A Model For Evaluating The Success Of Agricultural Management Information System In Providing Extension Services To Sugarcane Farmers In Rural Areas Of Kenya:Case Of Mumias Sugar Company

Abstract

Mumias Sugar Company has an elaborate Agricultural Management Information system that is used to run the agricultural docket of the company. The system has been in place for a long period of time and it has been performing its function to the satisfaction of people and to the dissatisfaction of others. Since its inception, the AMS system has never been evaluated to ascertain its level of success based on its initial objectives. A study was conducted to evaluate the success of AMS in providing extension services to sugarcane farmers in the rural areas of Kenya. The case was based in Mumias sugar company cane growing areas. A sample of 742 respondents comprising of 680 Farmers and 62 employees was sampled and administered the questionnaires. The questionnaire were dropped and picked later to employees group while to the farmers the questionnaire was personally administered. A total of 509 respondents were received and data analyzed. Management has to support the improvement of the system. In additional training and user involvement has to be utilized to realize the full success of AMS in providing extension services to farmers. The research also ascertained Information quality, system quality and service quality are the key independent variables used to measure the success of AMS, and the intervening variables are management support, training and user involvement.