Food Supply

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Browsing Food Supply by Funder "NRF"

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Publication
    Publication
    Challenges faced by small land holder farmer regarding decision making in innovative agricultural development: an empirical analysis from kenya
    (Premier Publishers, 2014-09-09) Kavoi, Justus M.; Mwangi, John G.; Kamau, Geoffrey M.
    Declining agricultural productivity among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa remains a major bottleneck to the continent’s agricultural sector development. In Kenya’s semi-arid lower Eastern region, efforts have been made through public-private partnership (PPP) initiatives to address food insecurity in particular. Inadequate understanding and poor documentation of factors related to challenges facing smallholder farmers in decision-making to improve farm productivity and food security exists. A study was carried out to determine the factors related to decision-making among smallholder farmers to increase farm productivity for improved food security. It involved 34 Key Informants (KI) and five Focus Group Discussions. Data were collected using a check-list, a semi-structured questionnaire and a self-administered questionnaire and analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results showed that: farmers faced challenges in deciding how to improve their farm productivity. About 76% of KI respondents observed that some of the promoted technologies did not address farmer’s immediate needs; 65% argued that technologies were promoted without considering prevailing farmers’ circumstances. The study concluded that farmers needed accurate information to make informed farming decisions; their immediate needs required technologies with diversified utilization options; analysis of farmers’ operating circumstances was crucial. Consequently, development partners should: provide adequate information on available technologies and innovations; exploit the existing PPP meetings to promote technologies and innovations with wide utilization options; put strategies in place to analyse farmers’ circumstances and promote improved technologies and innovations to increase farm productivity for improved food security.
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    Publication
    Factors Related to the Low Uptake of Technologies and Innovations in Semi-Arid Areas of Lower Eastern Kenya
    (Leena and Luna International, 2014-05-14) Kavoi, Justus; Mwangi, John; Kamau, Geoffrey
    The semi-arid areas of lower Eastern Kenya are characterised by poor infrastructure, low, erratic and poorly distributed rainfall. Although joint poverty-reduction initiatives have been carried out in the region, low adoption of improved technologies and innovations still inhibits farmers' ability to improve their farm productivity and household income. A study involving 165 respondents, for instance, was carried out to establish the factors related to low uptake of improved technologies and innovations. Data were collected through a survey using a semi-structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS versions 17.0. Results showed that poverty-reduction joint initiatives had the potential to improve farm productivity but were being negatively affected by relatively weak linkages; breach of contracts (Weak linkages were significantly higher than strong linkages ((χ 2 = 76.07, df = 2, p = 0.001; breach of contracts was significantly higher than distorted farm-gate and market prices (χ 2 = 59.49, df = 2, p = 0.001). The researchers concluded that joint poverty-reduction initiatives were likely to help smallholder farmers improve their farm productivity and that openness among stakeholders could greatly strengthen existing linkages. Stakeholders should use the prevailing support by stakeholders in planning and implementing joint poverty-reduction initiatives while embracing transparency and accountability to enhance the uptake of technologies and innovations.
  • Publication
    Publication
    Gender and group dynamics in subsistence agriculture: the case of kenya
    (Premier Publishers, 2016-05-26) Kavoi, Justus M.; Kamau, Geoffery M.; Mwangi, John G.
    Sustainable food security and household income remains a major challenge among smallholder farmers in Kenya’s semi-arid counties of Kitui, Machakos and Makueni. In this region, women do most farming through self-help groups which may be women or men led. Factors related to gender and group dynamics in subsistence farming are less understood and poorly documented. This study therefore sought to analyse and document the information on such factors. Using systematic random sampling procedure, data were collected from 165farmersfrom Kitui, Machakos and Makueni Counties. Study findings showed that99% of both male and female respondents belonged to farmer self-help groups and that group management was either female dominated (62%) male dominant (20%) or equal representation (18%). In male dominated committees, conflict of interests leads to poor group, while there was less conflict in women led groups. Results also showed that 37% of the respondents depended on family labour to do farmingand that female farmers faced gender-specific constraints in farming which hindered them from improving farm productivity. The researchers concluded that networking enabled female farmers to pool financial resources to address household needs. Existing collective action among female farmers could be enhanced stakeholders ingroup management and leadership skills. Finally, effective strategies should be developed to address gender-specific constraints facing female farmers
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    Publication
    Influence of multi-stakeholder linkages and practices on the adoption of technologies and innovations in lower Eastern Kenya
    (IDEAS, 2018-03) Kavoi, J. M.; Mutinda, M. N.
    The study is an assessment of how the factors related to multi-stakeholder linkages and practices (MSLIAD) influence the adoption of Gadam sorghum technologies and practices by farmers in six sub-counties in lower eastern Kenya where past public-private-partnership development initiatives have been implemented. The factors studied included: (i) farmers’ attitude towards MSLIAD, (ii) prevailing policies, (iii) coordination of stakeholders in production and provision of services, (iv) competition among the stakeholders, (v) information sharing among the stakeholders, and (vi) collective action in access to markets. Stratified random sampling was used to select 165 household heads who were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Significant (p <.05) negative influences were found to exist between the MSLIAD factors and the adoption of technologies and practices by the farmers. Strong linkages between research, policy and practice were found necessary to enhance technology adoption. Further, existing linkages should be clearly defined for proper coordination of information sharing and feedback across all communication levels.
  • Publication
    Publication
    Strategies for Effective Multi-Stakeholder Linkages for Innovative Agricultural Development in Eastern Kenya *
    (David Publishing, 2013-05-13) Kavoi, Justus; Mwangi, John; Kamau, Geoffrey; Kavoi, Justus; Kavoi, M; Sc; Mbuthia, Geoffrey; Kamau
    Smallholder farmers in Eastern Kenya experience food insecurity due to climate change, scarce resources, poor infrastructure, and low rainfall that is poorly distributed. The less than optimal multi-stakeholder linkages for innovative agricultural development (MSLIAD) initiatives inhibit farmers' adoption of technologies and innovations. This study sought to establish the factors influencing the performance of MSLIAD. The results indicated that the stakeholders experienced challenges in translating desire into action, coordination, consensus building and avoiding duplication of efforts and wastage of resources, but could use research, agricultural innovation systems (AIS), and public-private-partnership (PPP)-based linkages to improve the situation. The researchers concluded that the stakeholders supported MSLIAD initiatives and could use strong and sustainable linkages to address community challenges; that giving farmers inappropriate messages wasted resources; that identifying stakeholders and their roles enhanced sustainable MSLIAD initiatives; that PPPs reduced transaction costs for forming and sustaining relationships; that farmers' characteristics and circumstances influenced adoption; and that AIS enhanced economic development. Consequently, extension providers should strengthen and use MSLIAD initiatives to address community challenges; should coordinate visits to farmers; should know stakeholders and their roles as well as farmers' characteristics and circumstances; and should encourage the use of AIS and formation of PPP-based linkages. Keywords: food security, household income, innovative agricultural development, public-private-partnership (PPP), challenges Resource-poor smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa and particularly those in the semi-arid areas of lower Eastern Kenya face challenges of food insecurity due to their inability to access adequate and affordable food (Maeda, Pellikka, Clark, & Siljander, 2011; Ouma et al., 2011). Some of the challenges are caused by low, * The authors are grateful to Kenya National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovations for sponsoring the study and Egerton University for administering the funds and allowing the authors to use its facilities. They also appreciate the cooperation and support of their families and the valuable contributions of the persons contacted during data collection. research fields: extension management, soft skills, staff job satisfaction, motivation and morale, farmer field schools and farmer-to-farmers extension, management of Jua-Kali (small and medium) enterprises, youth empowerment and sources of livelihoods, public-private-partnerships.