| dc.description.abstract | The purpose of study was to investigate the factors affecting the performance of Bura Commercial Farm in Bura Irrigation scheme, Tana Delta. The study focused on the project design, agronomic practices, management structure, production resources and modem technology and their influence on the performance of the Commercial Farm. The study was guided by the following objectives; To establish how project design influence the performance of Bura Commercial Farm; To establish the influence of the management structure on performance of the Bura Commercial Farm; To establish how allocation of production resources influences the Performance of the Commercial farm; To defurmine how agronomic practices influences the performance of Bura commercial farm and to assess on how the use of modem technology influences the performance of the Bura commercial farm. The literature section included an introduction to the Bura Commercial Farm and its objectives and also literature on the study of independent variables and their influence on performance of irrigation projects. The study adopted a case study design. The sample for the study comprised of the Bura Commercial Farm staff in the day - to - day operations and staff at the National Irrigation Board Head Office who had knowledge of the management of the commercial farm.
The researcher collected information through a prepared questionnaire where the respondents were engaged in interviews related with the study objectives. The data was collected at the Bura Commercial Farm in Bura Irrigation Scheme and the National Irrigation Board Offices in Nairobi. The members of the staff who were interviewed at the BCF include:-Deputy Scheme Manager, Bura Irrigation Scheme; Tana Irrigation Scheme Manager, Bura Irrigation Scheme Irrigation Officer, Bura Irrigation Scheme Irrigation Engineer, Bura Commercial Farm Manager, Farm Supervisor and Team Leaders. The National Irrigation Board Head Office staff interviewed were; the Chief accountant, Chief Engineer, Project Coordinator, Principal Irrigation Officer, Irrigation Engineer and Irrigation Officer. Study findings indicates that the factors affecting the performance of Bura Commercial Farm were associated with lack of mechanization of the major agronomic activities undertaken in the farm which in most cases were labor intensive, this translating to losses due to the poor quality and quantity of labour found in the commercial farm. Study findings also indicate the method of irrigation used by the farm was not efficient for the commercial farming in the Farm. The study recommends adoption of modem technology of irrigation such as drip and sprinkler irrigation system that increases water use efficiency to 80%. | en_US |
