Smallholder commercialization becomes a necessary driver for poverty alleviation and food security in agriculturally driven economies in Sub-Saharan Africa considering rising population growth with increased competition for access to resources. However, commercializing smallholder farming in agriculturally driven economies vary in scales, institutional arrangements and labour regimes as well as socio-economic, environmental and political influence with varying policy initiatives towards incor...
Fall armyworm (FAW), still remains an important pest of many agricultural crops including corn. There is the need to use environmentally friendly to address this current menace. Field experiment was laid in randomized complete block design with three replications, using nine different fertilization regimes to evaluate the influence of enhanced efficiency fertilization on FAW infestations and agronomic performance of maize. Data were collected on FAW larval abundance, damage incidence and impa...
Artisanal small-scale mining activities are on the rise with several concerns. Whiles these are issues of concern, farmers in the mining communities are providing labour services to ASM for wages. This study investigated the determinants of farmers’ decision to provide labour services to ASM. It also assessed the welfare effects of providing labour services to ASM operations. Multi-stage sampling technique was employed to collect cross-sectional data from 200 farm households in two district...
Abstract Declining soil fertility poses a serious threat to food production and food security to most farming households. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) comprising the combination of organic and mineral fertilizer and other practices such as cereal-legume intercropping, diversified crop rotation and farmers’ knowledge has been promoted in various countries in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) including Kenya. This study aimed at evaluating adoption, productivity and return to investmen...
Abstract Illicit brew accounts for 60% of alcohol drunk in Kenya, with detrimental effects on health and food security. This study aimed to determine health consequences of illicit local brews on household food security was conducted in Bumula and Kanduyi Sub-Counties, Kenya. Correlational survey research design was used. The 726 respondents were sampled by stratified random sampling where household heads and key informants were purposefully sampled. Interviews, structured questionnaires, an...
Abstract Chronic stress poses a challenge to aquaculture, with cortisol and glucose traditionally used as stress markers. Recent doubts about the reliability of scale cortisol as a chronic stress determinant have surfaced due to its role in calcium homeostasis. While cortisol affects gene expression in stress responses, its impact on metabolic pathways in cultured Nile tilapia remains understudied. We explored the connection between cortisol signatures of chronic stress in Nile tilapia and t...
Abstract/Overview Background: Natural forest succession often affects soil physical and chemical properties. Selected physical and chemical soil properties were studied in an old-growth forest across a forest successional series in Dinghushan Nature Reserve, Southern China. Methodology/Principal Findings: The aim was to assess the effects of forest succession change on soil properties. Soil samples (0–20 cm depth) were collected from three forest types at different succession stages, na...
Abstract The effects of climate variability and change on communities are felt across the globe thus adaptation information is sought as a panacea. With the pervasive uncertainty on expected weather patterns amidst climate variability and change, sound decisions are fundamental. As a consequence, this study hypothesized that achieving increased climateinformed adaptation action requires the dissemination of climate change adaptation information. The relevant risk factors and policy domains s...
Abstract Tomato is produced and consumed worldwide. In Kenya, tomato is used to generate income among rural people. Despite this, the sub-sector faces numerous challenges such as fluctuating market prices, postharvest losses and inadequate marketing information. In spite of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) use in marketing of tomatoes among smallholder farmers in Kenya, there is scanty information on the information and communication technology usage in marketing of tomatoes am...
Abstract Cattle rustling has become a threat and a major crime in Nigeria recently. To minimize this, there is a need to ensure cattle safety and provide substantial security when rearing cattle both in ranches and open fields. This necessitates the need to deploy technology to attenuate cattle rustling. This study developed and tested an animal tracking device using the Internet of Things (IoT). The developed system consists of three units that were interfaced together. These units are the G...
ABSTRACT This study analyzed the effect of agricultural productivity on Nigeria’s economic growth during the 1991-2022 period. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the effect of agricultural productivity on Nigeria’s economic growth from 1991-2022; examine the contribution of agricultural sector to Nigeria’s economic growth; Investigate the relationship between agricultural productivity and overall economic growth in Nigeria from 1991-2022; make recommendations for pol...
Abstract Background: Peasant agroecosystems in Kenya are considered to be a continuum of integrated traditional farming systems and natural ecosystem conservancy programs. Hyphaene compressa (doum palm) exists in arid and semi-arid lands (ASAL) of Kenya. While research in these areas is focusing on new plants to be brought to the areas, there is no focus on doum palm, which is already adapted to these areas. Scanty ethnobotanical knowledge exists in the form of unpublished material. The stud...
Abstract/Overview Over 6% of agricultural land is affected by salinity. It is becoming obligatory to use saline soils, so growing salt-tolerant plants is a priority. To gain an understanding of the genetic basis of upland cotton tolerance to salinity at seedling stage, an intra-specific cross was developed from CCRI35, tolerant to salinity, as female with Nan Dan (NH), sensitive to salinity, as the male. A genetic map of 5178 SNP markers was developed from 277 F2:3 populations. The map sp...
Abstract Integrated soil fertility management and soil water conservation practices are possible solutions to persistent soil quality decline and low availability of soil moisture which are affecting agricultural productivity in the dry lands of Tharaka-Nithi County. Nonetheless, the rate of uptake of these technologies and practices by smallholder farmers has stagnated over the years despite recommendations for their use. Lack of effective communication between the extension agents and rese...
Abstract Degraded landscapes and soil water stress are long-standing problems to smallholder agriculture in the drylands. Despite the important roles of soil and water conservation in restoring degraded landscapes and improving agricultural productivity, the technologies are yet to be adopted to their fullest extent. This can be attributed to gender-linked disparities in agricultural technology utilization. This study, therefore, sought to evaluate gender-specific choice and use-intensity de...