Browsing by Author "Gichangi, A.W."
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Item Accelerate Scaling up Forage Intensification Using Novel Digital Extension Approach in Kenya(UKnowedge, 2021) Njarui, D.M.G.; Gatheru, M.; Ndubi, J.M.; Murage, A.W.; Gichangi, A.W.; Gichangi, E.M.; Nogothu, U.S.; Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) ; The Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy ResearchWide scale adoption of diverse forages improves livestock productivity and farmers welfare. However, limited access to information and knowledge on forage production results in slow adoption in Kenya. There is need to enhance information and knowledge exchange among farming communities for efficient and effective adoption and decision-making. An inter-institutional pilot project was initiated in 2017 to scale-up forages in Kenya using a novel extension approach - the village knowledge centre (VKC). A VKC is an information and communication technology (ICT) digital platform-based linking farmers through smart phones and social media as a conduit for faster and effective information and knowledge. This paper shares the experiences of VKC intervention to scale up Urochloa grass technology among smallholder farmers for livestock productivity. Through the VKC support there has been increased access of information and knowledge on Urochloa grass management, conservation and livestock feeding. Approximately 702 farmers out of which 28% were women visited the VKC to seek information on Urochloa grass from May 2018 to May 2020. It has trained 22 lead farmers on the establishment and management of Urochloa grass. The VKC has created two WhatsApp groups for networking among farmers with over 330 members. Between September 2018 and May 2020, the groups shared 2550 messages on Urochloa management, conservation, and livestock feeding with other farmers in their communities. Additionally, the VKC has improved availability of Urochloa grass seeds to farmers. Over 530 farmers received the seeds through the VKC, while 500 made request though mobile phone Short Message Services (SMS) and were supplied using courier services. It was evident that VKC intervention has not only improved the adoption rate, but also led to increased forage productivity and higher income for farmers. There is a need to continue using tools such as the VKC in the dissemination of information on Urochloa grass and explore suitable funding for sustainability of the centre after the end of the project.Item Analysis of Structure Conduct and Performance of Sweet Potato Marketing the Case of Nairobi And Kisumu Kenya(Egerton University, 2010) Gichangi, A.W.Sweet potato can potentially contribute significantly to Kenya's national objective of enhancing food security. The crop withstands drought and it is easy to grow. It can also play an important role in the diets of many rural households. Despite this importance, sweet potato is not adequately market-oriented and the competitiveness of smallholder farmers is limited by low productivity and poor quality of traditional varieties. The crop is the source of raw materials for agricultural industries. The organizational structure of Kenya's sweet potato industry and its performance are poorly documented. The study aimed at assessing the structure, conduct, and performance of the sweet potato marketing system in Nairobi and Kisumu, identifying and characterizing the opportunities and constraints on market participants that influence its performance .. Data used for analysis in this work was collected using a formal survey instrument during 2009. The survey instrument was specially designed to track the alternative channels used in sweet potato transactions and to capture the associated prices, volumes, and transaction costs in the source and final markets along the value chain.Item Economic Analysis of Post-Harvest Losses in Sweet potato marketing in Rachuonyo District - Kenya(2013) Gichangi, A.W.; Wamuyu, J.G.; Macharia, N.; Ndungu, J.; Karanja, L.; Malinga, J.; Lelgut, D.K.The major problems in agrarian economy include post-harvest losses during handling, transportation, storage and distribution. Many studies have attempted to estimate the post harvest losses at various stages of marketing of agricultural produce, most of the studies have not separated the loss component during handling at different stages of marketing. Such losses are often included as a separate item in the marketing margins, costs and price-spread. Multistage random sampling technique was used for the selection of study area and the sampling units. Rachuonyo district was positively selected for the study, as it is the major sweetpotato growing district for var. Nyathiodiewo. In the second stage, the Kisumu rural district was selected for losses estimation at farm level. Consumers in the major cities of Kenya positively selected the variety for this study for being the most preferred variety. The data were obtained from the survey of sample producers of sweetpotato and various market intermediaries through personal interview with the help of pre-tested and structured schedules. The data collected from the farmer respondents included general information about the cultivation of sweetpotato, methods of harvesting, cleaning and sorting, collection point, mode of packaging, storage system, mode of transportation and losses during post-harvest operations. A separate schedule was developed and used for eliciting information from market intermediaries who deal in sweetpotato roots. This included information on quantity purchased, mode of transport, storage, and purchase and quantity marketed. Results indicated that about 65-75 % of sweetpotato was marketed through wholesale channel and farmer group channel. The post-harvest losses were as high as 30 % in the wholesale channel; comprising 6 % at the field and assembly level, 7 % at the wholesale level and 17 % at the retail level. The losses in farmer group channel were higher in the first stage of handling. Rejection of substandard produce by the traders and consumers were the major reasons for most of the losses accrued by the farmer. The total marketing cost for all stages was higher in the wholesale charmel, which amounted to 4.2% compared to 0.57% in the farmer group channel.Marketing Cost has been identified major constraint in the wholesale channel and bringing down the costs particularly the commission charges as demonstrated in the farmer group channel,will help in reducing the prices spread and increasing the producers margin.It is appropriate to account for the marketing losses separately for precise estimation of margins and efficiencyItem Forage Diversity and Fertilizer Adoption in Napier Grass Production Among Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Kenya(Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics, 2021) Njarui, D.M.G.; Gatheru, M.; Ndubi, J.M.; Gichangi, A.W.; Murage, A.W.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationFeed scarcity is one of the major challenges affecting smallholder dairy production in Kenya. Forages are the foundation of livestock nutritional requirements; forage diversification and fertiliser are intensification options that can increase productivity. A sample of 316 and 313 smallholder farmers were surveyed in eastern midlands and central highlands of Kenya, respectively, to establish the types of forages cultivated and the factors that influence fertiliser adoption in Napier grass (Cenchrus purpureus Schumach.) production. Independent t-tests were applied to compare the effect of continuous variables on social economic and institutional characteristics between adopters and non-adopters on fertiliser and area allocated to different forages. Chi-square tests were used to compare nominal variables for the proportion of farmers growing different forages, criteria they consider in selection of suitable forages, and social economic and institutional characteristics of adopters and non-adopters of fertiliser. Binary logistic regression was used to determine factors that influence fertiliser adoption. The study revealed that forage diversification was low with Napier grass being the only forage cultivated by most farmers (~ 90%). Urochloa (Urochloa spp), Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana Kunth.) and Guinea grass (Megathyrsus maximus Jaq.) were cultivated by less than 11% of farmers. The fertiliser adoption rate was high (77%) and was influenced by gender of household head, membership of groups, access to extension services and labour. Future research should focus on promoting of forage diversification and investigate quantity and fertiliser application regimes in order to enable development of appropriate advisory services.Item Status and Factors Influencing Access to Extension and Advisory Services on Forage Production in Kenya(Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 2021-04-26) Gatheru, M.; Njarui, D.M.G.; Gichangi, E.; Ndubi, J.M.; Murage, A.W.; Gichangi, A.W.; Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research OrganizationThis study assessed the status and factors influencing access of extension and advisory services (EAS) for forage production among smallholder dairy farmers in Kenya. Using a multistage stratified random sampling, data were collected from 316 and 313 farmers in Kangundo sub-County and Kirinyaga Counties of Kenya, respectively. The intensity of dairy farming formed the basis of selection of the study areas. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression model. Results indicated that, overall the proportion of farmers who accessed EAS on forage production in Kirinyaga (26.4%) was double that of Kangundo (13.6%). Government was the main provider of EAS on forage production and accounted for between 73 to 90% of services in Kangundo and 54 to 81% in Kirinyaga. The main channels for accessing EAS in both sites were trainings (29 - 31%) and field days (22 - 30%). Overall, majority of farmers (71 - 73%) were satisfied with the information and services they received on forage production. The empirical estimates of logistic regression revealed that the probability of access to EAS increased with access to credit, membership to farmer groups and importance of livestock on household’s food security. We recommend that the governments use innovative extension approaches and strengthen formation of farmer groups/organizations in order to improve access of EAS by smallholder dairy farmers for enhanced forage production.
