The 2012 RUFORUM Biennial Conference is the third in the series. The main objective of the Biennial conferences is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholers in agriculture. It is especially dedicated to graduate students and their supervisors, grantees in RUFORUM member universities and alumni. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. The third Biennial Conference was attended by 657 participants. This record contains an extended abstract accepted under the theme of Enhancing Natural Resource Management.
Determinants of Adoption and Utilisation of Integrated Soil Fertility Management by Small Holders in Central Kenya
Abstract:
Per capita food production in Africa has been declining over
the last two decades, contrary to global trends due to soil fertility
decline. The study sought to determine factors that influence
adoption and utilization of integrated soil fertility management
(ISFM) technologies by smallholder farmers in central Kenya.
Two hundred and forty (240) farmers were randomly sampled
and data collected through face-to-face interviews. Data were
subjected to binary logistic regression to determine factors that
could explain adoption and utilization of the ISFM technologies.
Results showed that in regard to combined organic and inorganic
fertilizers utilisation, positive associations were detected with
occupation, farming experience, perception of soil degradation,
external assistance, off-farm income, perception of food and
cash security, tropical livestock units, and house-hold size. The
study concludes that there is need to examine the critical role
that socio-economic variables contribute in the farming system
during the development of ISFM.
La production alimentaire par habitant en Afrique a diminué au
cours de deux dernières décennies, contrairement aux tendances
mondiales, suite à la baisse de la fertilité du sol. L’étude visait à
déterminer les facteurs qui influencent l’adoption et l’utilisation
des technologies de gestion intégrée de la fertilité des sols
(GIFS) par les petits exploitants agricoles au Kenya central.
Deux cent quarante (240) agriculteurs ont été échantillonnés
au hasard et les données recueillies grâce aux interviews de
face-à-face. Les données ont été soumises à la régression
logistique binaire pour déterminer les facteurs qui pourraient
expliquer l’adoption et l’utilisation des technologies de GIFS.
Les résultats ont montré qu’en ce qui concerne l’utilisation combinée des engrais organiques et inorganiques, des
associations positives ont été décelées avec la profession,
l’expérience acquise dans l’agriculture, la perception de la
dégradation des sols, l’aide extérieure, le revenu hors-ferme, la
perception de la sécurité alimentaire et monétaire, les unités du
cheptel tropical, et la taille du ménage. L’étude conclut qu’il est
nécessaire d’examiner le rôle essentiel que les variables socioéconomiques
contribuent au système agraire lors de
l’aménagement de la GIFS.
Language:
English
Extended abstract under Enhancing Natural Resource Management
Date of publication:
2012
Country:
Region Focus:
East Africa
Collection:
RUFORUM Conferences and Workshops
Agris Subject Categories:
Agrovoc terms:
Additional keywords:
Licence conditions:
Open Access
Form:
Printed resource
Publisher:
Notes:
