| dc.description.abstract | Over the years, agriculture production in Kenya has been facing challenges that have
contributed to reduced productivity. In Siaya District there is food deficit due to reduced
farm yields. The purpose of this study was to establish how social economic factors affect
farm yield in Siaya District, Siaya County in Kenya. The research objectives were to
establish the effect of the farmers’ income on farm yield, to determine how the level of
education affect farm yield, to establish the effect of the farmer’s experience on the farm
yield and to establish the effect of the family labour on farm. From literature reviewed it was
shown that age is a proxy for a farmer’s experience and could prove positive for farm yields.
Higher household income will enable a household satisfy its basic requirements and have a
surplus for productive activities such as buying fertilizer and other inputs, and engaging
labour. Household size may influence farm yield positively in that large households will be
able to provide the labour that might be required. Education could impact positively on
household head’s ability to take good and well-informed farm production decisions
improving yields. This research followed the descriptive method and qualitative and
quantitative approach was used. The target population was the households in Siaya District
where stratified sampling method was used. The sample included 378 respondents. A
questionnaire was used to collect data from the household heads and an interview schedule
used to collect information from an experienced local farmer and the area agricultural
extension officer. Frequencies and percentages, means and Persons product-moment
correlation were used to analyze the data using Statistical Package for Social Sciences
(SPSS). The findings show that there is a positive relationship between family labour and
farm yield. More than half of households derive their human labour for the farm work from
the family. There is a negative relationship between farmer’s experience and farm yield. The
study also shows that there is a negative relationship between the farmer’s education and the
farm yield. While farming opens up an individual to better understanding of issues, it also
enables an individual to exploit other livelihood activities so that they may show less interest
in farming or to invest in it. There is a positive and significant relationship between the
farmers’ income and the farm yield. This shows that sufficient investments in the farming
sector would give better yields. It is recommended that there is need for more agricultural
extension services in the district, financing the farmers, farmers should keep records of farm
activities and a government policy to ensure farmers are aware of new technology and also
availing affordable farm inputs. | |
