Impacts Of Economic Diversification On Farmers In Nyeri County: A Case Study Of Mathira Sub-County

ABSTRACT

THIS STUDY WILL ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES THAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE DIVERSIFICATION IN NYERI COUNTY,MATHIRA SUB-COUNTY.THE SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ARE:TO DETERMINE WHETHER DIVERSIFICATION IS BENEFICIAL TO FARMERS,TO FIND OUT THE DIFFICULTIES IN THE EFFORT TO DIVERSIFY COFFEE PRODUCTION TO OTHER ALTERNATIVES AND TO FIND OUT HOW DIVERSIFICATION HELPS IN MARKETING OF OTHER PRODUCTS.THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS STUDY IS THAT THE FINDINGS COULD BE OF GREAT IMPORTANCE TO SUBSTISTENCE FARMERS AS THEY MAY LOWER THE IMPORTATION OF FOOD FROM OTHER COUNTIES AND ENSURE COMBINATION OF HIGHER PRODUCTION PER UNIT AREA WITH THE RISK REDUCTION AND SUSTAINABILITY AMONG THE MATHIRA SMALL HOLDINGS.THE STUDY OF DIVERSIFICATION WILL PROVIDE THE SMALL HOLDER WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO SELECT A PARTICULAR CROP FOR COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION.THE STUDY COULD ALSO BE CAPITALISED BY FARMERS  AND OTHER ORGANISATIONS TO IMPROVE ON THE EXISTING FARMING SYSTEMS AND HELP FIND SOLUTIONS ON CHALLENGES FACING FARMERS IN MATHIRA SUB-COUNTY.THIS STUDYS TARGET POPULATION IS 2500 FARMERS LOCATED WITHIN MATHIRA SUB-COUNTY.THIS STUDY WILL EMPLOY A SURVEY RESEARCH DESIGN.THE RESEARCHER OPTED TO USE QUESTIONAIRES AS A MAIN COLLECTING INSTRUMENT.THE DATA COLLECTED WILL BE STORED ,ORGANISED AND ANALYSED USNG DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES WHICH ARE PERCENTAGES AND FREQUENCIES TO GIVE MEANINGFUL RESULTS OF THE DATA COLLECTED.THE FINDINGS WILL THEN BE PRESENTED USING TABLES,GRAPHS AND PIE CHARTS