ABSTRACT Smallholder pig production in Kenya is a popular livelihood strategy but is faced with serious challenges, key among them being high cost and poor quality of feeds and weak value chain governance which result in high enterprise costs. To minimise losses, smallholders use locally available alternative feed resources (AFR) which coud be impacting negatively on performance. This study investigated feeding decisions, bio-economic benefits of using alternative feed resources (AFR), benefi...
ABSTRACT Nyandarua County has enormous milk production potential and has a high amount of milk due to large population of dairy cows coupled with the huge milk market demand from within and without. Despite this potential, milk post-harvest losses have posed a major challenge to the dairy sector in the county. The objectives of the study were: to characterize the socio economic and milk handling attributes of milk producers, to estimate mean milk losses attributable to milk producers and tran...
ABSTRACT The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of some soil properties on dispersion and hydraulic conductivity of soils. Twenty soil samples collected from a depth of 0-20 cm were analyzed for their physical and chemical properties. The total clay fraction (clay) of the particle size distribution ranged from 80 to 380 g/kg with a mean of 203 g/kg and a coefficient of variation (CV %) of 47.5%. Total silt was between 20 and 400 g/kg with a mean of 129g/kg and a CV of 86...
ABSTRACT French bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is among the leading export vegetables in Kenya, intensively grown by small scale farmers. Despite the economic importance of the crop, many growers are still not able to achieve maximum yield and quality due to unfavourable weather and heavy infestation by insect pests as the crop is predominantly grown in open fields. Coloured net technology is an emerging technology, which introduces additional benefits on top of the various protective functions...
ABSTRACT Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill.] Breeders’ prefer genotypes with high grain yield along with high oil and protein content. Soybean in Kenya is important in the manufacture of feed, food and natural resource management. Availability of high yielding and stable varieties is among the constraints that limit adoption and production of soybean in Kenya. The objectives of the study were to determine the performance of fifteen soybean genotypes in five environments, the broad sense her...
ABSTRACT The food poverty rate stands at 42 percent in Bungoma County; Kimilili Sub-County included. The available animal-based protein sources are insufficient, unsustainable and expensive for the unemployed poor locals. Commercializing the edible insects’ particularly edible winged termite value chain has the potential of improving this situation. The termite value chain is transforming from subsistent to commercial. However, important information to support its commercialization is scant...
ABSTRACT This study assesses the contribution of Agricultural Marketing Co-operatives (AMCOS) in poverty reduction to cashew nut farmers. The study was conducted in the Mtwara region, in southern Tanzania. The two Divisions of Newala District namely Newala and Kitangari were purposefully selected followed by a random selection of seven wards. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect primary data from 200 farmers, and seven Agriculture Marketing Cooperative Societies. Secondary data ...
ABSTRACT The study aimed at identifying the best varieties among the four Robusta coffee varieties in terms of N, P and K nutrients use efficiency, absorption efficiency and translocation efficiency. First, a survey was conducted to determine the fertility status of the coffee-growing areas in eight villages namely Igomba, Kiilima, Katangalala, Mishozi, Katale, Bugabo, Bulinda and Bugaruka. Then, a screen house pot experiment was conducted in a Completely Randomized Design in a 3x4 factorial...
EXTENDED ABSTRACT Soil acidity is one of the most important soil factors affecting crop growth and ultimately yield and profitability of coffee in Mbozi District Tanzania. Soils tend to be naturally acidic in areas where rainfall is sufficient to cause substantial leaching of basic ions such as calcium and magnesium, which are replaced by hydrogen ions. Most soils in Mbozi District are acidic due to high rainfall and/or the use of soil acidifying fertilizers over a long period of time. Low s...
ABSTRACT Field surveys were conducted from December 2011 to January 2012 in Kagera, Mwanza and Mara regions to assess the current status of banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease. Twenty eighty banana samples with BXW disease symptoms were randomly collected from a total of 147 surveyed fields. Farmers’ knowledge of BXW disease was assessed using a checklist, discussions and direct field observations. Isolation of bacteria was done on Yeast Peptone Glucose Agar and identification was done b...
ABSTRACT Global economy, trade and foreign direct investment (FDI) has grown by approximately 20 times since 1980. Developing countries receive about a third of world FDI inflows. Tanzania has been receiving an average of US $ 489 million FDI inflows for the past 10 years. Sectoral distribution of Tanzanian FDI favors mining, trade and manufacturing sectors. However agriculture sector, which contributes about 26% of GDP in 2008 and employs 74% of the population, is among the sectors receivin...
ABSTRACT Farmer’ organisations are seen as key vehicles to achieve intensification and increased market orientation of the smallholder farm sector; however there are contradicting reports regarding the effectiveness of these farmer organisations to achieve these goals. In the study, the role of collective action on cocoa marketing among rural smallholder farmers in Kyela District was analyzed. Cross-sectional household data were used to analyze the effect of farmer group membership on inco...
ABSTRACT This study analyses the performance of small-scale-tobacco producers under contract farming system and farmer characteristics that influences tobacco production in Songea district. The Specific objectives were: (i) To examine the cost and return of tobacco small-scale farmers under contract farming scheme in the study area; (ii) To assess the influence of contract farming characteristics on tobacco production; (iii) To examine the resource use efficiency in contract farming; (iv) T...
ABSTRACT This study provides empirical evidence on economic impact of contract farming on the income of smallholder farmers of non traditional crops. Specifically it analyses the requirements for farmers’ participation, factors that determine income and effect of paprika contract farming on household income and identifies constraints and prospects of contract farming. A cross section research design was adopted and a purposeful sampling procedure was used to select villages and wards and ...
ABSTRACT Changes of conservation policy from fortress to community conservation aimed at balancing sustainable conservation and rural livelihoods. However, little is known as to how much Community Based Forest Management (CBFM) approach contributed to livelihoods enhancement. Similarly, impacts of wildlife conflicts as a result of successful conservation, and causes of poverty among local communities are poorly known. This study aimed at assessing poverty traps and wildlife conflicts in Mgor...