Access And Use Of Dairy Agricultural Information By Small-Scale Young Farmers In Murang’a County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Access to agricultural information influences the farming practices adopted by farmers. Information centres are charged with the responsibility of ensuring that there are adequate, relevant and up-to-date information resources for all. Dairy farmers need frequent access to information on nutrition, breed, health status, environment, and among others to cope with modern dairy farming practices. Inefficient access and dissemination of dairy agricultural information can negatively affect the production level of dairy products. This study sought to investigate access and use of dairy agricultural information by small-scale young farmers in Murang’a County, Kenya. The area has experienced low dairy agricultural productions despite its high potential in dairy farming. The study aimed at understanding how farmers get information on dairy farming for improvement in dairy farming production. The study’s specific objectives were; to assess the information needs and seeking behavior of young farmers venturing in dairy farming; to find out the various information sources used in accessing dairy agricultural information by young dairy farmers; to find out the technologies employed by young dairy farmers in accessing dairy agricultural information and finally investigate the challenges encountered by small-scale dairy farmers in access and use of dairy agricultural information. The study used descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 152 respondents were selected from a target population of 250 young dairy farmers and 12 extension officers who are located in Kangema, Kiharu, Kigumo and Mathioya constituencies in Murang’a County. Simple random and purposive samplings were used to select 152 small scale dairy farmers and 12 extension officers. Questionnaires, interview guides and observation schedules were used as instruments of data collection. A pilot study was conducted in Maragwa constituency to enhance the reliability and validity of the instruments. Data was analyzed by use of quantitative and qualitative methods. Description and thematic analysis was used for qualitative data analysis while descriptive and inferential numeric analysis was used for quantitative data. Frequency tables, bar graphs, percentages and pie charts were used to present analyzed data. The study established that all the young dairy farmers required dairy agricultural information however; factors such as lack of exposure, lack of confidence, illiteracy, lack of funds and technical difficulties in information access negatively affected their information seeking behavior. The key source of dairy agricultural information used by majority of the farmers was radio, others being other dairy farmers and television. Majority of the farmers never used technologies such as computers, CD/DVD and social media to access dairy agricultural information. Three quarters preferred using other sources over technology. Among the most common challenges faced by farmers were inadequate funds, inadequate extension services, lack of information services, lack of support by the government and poor infrastructure in rural areas. The study concluded that there are gaps in access and use of dairy agricultural information. The researcher therefore recommended that the government should; recruit more extension officers within Murang’a County to ensure improved extension services, set up agricultural resource centers with qualified information providers to assess, select and acquire useful agricultural resources, improve infrastructure and set up cyber cafes within the sub counties and also educate dairy farmers on the use of technologies in accessing agricultural information.