The Influence of Land Fragmentation on Agricultural Production among Farming Households in Vihiga District, Kenya
Abstract
The effects of land fragmentation on agricultural production have been discussed by a
number of studies. However, most of these studies have not investigated the factors that
sustain fragmentation inspite of its negative manifestations on production and socio economic
well being of the farming households. Studies by Bizimana (2006) suggested that more
research has to be done in the area of cultural land inheritance system in African societies to
establish the reason for its persistence even when it is uneconomical to sub divide land
further. The study focused on fragmentation vis-a-vis how efficiency of resource use on
farms varies with the size of a farm business and what implications variations in performance
might hold for the reallocation of resources between area operated groups in pursuit of land
redistribution.
This study examined the effects of land fragmentation on agricultural production among the
farming households in Vihiga particularly in Sabatia and South Maragoli of Vihiga District.
The major variables considered in the study included: - household land size and agricultural
production. Other variables; were population size, efficiency of resource use, land
productivity, investment on the farm and the general welfare of the house holds. The
dependent variable was agricultural production Moderating factors were efficiency in the
utilization of resources/inputs, other investments on the farm, and the family size while the
independent variable was the land size.
The study analyzed documents in the government offices at Vihiga particularly the Ministry
of Agriculture, Lands office, the District Development Office and interviewed the Provincial
Administration personnel. The study further utilized data from the field to collaborate
document analysis. The target population was 53,887 farming households. Two hundred
farming households, thirty community leaders, and seven government officials were selected
from the target population for the study. Information was collected using questionnaires and
interviews. Questionnaires were administered to the farming households while the
community leaders and the government officials were interviewed at their offices. The data
obtained was analyzed using both quantitative as well as qualitative methods. Quantitative
data for each question was analyzed by use of frequency while the qualitative data was
analyzed by content analysis. The Statistical Packages of Social Sciences (SPSS) assisted in
the analysis of quantitative data. The analysis revealed that the main explanation for the
declining agricultural production is land fragmentation due to population pressure
compounded by the cultural practice of land inheritance in Vihiga District. Secondly, land
inheritance was the most common way of land acquisition. The study also revealed that 66
percent of the respondents did not have sufficient land for sustainable agriculture (below 0.4
hectares). On agricultural production, the study found that there was a general decline in
production and mean sales of food crops. Findings on the socio economic effects of land
fragmentation included food insecurity, reduced income, and increased disputes with
neighbours. The findings confirmed that land fragmentation contributed significantly to the
declining agricultural production among the farming households in Vihiga District. It was
therefore recommended that cultural practice of land inheritance be reviewed and family
planning should be enhanced so as to have manageable families and households to reduce
pressure on land. Secondly, communal land use practices should be considered so as to avoid
wastage of land due to separate homesteads. It was also recommended that a policy on land
prohibiting subdivision of land beyond economical units be effected. Finally, the study
recommended that an in depth study be carried out to determine in a more comprehensive
manner the factors that affect agricultural production by use of logistic regression and also
determine why people are so attached to ancestral land even where they have ability to buy
own land elsewhere. The effects of land fragmentation on agricultural production have been discussed by a
number of studies. However, most of these studies have not investigated the factors that
sustain fragmentation inspite of its negative manifestations on production and socio economic
well being of the farming households. Studies by Bizimana (2006) suggested that more
research has to be done in the area of cultural land inheritance system in African societies to
establish the reason for its persistence even when it is uneconomical to sub divide land
further. The study focused on fragmentation vis-a-vis how efficiency of resource use on
farms varies with the size of a farm business and what implications variations in performance
might hold for the reallocation of resources between area operated groups in pursuit of land
redistribution.
This study examined the effects of land fragmentation on agricultural production among the
farming households in Vihiga particularly in Sabatia and South Maragoli of Vihiga District.
The major variables considered in the study included: - household land size and agricultural
production. Other variables; were population size, efficiency of resource use, land
productivity, investment on the farm and the general welfare of the house holds. The
dependent variable was agricultural production Moderating factors were efficiency in the
utilization of resources/inputs, other investments on the farm, and the family size while the
independent variable was the land size.
The study analyzed documents in the government offices at Vihiga particularly the Ministry
of Agriculture, Lands office, the District Development Office and interviewed the Provincial
Administration personnel. The study further utilized data from the field to collaborate
document analysis. The target population was 53,887 farming households. Two hundred
farming households, thirty community leaders, and seven government officials were selected
from the target population for the study. Information was collected using questionnaires and
interviews. Questionnaires were administered to the farming households while the
community leaders and the government officials were interviewed at their offices. The data
obtained was analyzed using both quantitative as well as qualitative methods. Quantitative
data for each question was analyzed by use of frequency while the qualitative data was
analyzed by content analysis. The Statistical Packages of Social Sciences (SPSS) assisted in
the analysis of quantitative data. The analysis revealed that the main explanation for the
declining agricultural production is land fragmentation due to population pressure
compounded by the cultural practice of land inheritance in Vihiga District. Secondly, land
inheritance was the most common way of land acquisition. The study also revealed that 66
percent of the respondents did not have sufficient land for sustainable agriculture (below 0.4
hectares). On agricultural production, the study found that there was a general decline in
production and mean sales of food crops. Findings on the socio economic effects of land
fragmentation included food insecurity, reduced income, and increased disputes with
neighbours. The findings confirmed that land fragmentation contributed significantly to the
declining agricultural production among the farming households in Vihiga District. It was
therefore recommended that cultural practice of land inheritance be reviewed and family
planning should be enhanced so as to have manageable families and households to reduce
pressure on land. Secondly, communal land use practices should be considered so as to avoid
wastage of land due to separate homesteads. It was also recommended that a policy on land
prohibiting subdivision of land beyond economical units be effected. Finally, the study
recommended that an in depth study be carried out to determine in a more comprehensive
manner the factors that affect agricultural production by use of logistic regression and also
determine why people are so attached to ancestral land even where they have ability to buy
own land elsewhere.
Citation
Masters Of Arts Degree In Project Planning And Management, University Of Nairobi, 2009Publisher
University of Nairobi
Collections
- Faculty of Education (FEd) [5979]