Abstract Bacterial wilt disease caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is one of the major diseases affecting solanum species, including cultivated African nightshade (Solanum nigrum L). The bacterial wilt (BW) management in the african nightshade vegetable presents a great challenge to production due to high survival rate of the pathogen in soil. Use of chemical application to control the disease is not eco-friendly. There is increasing demand for the crop as a vegetable and medicinal plant. Farm...
Abstract/Overview Technology and Innovation Support Centers (TISCs) were established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2009 to support innovations in least developed countries. They facilitate innovators to access high quality innovations and technological information. They have been very successful in the United Kingdom and Germany. TISC implementation in Kenya has been evaluated in this work and challenges experienced determined with suggested mitigations. An eva...
Abstract Background and Objective: Spontaneous temporal and spatial interspecific hybridization between crops and their weedy progenitors may have potential environmental risks and implications in the adoption of genetically modified crops. This study determined the pattern of gene flow from S. bicolor to S. halepense, S. sudanense and S. bicolor ssp. verticilliflorum in open-pollinated field plots. Materials and Methods: Concentric field designs were planted to evaluate the pattern of gene ...
Abstract Access to finance is critical to growth as well as development of small and micro enterprises (SMEs) .Most of the SMEs rely on commercial banks for financing of their enterprises. At times collateral requirement could deter some entrepreneurs from acquiring finances which could interrupt business growth as well as development. This study sought to investigate the effect of collateral requirement on financial performance of agribusiness small and micro enterprises in Nyeri Central Su...
Abstract/Overview Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a starchy, tuberous root with worldwide consumption. Production of sweet potatoes in Kenya is low due to disease constraints, such as fungal sweet potato leaf spot (SPLS), which is not well studied in the region. The infection results in reduced photosynthetic leaf area through premature defoliation and senescence. Effective management of SPLS presents an opportunity for increased production, improved food security and enhanced income...
Abstract/Overview This study examines the factors that influence the adoption of new improved wheat varieties (NIWV) by wheat farmers in Nakuru and Narok counties in Kenya. Cross-sectional data from 344 randomly selected wheat farmers from the Njoro and Rongai sub-Counties in Nakuru County; and Narok South and Narok North sub-counties in Narok County, Kenya were investigated. Probit model was run to estimate the factors influencing the adoption rate of improved new wheat varieties. Result...
Abstract/Overview In view of the emerging challenges of climate change and population growth, the need to ensure consumer health safety among other factors is paramount; this practice has not been standardised, and the health risks and impacts on the environment arising from the practice are not known. While the global consumption of chicken products especially chicken meat drastically increased over the years and the trend is expected to continue. Much of the increase in demand is in the...
Abstract/Overview Edible insects are available for use in insect-based-feed; however there is limited information on carcass characteristics and sensory tests of chicken fed on German cockroaches (Blattela germanica). This study assessed the effects of replacing fishmeal (FM) with varying levels of processed B. germanica meal (BGM). Seventy-two grower chicken of eight weeks old, comprising an equal number of males and females, were used as sampling units in a completely randomized design ...
Abstract/Overview Feeding accounts for 65-70% cost of production in a chicken enterprise. Fishmeal has primarily been used as a source of protein in chicken feed owing to its excellent nutritional value. However, due to its unstable supply and variation in quality, recent studies have focused on finding alternative protein feedstuff, such as edible insects. A study was carried out to evaluate the effects of substituting fishmeal (FM) with Blattela germanica meal (BGM) on the growth of chi...
Abstract/Overview Black ant, Carebara vidua (Smith) is an edible insect of critical value in nutrition. The population abundance of black ants has reduced drastically and they have become scarce in all the agro ecological zones in Western Kenya. Understanding factors influencing the distribution and abundance of C. vidua remains a challenge as C. vidua is an endangered species in many parts of Country Kenya. The decline in the insect population is worrying since black ants are an importan...
Abstract Tea plays an important role in Kenya as it contributes about 26% of foreign exchange earnings and supports approximately five million people. Since independence, the Tea Industry has experienced rapid growth in acreage under tea production and in both export volumes and incomes. The smallholder tea sub-sector accounts for about 60% of the Kenyan tea production. Despite this state, the cost of production has also been on the increase. However, even as the percentage return to the far...
Abstract A review of empirical literature demonstrates the link between learning organization and firm performance. However, mediating role of learning organization in the relationship between knowledge management and firm performance has not been established using large manufacturing firms. This study was motivated by the desire to fill this gap in knowledge. The study examined mediating role of learning organization in the relationship between knowledge management and non-financial measure...
Abstract Kenyan tea though acclaimed globally as a high quality product available all year round continues to face growing competition both regionally and globally. This has resulted to a decline in its market share in the global market. The main objective of the study was to examine the influence of strategic market development practices on competiveness of Kenyan Tea in the global market. The study used cross-sectional survey design to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from th...
Abstract Despite the increasing consumer demand for indigenous eggs, particularly among the urban rich in Kenya, empirical analysis of spatial market integration has received limited attention. This study is an attempt to analyze the existence of market integration and price transmission among four selected indigenous egg markets. The study uses secondary data obtained on prices of eggs on a weekly basis during the year 2014. Analysis of Cointegration and Granger causality was attained using...
Abstract Investment on agriculture by countries is essential because it is core to every nation’s development. In Kenya, people particularly youth are involved in agriculture yet it attracts limited investment. This study which was aimed at highlighting age, gender participation and the role of literacy in small scale farming among the trained youth in Kiambu County, Kenya. This was mixed methods descriptive and cross sectional study that also employed triangulation to enhance confidence i...