| dc.description.abstract | Most arid and semi arid regions of Kenya have been experiencing deterioration in agricultural
productivity translating to low levels of farm revenues and food insecurity. As a mitigation
strategy, different agroforestry technologies have been innovated and disseminated to farmers in
different agro-ecological zones. Agroforestry has also been documented as an important strategy
towards the achievement of several Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Agricultural
production is a risky activity in the sense that farmers are faced with changing and sometimes
unpredictable environment on which production takes place. Risk is often cited as a factor which
influences decisions making. It is therefore crucial to take into account the risk situations facing
the farmers so that the policy recommendations will be of great importance in real life. This
study therefore analyzed the optimal agroforestry enterprise mix under production risk in
Mbooni West district, in order to provide relevant information to policy makers and other
stakeholders on the specific agroforestry mixes that have the highest potential of improving farm
productivity hence increasing farm revenues.
The study used primary data collected from the farmers in Mbooni West district using a semi
structured questionnaire. Multi-stage sampling was used. In the first stage, random sampling was
used where the divisions, locations, sub-locations and villages selected. In the second stage,
systematic sampling was used to sample the respondents at the village level, to whom the
questionnaires were administered. The study employed the Minimization of the Total Absolute
Deviations (MOTAD) model which is a modification of the simple deterministic Linear
Programming (LP) approach through the incorporation of the MOTAD constraint which is a
measure of production risk1. The results of the study show that farmers in Mbooni West district
are sensitive to production risk which influences their choice of farm enterprises and resource
allocation. It was also confirmed that the farmers production decision were not optimal but
rational in the sense that they are risk minimizing. The study recommended the establishment of
marketing cooperatives and farmers unions that will increase their bargaining power in buying of
inputs and selling of their products. Farmers should also be encouraged to add value to their
products to fetch higher prices among others in order to cushion the small scale farmers against
various forms of production risk. | en |
