Research Papers/Topics in Agricultural and Resource Economics

Characterization Of Soil Mineralogy In Relation To Soil Fertility Functional Properties For Selected Countries In Africa

ABSTRACT Africa’s development depends heavily on soil ecosystem services. However current soil degradation coupled with increasing pressure on land is threatening the soil resource base. There is an urgent need to establish soil health surveillance systems to guide investments and monitor trends in soil health status and impacts of interventions. Surveillance systems require appropriate and rapid, low cost methods that directly measure soil functional properties and can be applied at large...

Effect Of Rhizobia Inoculant On Soybean Nodulation And Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Colonization Under Greenhouse And Field Conditions

ABSTRACT In the highland of South-Kivu, DR.Congo, soybean farming is increasingly practiced by smallholder farmers but it productivity remains low. Both productivity and N2-fixing abilities of legumes can be enhanced not only by Rhizobium spp but also by colonization of their roots by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF). The objectives of this study were:- to evaluate symbiotic effectiveness of bradyrhizobia isolates for soybean inoculant production, their effect on indigenous AMF root coloni...

Factors Influencing Grafted Mango (Mangifera Indica L.) Production In Matinyani Division, Kitui County.

ABSTRACT Mango (Mangifera indica L.) fruit is produced and consumed globally, regionally, and locally. The fruit is a potential source of essential nutrients including potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and is an excellent source of vitamin A and C. Mangoes can also be sold to earn income. However, most smallholder mango farmers in Matinyani Sub-county experience lack of clean planting materials, inadequate production technologies, inadequate mango varieties with long production cycles and poo...

Food Security In The Semi-Arid Machakos County: A Case Study Of Mwala Sub-County

ABSTRACT Ensuring food security is a global significant challenge despite struggles to increase agricultural productivity, food distribution and identify appropriate policy interventions to cub food shortage. The recent recurrent incidences of food deficit in Kenya have placed the nation among the 20 most food insecure countries in the world. Food insecurity in the country is a prevalent issue since approximately 84% the country’s landmass is covered by arid and semi-arid land. Achieving su...

ADAPTABILITY OF PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum Glaucum (L.)R.Br) VARIETIES IN THE SEMI-ARID KITUI COUNTY OF KENYA

ABSTRACT Cereals are important crops grown and consumed globally, regionally and locally. However, world cereal yields have declined due to frequent droughts, erratic and unreliable rainfall especially in sub-saharan Africa. Pearl millet accounts for almost half of the global production of the millet species. Therefore, identifying high yielding pearl millet genotypes with farmer preffered traits and adapted to drought stress is key for food security. The objective of the field study was to d...

Status And Contribution Of Fish Farming Under Economic Stimulus Program In Kitui Central Sub-County, Kitui County.

ABSTRACT In 2010, the Economic Stimulus Program (ESP) was initiated by the Government of Kenya with the aim of encouraging aquaculture in Kenya. Kitui Central Sub- County benefited with 200 fish ponds under ESP. However, their status is not known in terms of production, challenges and the contribution of fish farming to household wellbeing. To address this, a sample of sixty (60) fish farmers were used from the targeted 200 fish farmers who benefited from the Government’s support. The prima...

Status And Contribution Of Fish Farming Under Economic Stimulus Program In Kitui Central Sub-County, Kitui County

ABSTRACT In 2010, the Economic Stimulus Program (ESP) was initiated by the Government of Kenya with the aim of encouraging aquaculture in Kenya. Kitui Central Sub- County benefited with 200 fish ponds under ESP. However, their status is not known in terms of production, challenges and the contribution of fish farming to household wellbeing. To address this, a sample of sixty (60) fish farmers were used from the targeted 200 fish farmers who benefited from the Government’s support. The prima...

THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COMMON BEAN (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) VARIETIES ON SOAKING AND COOKING TIME.

Abstract Cookability of common bean is constrained by hardness which results to extend cooking times, low widespread consumption, and high cost of cooking fuel, the consequence of this is malnutrition due to nutritional deficiencies and food insecurity. A study was conducted in the seed Laboratory of Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Institute (KALRO)-Katumani to investigate the effects of physical properties of eleven bean varieties (GLPX92, KATX69, EMBEAN118, WAIRIMU, EMBEAN14, GLP2...

Factors Influencing Default In Servicing Agricultural Loans: A Case Study Of Agricultural Finance Corporation, Machakos County

ABSTRACT Farm credit offered by AFC is an important tool in poverty alleviation through creation of working opportunities for beneficiaries. The facility improves the economic and social status through poverty alleviation, employment creation and income generation for low income farmers with limited opportunities. Through this facility, the government mainly targets to improve the livelihood and food sufficiency among the rural populace. However, loan repayment is faced by high levels of defa...

The Effects Of Market Intelligence Systems On Sales Revenue Among French Bean Producers: A Case Study Of Ol-Donyo Sabuk, Machakos County, Kenya

ABSTRACT Businesses operate in a world in which information is more readily and publicly available than ever before. Thanks to the development of the Internet, information on market trends, legislation, customers, suppliers, competitors, distributors, product development and almost every other conceivable topic is available at the click of a mouse. Search engines, online libraries, company websites and other sources provide information in an increasingly plentiful, easy to find, and easy to d...

An Assesment Of Natural And Socio- Economic Impacts On Indigeneous Chicken Production:-A Case Study Of Katangi And Ikombe Divisions Of Yatta Sub County, Machakos County

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to identify the natural and socio economic factors that affect indigenous chicken production and the level of their impact in Katangi and Ikombe divisions of Yatta sub county, Machakos County. The study therefore sought to establish why despite the Government, Non Governmental organizations and the communities spending a lot of resources in tackling food insecurity among the local communities through poultry keeping, there has been an increase in the num...

Evaluating Response To Cassava Viral Disease Infections Among Selected Cassava Genotypes Under Field And Greenhouse Assays In Lower Eastern Kenya

Abstract Cassava mosaic geminiviruses (CMGs) and cassava brown streak viruses (CBSVs) respectively cause cassava mosaic disease (CMD) and cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) which significantly inhibit cassava production in Kenya. This study aimed at determining the prevalence and incidence of CMD and CBSD in lower eastern Kenya and resistance response of new improved cassava genotypes. To determine the prevalence and incidence of CMD and CBSD in lower eastern Kenya, survey was conducted in M...

Determinants Of Adoption Of Forage Technologies Among Peri-Urban Dairy Farmers In The Semi-Arid Region Of South Eastern Kenya

ABSTRACT Semi-arid peri-urban environment holds great potential for dairy development to meet the high demand for milk and become a livelihood support strategy. In support for dairy production, forage technologies were promoted among dairy farmers in order to improve the performance of the sector and contribute to poverty reduction. However, the level and determinants of adoption of selected forage technologies in relation to dairy production is still unknown. To address this, 150 dairy farme...

Factors Affecting Sisal Cultivation And Adoption In Kiomo Division, Kitui County, Kenya

ABSTRACT best +practices in sisal cultivation.it was also revealed that there was a relationship between age and awareness of sisal cultivation as a commercial activity (p-value=0.809>p=0.05). xiv Further, 30.65% of factors identified to be contributing to the low sisal propagation in the area related to lack of knowledge and 0.77% related to financial constraints. This showed that there was an association between the awareness of sisal cultivation as a commercial activity and a highest level...

Factors Affecting Smallholder Farmers‟ Adoption Of Integrated Soil Fertility And Water Management Practices In Machakos County

ABSTRACT Natural resource degradation and water scarcity are a global concern that threatens sustainability of smallholder farmers‟ livelihoods in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). In ASALs, low adoption of Integrated Soil Fertility and Water Management (ISFWM) technologies has contributed to food and nutrition insecurity. A study was carried out to assess factors influencing smallholder farmers‟ adoption decision of ISFWM technologies in Mwala and Yatta Sub-Counties. A questionnaire was ...


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