The socio-economic factors influencing the adoption -of crop management technologies among smallholder maize farmers in Western Kenya
Abstract
This study focused on the adoption of CM techniques on maize crop considering that CM
issues, apart from fertilizer adoption, have hitherto received scanty attention in Kenya. The
CM practices considered were: Weeding frequency, use of organic manure versus fertilizer
and fertilizer-manure combinations as well as timely planting. The overall objective of this
study was to make an appraisal of the status of CM technologies in the area of study in order
to identify and analyze the major socioeconomic constraints to the adoption of CM practices
and identify possible policy options that can foster their adoption.
Limited dependent variable models were used to assess the factors influencing the adoption
of the relevant practices. The model results showed that factors that are related to farmers'
resource endowments such as farm size and livestock ownership and factors that reflect
costs of production such as use of animal traction or tractor equipment in farming operations
impact on the adoption of capital and labour intensive practices such as multiple weeding.
Profitability as indicated by per hectare gross margins was found to positively affect the use
of inorganic and organic fertilizers. Human capital factors such as number of years of
education and full time family labour also represent important factors influencing the
adoption of the CM practices considered. The major policy implication was that there is
need to find ways of reducing the costs of the CM techniques considered and also raising
farm level yields to improve returns to their application.
Citation
Marenya, P. P(2001).The socio-economic factors influencing the adoption -of crop management technologies among smallholder maize farmers in Western KenyaSponsorhip
University of NairobiPublisher
Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Description
Msc-Thesis