| dc.description.abstract | The rural population of semi
-
arid lands in Kenya face multiple challenges that result from
population growth, poor markets, land use and climatic cha
nges. In particular, subsistence
oriented farmers face various risks and opportunities in their attempt to secure their
livelihoods
.
Research programmes have been initiated nationally; regionally and
internationally to breed and produce i
mproved value
chains
. However, this has not achieved
much impact in terms of
information and
technology transfer at
both
smallholders’
and
medium size
farmers’ hence
poor adoption rates and minimal yields
and income abide
. These
uneconomical yields gap between what is a
chieved in research stations and farmers’ fields’
poses food security concerns on the future of African agriculture without substantial
investments in participatory
extension
approaches.
The current report
therefore presents
literature review on
extension
approach
es
on promotion
, productivity
a
nd commercialisation
of various value chains
.
The overa
ll objective of the report was
to review
barriers and opportunities that exist in
agricultural
extension
approaches
in enhancing production
and commercialia
tion
of
various
value chains
. Further,
to
identify alternative agricultural extension model
s
among other
stakeholders
.
Recommendations are further presented at the end of the report.
Information
was
gathered
through
extensive literature review
. Further,
a
sem
i
-
structure
d questionnaire
was used to collect data on
various extension models employed by government and private
sector in information and technology transfer
.
The report
will
build on
the existing knowledge
and inform
extension service provider
s’ in
County government, private, inputs companies, international and national government on
effective models of addressing
food security and income generation among
medium size
farmers and other stakeholders across
various value chains | en_US |
