effects–switching regression estimation comparing three SWC technologies to plots without SWC indicated that SWC increased the returns from degraded plots and sometimes from other inputs. A simulation exercise based on these estimations also showed that, in most cases, adoption has been beneficial for those who have done it and would be beneficial for those who have not

Impact of Improved Farm Technologies on Yields: The Case of Improved Maize Varieties and Inorganic Fertilizers in Kenya

This study investigates the impact of package adoption of inorganic fertilizers and improved maize varieties on yield among smallholder households in Kenya. We used a blend of the quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach and propensity score matching to control for both time-variant and time-invariant unobservable household heterogeneity. Our findings show that inorganic fertilizers and improved maize varieties significantly improve yields when adopted as a package rather than as individual elements. The impact is greater at the lower end of the yield distribution than at the upper end, and when technical efficiency of the farmers improves. A positive effect of partial adoption is experienced only in the lower quantile of the yield distribution. The policy implication is that complementary agricultural technologies should be promoted as a package, and should target households and areas which are already experiencing low yields