Abstract In Kenya, rice is an important staple crop after wheat and maize and the rate of consumption surpasses its production. Apart from consumption, rice is a cash crop for smallholder farmers including those in Kirinyaga County. Despite its usefulness in contributing to food security, rice production has remained low due to various constraints. Among these are plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) that account for up to 20% of yield losses. Other than the deleterious effect of PPN, rice agroec...
Abstract Wild boar (Sus scrofa) is a wild Suidae native in Europe, North West Africa and Asia. The population of wild boar has drastically increased during the last threedecades in Southern and Central Sweden. This increase in population density has caused severe damages to agricultural fields thus affecting the agricultural economy.There has been a significant loss of wheat, worth over 60 - 70 million Euros between1990 - 2016 due to crop damage by wild boar. This study sought to investigate...
Abstract Somalia is one of the most drought prone countries in Africa. Drought is the country’s costliest natural disaster. The impact of drought events on the economy, on people`s livelihoods and on lives has grown. Drought events usually develop gradually unnoticed, causing tremendous effects on both agriculture and environment. This study evaluated the spatio-temporal variations of drought occurrences in Somalia and its implication on forest cover. In this study, precipitation and tempe...
Abstract Banana is one of the most important fruits in Kenya as it contributes to about 32% of the foreign income of the total exported fruits. Despite this contribution, banana farming is facing numerous challenges such as lack of clean planting material, pest and diseases and poor agronomic and crop husbandry practices leading to low productivity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate technology adoption along banana value chain and its effects on productivity among smallholder farmers...
Abstract Rice farming has received considerable attention in developing countries and particularly in Kenya due to its impact on smallholders’ income and food security. Irrigated rice is the largest consumer of water and its sustainability is threatened by water shortage. This has necessitated the development of alternative irrigation water systems that use less water with high yields such as the System of Rice Intensification (SRI). This study sought to evaluate the effects of (SRI) on fa...
Abstract At the global level, land degradation is on the increase thus threatening millions of livelihoods particularly in the drier ecosystems. More specifically, land degradation is a major concern in Kenya and more particularly in the drylands of Embu County. Soil fertility has been steadily declining, resulting in low agricultural output and endangering smallholder farmers who rely mostly on subsistence agriculture for a living. Selecting appropriate Regenerative Agriculture (RA) technol...
Abstract Access to market plays a vital role in poverty alleviation among smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Agricultural markets provide income generating opportunities for farmers in rural areas hence improving their livelihoods. Avocado fruit has a high demand in both local and export markets due to its nutritional value and industrial use. However, smallholder avocado farmers have not benefited from this increased demand. The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of tran...
Abstract The melon fly, Zeugodacus cucurbitae (Coquillett), is a serious pest of cucurbits, tree fruits and related crops in most continents of the world, including Africa. To manage the pest, most farmers in sub-Saharan Africa rely on synthetic chemicals which have detrimental effects to the environment and the habitat. Excessive use of chemicals may also lead to development of pest resistance and Z. cucurbitae has reportedly shown the most increased resistance to the used insecticides. For...
Abstract Sugarcane crop (Saccharum officinarum) is one of the important industrial crops that are major employers and contributor to the Kenyan economy. Despite the importance attached to this subsector, sugarcane production is dismally performing in Kenya. In a bid to attain self-sufficiency in sugar production, Kenya has made remarkable efforts to develop the subsector. Despite efforts put up by the Government of Kenya and other stakeholders, sugarcane production still faces low productivi...
Abstract The horticultural sub-sector in Kenya contributes immensely to the country’s development agenda. Particularly, vegetables are crucial in poverty alleviation with tomato production ranking among the most vibrant enterprises. The crop creates employment and is a source of income for smallholders in rural areas. Despite its potential, tomato production faces major challenges including unreliable markets, low adoption of modern production systems and production inefficiencies. This ha...
Abstract Afroalpine plants develop under specific climate with great daily fluctuations and weak seasonal dynamics of temperature. Do leaf functional traits of the plants in Mt. Kenya differ from those of temperate plants in NW Caucasus? To answer this question, we conducted a comparative study at the Teleki valley (4000–4500 m a.s.l.), Mt. Kenya, Kenya, and Teberda national park (2600–2900 m a.s.l.), the Caucasus, Russia. We measured leaf area, fresh and dry mass, C, N, P, δ 13 C, δ 1...
Abstract In the early 1990’s, the Kenyan government implemented refor ms in the agricultural sector that affected the volatility of agricultural product prices. However, there is lack of empirical evidence on the effects of these reforms on the level and volatility of Irish potato prices. This study evaluates the effects of market reform policies involving the decontrol of input and output prices on the evolution and volatility of Irish potato prices in Nyandarua district. The purpose of t...
Abstract Brucella spp. and Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) are classified as priority zoonotic agents in Kenya, based on their public health and socioeconomic impact on the country. Data on the pathogen-specific and co-exposure levels is scarce due to limited active surveillance. This study investigated seroprevalence and co-exposure of Brucella spp. and RVFV and associated risk factors among slaughterhouse workers in Isiolo County, northern Kenya. A crosssectional serosurvey was done in all ...
Abstract corporate reputation and the performance of hotels in Kenya. The study design used was crosssectional descriptive utilizing the mixed approach. The target that served as the study population, was General Managers of all the 4-star hotels in Kenya. Primary data was collected by the use of a selfadministered semi-structured questionnaire and secondary data from hotel records, journals, and government publications. Data analysis involved qualitative and quantitative techniques, analyse...
Abstract Mangrove forests provide harvestable wood and non-wood resources to human society globally. The current study evaluated value chain of mangrove wood products from Lamu, Kenya, and how these impacts on resources’ sustainability. Results show that, exploitation of mangrove wood products in Kenya involves several actors, including national regulator, licensees, cutters, transporters, stockists and the consumers. Based on the differences between allowable and harvest data, Lamu mangro...