Phases of adoption of One Acre Fund agricultural innovation among smallholder maize farmers, Bungoma County, Kenya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.38140/ijms-2024.vol1.06Keywords:
Adoption, agricultural innovations, Bungoma County, One Acre fund, technological acquisitionAbstract
This study examines the adoption of One Acre Fund (OAF) agricultural innovations in Bungoma South Sub-County, Kenya, in response to declining maise production. Despite agricultural development programs aiding Kenya's economic growth, research shows low technological acquisition. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from 204 out of 9,924 OAF-registered farmers using descriptive research design. Inferential statistics were employed to analyse the different phases of adoption, with quantitative data presented in tables. The qualitative findings were analysed using thematic analysis and incorporated into the results of the inferential analysis as narratives. A situational analysis was performed to assess the status of various types of OAF agricultural innovation among smallholder farmers in the study area. Pairwise ranking was implemented to identify advanced acquisition strategies. The findings revealed that the socio-economic characteristics of farmers, such as age (p = 0.002), marital status (p = 0.000), level of education (p = 0.001), family size (p = 0.047), non-farm work (p = 0.327), and size of land (p = 0.110), significantly influenced the adoption of the OAF agricultural innovations. The study also indicated that the adoption phases were impacted by factors such as group memberships (p = 0.047), farm visits (p = 0.012), and training (p = 0.000). Based on the findings, the study recommends the implementation of awareness programs, crop insurance, the establishment of farm cooperatives, and the strengthening of farmers' knowledge systems to enhance OAF maise output and achieve food security.
References
Ahmed, M. H. (2015). Adoption of multiple agricultural technologies in maise production of the Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia. Studies in Agricultural Economics, 117(3), 162–168. https://doi.org/10.7896/issn.2063-0476
Ali, Z., Green, R., Zougmoré, R. B., Mkuhlani, S., Palazzo, A., Prentice, A. M. & Scheel beek, P. F. (2020). The long-term impact of West African food system responses to COVID-19. Nature Food, 1, 768-770. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43016-020-00191-8
Bungoma County Integrated Development Plan, (2018). Bungoma County Integrated Development Plan 2018-2022. The Republic of Kenya.
Chandio, A. A., & Jiang, Y. (2018). Factors influencing the adoption of improved wheat varieties by rural households in Sindh, Pakistan. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 3(3), 216–228.
Danso-Abbeam, G., Bosiako, J. A., Ehiakpor, D. S., & Mabe, F. N. (2017). Adoption of improved maise variety among farm households in the northern region of Ghana. Cogent Economics & Finance, 5(1), 1416896. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2017.1416896.
Diiro, G. M., Ker, A. P., & San, A. G. (2015). The role of gender in fertiliser adoption in Uganda. African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 10(2), 117-130. http://dx.doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.208922
Dokyi, E., Anang, B. T., & Owusu, V. (2021). Impacts of improved seed maise technology adoption on productivity and technical efficiency in northern Ghana. Open Economics, 4(1), 118-132. https://doi.org/10.1515/openec-2020-0102
Doolin, B., & Ali, E. A. H. (2008). Adoption of mobile technology in the supply chain: An exploratory cross-case analysis. International Journal of E-Business Research, 4(4), 1–15. http://doi.org/10.4018/jebr.2008100101
Epule, T. E., Chehbouni, A., & Dhiba, D. (2022). Recent patterns in maise yield and harvest area across Africa. Agronomy, 12(2), 374. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020374
Erenstein, O., Chamberlin, J., & Sonder, K. (2021). Estimating the global number and distribution of maise and wheat farms. Global Food Security, 30, 100558. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100558
FAO, (2015). The economic lives of smallholder farmers. An analysis from Kenya family farms. FAO Agricultural Development Economics Working Paper, 17-03.
FAO, (2021). World food and agriculture- statistical yearbook 2021. Rome.
Grote, U., Fasse, A., Nguyen, T. T., & Erenstein, O. (2021). Food security and the dynamics of wheat and maise value chains in Africa and Asia. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 4, 1–17. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2020.617009
Islam, S. M. F., & Karim, Z (2019). Worlds demand for food and water: The consequences of climate change. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85919
KARI (20). Strategic Plan for Cereals in Kenya (1993-20). Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Nairobi.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2019). Kenya population and housing survey report 2019. https://www.knbs.or.ke/?p=5732
Khaemba, P. F., & Muiruri, P. W. (2022). Potential socio-economic challenges facing small-scale sugarcane production in Bungoma County, Kenya. Research Journal in Advanced Social Sciences, 3(2), 50-66. https://doi.org/10.58256/rjass.v3i2.893.
Khaemba, P. F., Muiruri, P., & Kibutu, T. (2021). An Investigation of coping strategies adopted by small-scale sugarcane growers in Bungoma County, Kenya. East African Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 3(1), 89-102. https://doi.org/10.37284/eajis.3.1.310
Kralawi, S. Sunarru S. H. & Subejo, (2016). The Self Reliance of a member on Tea Smallholder farmer Groups in West Java province, Indonesia
Lamichhane, J., Sharma, T., Gairhe, S., & Adhikari, P, (2018). Factors affecting adoption of improved maise in western hills of Nepal. Applied Economics and Business Journal, 2(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-9552.1997.tb01126.x
Lowder, S.K., J. Skoet & S. Singh (2014). What do we know about the number of farms in the world? ESA Working Paper No. 14-02. Rome, Agricultural Development Economics Division. http://dx.doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.288983
Lunduka, R. W., Mateva, K. I., Magorokosho, C., & Manjeru, P. (2019). Impact of adoption of drought-tolerant maise varieties on total maise production in south Eastern Zimbabwe. Climate and development, 11(1), 35-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/17565529.2017.1372269
Muzari, W., Gatsi, W., & Muvhunzi, S. (2012). The impacts of technology adoption on smallholder agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa: A review. Journal of Sustainable Development, 5(8), 69-77. http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/jsd.v5n8p69
Odaba, P. S., & Otinga, H. (2021). Determinants of project performance, a case of One Acre Fund Projects in Kenya. The Strategic Journal of Business & Change Management, 8(1), 954-972.
Omilola, B., & Robele, S., (2017). The central position of agriculture within the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. IFPRI, Washington DC
Onono, P. A., Wawire, N. W., & Ombuki, C., (20). The response of maise production in Kenya to economic incentives. International Journal of Development and Sustainability, 2(2), 530-543. http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/28
Oster, E., & Thornton, R. (2009). Determinants of technology adoption: Private value and peer effects in menstrual cup take-up (No. w14828). National Bureau of Economic Research.
Republic of South Africa (ROSA) (20). Smallholder development working group meetings 2011/20. Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries.
Salami, A., Kamara, A. B., & Brixiova, Z. (2010). Smallholder agriculture in East Africa: Trends, constraints and opportunities (p. 52). Tunis, Tunisia: African Development Bank.
Shiferaw, B., Prasanna, B. M., Hellin, J., & Bänziger, M. (2011). Crops that feed the world 6. Past successes and future challenges to the role played by maise in global food security. Food security, 3, 307-327. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12571-011-0140-5
Sigigaba, M., Mdoda, L., & Mditshwa, A. (2021). Adoption drivers of improved Open-Pollinated (OPVs) maise varieties by smallholder farmers in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Sustainability, 13(24), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132413644
Wennink, B. & Heemskerk, W., (Eds) (2006). Farmer’s Organization and Agriculture innovation: Case studies from Benin, Rwanda Tanzania. Bulletin 374. KIT Publishers.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
Copyright (c) 2024 Protas Khaemba, Maxwell Sifuna
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
