Abstract/Overview Supply of agricultural produce is directly influenced by production and productivity. Therefore, factors that affect agricultural production also affect supply. This study analyses the determinants of pineapple market supply in Bureti Sub County, Kericho County, Kenya. Multi stage sampling was used to select 133 farmers for the study using structured interview schedules. This was supplemented by secondary data collected using content analysis from different published and...
Abstract/Overview Ecotourism is emerging as an alternative development path that can enhance environmental conservation, promote participation and collaboration of various stakeholders towards achieving sustainable livelihoods along the Lake Victoria beaches as fishing and fish by-products can no longer meet the current livelihood needs. The aim of this paper was to establish the way forward on how different stakeholders would participate and collaborate towards ecotourism product develop...
Abstract/Overview Increasingly, food security interventions in developing economies are adapting value chain approaches to facilitate the integration of smallholders into high margin value chains. In Kenya, the resurgence of African Indigenous Vegetables due to their medicinal value and rich micronutrients is a case in point. The vegetables are cultivated by smallholders, and the supply has not matched the demand in the high margin markets among urban consumers. Access to such high margin...
Abstract/Overview In Kenya, value addition in Irish potatoes provides farmers with substantial income. However, the adoption of value addition practices is still low among farmers. Currently, there is a dearth of information on the factors affecting the adoption of value addition practices among smallholder Irish potato farmers in Bomet County. Using single cross-sectional data from 200 randomly selected respondents, the study determined factors affecting the uptake of value addition prac...
Abstract/Overview Visual cues have been explored in the past for the management of pests of agronomic importance, including Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) and Spodoptera exigua (Hübner). They are used to monitor, attract and kill, or to suppress the nocturnal behaviour of the insects. The current commercial universal traps, using reflected sunlight, are not effective for nocturnal insects like Spodoptera and current light traps may use a suboptimal or unattractive wavelength since th...
Abstract/Overview Entomophagy describes the practice of eating insects by humans. Globally, there are over 3000 ethnic groups that consume insects. The main aim of this study was to determine the socio economic factors affecting entomophagy in Nambale Sub County, Kenya. The study assumed cross sectional survey design with a sample size of 171.The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi square tests, with the aid of Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 20. ...
Abstract/Overview Maize (Zea mays L.) is a crop of livelihood, nutritional, economic, and political importance in Kenya. Its productivity growth is estimated at 2% annually, with average yields of 2 tons/ha against a potential 6 tons/ha. Annual production lags behind demand. This study was conducted in a typically rural location of Nandi County in Kenya to investigate smallholder farmers’ social capital, sources of finances, information, and their implications on maize yields. Data from...
The activity was proposed with the objective of determining the combined application rate of inorganic NPSB and N fertilizer that maximizes the yield and yield components of sweet potato. Sweet Potato variety Naspot-13, was used for the experiment. The experiment was arranged in factorial combination of four level of NPSB (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1) with four level of N2 (0, 23, 46 and 69 kg ha-1) in RCBD with 3 replications. The analysis of variance showed that the combination of 100 kg ha-...
Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential of a microcomputer as a tool of information handling. Specifically, this involved developing software packages for use on an Apple II Plus microcomputer. The Willow Bend Demonstrational Farm in Union, West Virginia, was chosen. A farm records and budgets model was developed. Receipts and expenses from the Electronic Farm Accounting records were used to test the model for use by the farm operators in West Virginia. Enterpris...
This study explores the threats of climate change on agriculture and food security globally, focusing on Nigeria. Nigeria, as the most populous country in Africa, is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on its agricultural sector. The research conducts a comprehensive literature review and synthetic analysis to identify the key factors that make Nigeria's food production systems susceptible to climate change. Nigeria's diverse climate, influenced by latitude, topography, win...
Abstract: A study was conducted in Ades forest in Tullo Woreda, which is one of the dry afromontane forests with the objective of documenting species composition and assessing species diversity, dominance, population structure and regeneration status. Vegetation data were collected systematically from 67 quadrants of 20 x 20 m (400 m2) along transects. In each quadrat, parameters such as density and diameter at breast height (DBH) for those with DBH>2cm were measured for all live woody speci...
Abstract: In Ethiopia, teff is one of most important crops in terms of number of producers and area coverage. It is the main source of cash income and food security crop for most of rural areas. Dejen district is well known in the production of teff in Amhara Region. This study was aimed to evaluate the efficiency of teff market chain and to identify factors determining farmers’ teff market participation and level of participation. A multi stage sampling procedure was used to draw sample p...
Abstract: Ethnopedological and pedological investigations have been largely centred on agricultural land uses and associated practices. However, indigenous peasants have also relied on soil resources to eke their livelihood in other activities including non-commercial pottery making. Clayey soils, weathered sandstone and other materials are traditionally used in the Kweneng District of Botswana for earthenware pottery. This study bridges the gap in the dearth of information on the pedologica...
Abstract: Environmental friendly pre-treatment of fibre has been lately adopted by many researchers worldwide but not fully understood. Although various chemical modifications of fibre through several chemical treatments have been explored, but less has been done on lower sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentrations. This paper investigated the effect of thermalization at 115 C and lower NaOH of concentrations (1, 3 and 5) effect on mukwa wood flour as a way of minimizing chemical impact on possib...
Abstract: Termite mounds are replete with natural nanoparticles, and they vary in physicochemical, geochemical, mineralogical, and biological properties from the adjoining soils. Although termite mounds have wide ecological and environmental roles including soil formation, faunal and vegetation growth and diversity, organic matter decomposition, geochemical exploration, water survey, treatment of underground contamination, thermoregulation, gas exchange, and global climate change, their nano...