Presentation delivered at the CIALCA international conference 'Challenges and Opportunities to the agricultural intensification of the humid highland systems of sub-Saharan Africa'. Kigali, Rwanda, October 24-27 2011.
Kimaru-Muchai - Communication Channels used in dissemination of soil fertility management practices in the Central Highlands of Kenya
1. Communication Channels used in dissemination of soil fertility management practices in the Central Highlands of Kenya Kimaru-Muchai S.W 1 ., Mucheru-Muna M 2 ., Mugwe J.M 3 ., .Mugendi D.N 2 and Mairura F.S 4 1Department of Environment studies in Community Development, Kenyatta University P.O Box 43844 Nairobi, 2Department of Environmental Science, Kenyatta University P.O Box 43844 Nairobi 3Department of Agricultural Resource Management, Kenyatta University P.O Box 43844 Nairobi 4Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility, P.O box 30677, Nairobi, Kenya
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7. Information sources utilized by farmers to access ISFM information in Mbeere South and Maara Sources of information Animal manure Green manure Inorganic fertilizers combined organic and inorganic fertilizers Erosion control measures Compost Government extension officer 50 (22.7) 20 (37.7) 65 (28.4) 78 (36.4) 43 (19.9) 9 (12.3) NGO extension officer 2 (0.9) 0 (0) 3 (1.3) 17 (7.9) 10 (4.6) 3 (4.1) Researchers 4 (1.8) 13 (24.5) 6 (2.6) 10 (4.7) 2 (0.9) 2 (2.7) Agro input dealers 1 (0.5) 1 (1.9) 23 (10) 5 (2.3) 2 (0.9) 1 (1.4) Radio 2 (0.9) 3 (5.7) 4 (1.7) 3 (1.4) 3 (1.4) 0 (0) Exhibitions 1 (0.5) 0 (0) 3 (1.3) 4 (1.9) 0 (0) 0 (0) Other farmers 61 (27.7) 4 (7.5) 99 (43.2) 68 (31.8) 106 (49.1) 28 (38.4) Own experience 99 (45) 12 (22.6) 26 (11.4) 29 (13.6) 50 (23.1) 30 (41.1) Total 220 (100) 53 (100) 229 (100) 214 (100) 216 (100) 73 (100)
9. Approaches Preferred by farmers in communication of ISFM practices in Maara and Mbeere South districts N=240
10. Communication methods preferred for the different ISFM practices by farmers in Maara and Mbeere South N=240 Communication methods used in teaching farmers Animal manure Green man Inorganic fert. Erosion cntrl Compost Man + InFert Mean Demonstration 3.1 2.9 3.2 2.9 3.0 3.4 3.1 Farmer to farmer extension 2.9 3.0 2.9 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.0 Workshops 2.3 2.2 2.5 2.5 1.9 2.5 2.3 Farmer field school 1.8 1.7 2.2 2.6 3.5 1.9 2.2 Field days 2.1 2.0 2.5 2.3 2.1 2.2 2.2 Teaching aids 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.1 2.1 Exchange visits 2.0 1.9 2.1 2.2 1.9 2.0 2.0
12. Accessible information source on ISFM by the extension agents in Central Kenya N=105 Source of information Animal manure Compost Green manure Inorganic Fertilizer Combined organic and inorganic Fertilizer SEM Mean Research institution 2.5 2.6 2.5 2.8 2.7 2.7 2.6 Books 2.4 2.5 2.5 2.7 2.6 2.8 2.6 Workshops 2.4 2.5 2.3 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.5 Radio/TV 2.1 2.1 2.1 2.3 2.1 2.1 2.1 Newsletters/brochure 2.1 2.1 2.0 2.2 2.2 2.2 2.1 Agro input dealers 1.9 1.9 1.8 2.8 2.4 1.9 2.1 NGO 1.9 2 1.9 1.9 2 2.1 2 Internet 1.6 1.6 1.6 1.7 1.6 1.7 1.6 Scientific conferences 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4 1.4
13. Factors influencing reliability of government extension agents as a source of ISFM information * Correlation is significant at the 0.05 level (2-tailed)**Correlation is significant at the 0.01level (2-tailed) Socio-economic characteristics Reliability of government extension agents as a source of SFM information Green manure Inorganic fertilizers inorganics + organics Erosion control Animal manure Gender(1=Male, 2=female) -0.030 -0.190** -0.164** -0.120* -0.185** Age 0.018 0.024 0.067 -0.016 0.074 Educational level 0.017 0.027 0.062 0.051 0.023 Years of farming experience -0.075 -0.056 -0.014 -0.005 0.006 Non formal trainings 0.062 0.218** 0.190** 0.080 0.205** Number of the groups -0.054 0.049 0.127* 0.047 0.145** Total farm size -0.063 -0.106* -0.069 -0.012 -0.034 Number of times visited by agricultural officers 0.139* 0.242** 0.240** 0.091 0.286**
14. Social economic factors likely to influence the preference of field days in training of animal manure Independent Variable B Sig. Exp(B) Gender -0.965 0.006 0.381 Education level -0.488 0.032 0.614 Non formal training 0.678 0.004 1.970 Attitude extension workers -0.438 0.107 0.646 Membership of group 0.700 0.042 2.014 Farm size 1.035 0.001 2.815 No: times visited by an Agricultural officer 1.427 0.001 4.165 Constant -2.709 0.041 0.067
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Editor's Notes
Comparison of availability and reliability of information sources on SFM practices as scored by farmers in Maara and Mbeere South districts in Central Kenya