scholarly journals Socio-economic Factors Affecting Uptake of Banana Value Addition among Smallholders in Chuka Sub-county, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya

Author(s):  
Josphat K. Muigai ◽  
Geofrey K. Gathungu ◽  
Miriam Thogori

Banana farmers in most parts of Kenya have not embraced value addition despite its accrued economic benefits and emphasis by stakeholders. A study was done in Chuka Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County to identify the socio-economic factors affecting uptake of banana value addition by farmers. The study was based on the diffusion of innovations theory to establish the relationship between farming experience, group membership, access to credit and uptake of banana value addition. The study adopted a descriptive research design whereby frequency tables were generated whilst both qualitative and quantitative data was collected. The target population was 20,180 banana farming households in Chuka Sub-County and 3 key informants. Purposive sampling, Random sampling and snowballing techniques were used to select the 156 banana farmers. A pilot study of 24 (15% of sample size) households was done in Imenti South and the questionnaire was found to be reliable (Cronbach alpha value, α˂0.785). With a 90% questionnaire return rate, the data collected was analyzed using SPSS version 25 and presented using frequency tables. Binary logistic regression was used to test the levels of significance of variables and the model through the Hosmer & Lemeshow test of the goodness of fit suggested that the it was good for fit to the data as p=0.480 (>0.05) while ANOVA analyses were used to check the presence of multicollinearity. It was observed that only 31.9% of farmers uptake banana value addition and there were no banana value addition technologies identified with 35.6% and 64.4% of those who uptake doing banana ripening for sale and bulk packaging respectively. The results [P=0.05] showed that group membership [p=0.019] and access to credit [p=0.004] had a positive and significant effect on the uptake of banana value addition by farmers at varying levels. It was observed that farming experience had a positive effect on the uptake, but was statistically insignificant. The study recommended that; farmers should be encouraged to form cooperatives on value addition and the government and other stakeholders in conjunction with financial institutions need to streamline policies to enhance farmer’s access credit for effective farming among others.

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
MZ Hoque ◽  
ME Haque

Seed is the foundation of agriculture for enhancing crop production. The economic benefits from the improved quality seed production help scaling up the livelihood standard as well as nutritional status of the common people. The study was carried out in three districts namely Jamalpur, Gazipur and Manikganj to identify the socio-economic dimensions of the government seed production project beneficiaries persuading profitability of rice seed production. Data were collected through intensive survey of randomly selected 211 sample respondents using pre-tested interview schedule. To examine the profitability of rice seed production, the gross margin and cost benefit analysis were carried out. Co-efficient of correlation and multiple stepwise regressions were employed to find out the determinants of profitability in rice seed production. Rice seed production was not found to be so profitable as investment in rice seed cultivation can produce average BCR of only up to 1.44, where highest BCR was found in Jamalpur (1.58) compared to Manikganj (1.48) and Gazipur (1.26). The results revealed that socio-economic factors have a profound influence on profitability of rice seed production as these factors combined explained 54.9 percent variation. Farm size, contact with information sources, knowledge on quality rice production and age of the respondents were identified as significant contributors in profitability of rice seed production, whereas contact with information sources was the single most influential factor (24.6%). Therefore, steps may be taken so that the seed-growers could directly be linked with more information sources dealing with seed production and marketing through the government initiatives to boost up the production as well as to ensure appropriate price of the farmers’ home grown seed. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/agric.v12i1.19578 The Agriculturists 2014; 12(1) 33-40


2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (17) ◽  
pp. 23-32
Author(s):  
Sunil Kumar Acharya

BPCR practices by women in Nepal are still low. Still a relatively high percentage of women do not make BPCR to its fullest extent. Researches in developing countries show that various demographic, social and economic factors influence the BPCR practices by pregnant women. This paper examines the likelihood of BPCR practices based on women’s demographic, social and economic status in Nepal. NDHS 2011 data set has been utilized by applying bivariate logistics regression analysis technique to examine the effects of these variables on BPCR practices in Nepal. The analysis result shows high variations and gaps in BPCR practice based on demographic, social and economic status of women. Against this finding the study recommends implementation of appropriate policy and program measures by the government and other agencies to address the existing variations and gaps in BPCR practices among subgroups of women in Nepal. Further research studies focusing on the existing barriers on BPCR practice need to be conducted in Nepal especially among the women who are disadvantaged and marginalized.


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 168-177
Author(s):  
Adekunle Thomas Olutola ◽  
Rafiu Ademola Olatoye ◽  
Garba Kofanaisa Adamu

This study investigated the socio-cultural factors affecting integration into the formal education system in Katsina State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted for this study. There were 653 Almajiris purposively selected from twelve Almajiris schools in Katsina State. A researcher-designed questionnaire titled: ‘‘Almajiris socio-cultural factors questionnaire’’ (ASCFQ) with test-retest reliability coefficient of 0.88 was used to collect data for the study. Analysis of data was carried out using frequencies and percentages. Findings revealed that most parents abandon their children in these informal Arabic schools. Most Almajiris (603, that is 92.3%) responded that their Mallams (Teachers) do not feed them. Therefore, the only means of survival is through begging and doing menial jobs. Based on these findings, it is recommended that all the identified socio-economic factors affecting the integration of Almajiris into the formal education system should be addressed by the government. This can be done through public enlightenment campaigns and provision of incentives.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 1009-1014
Author(s):  
Tekkara A. O ◽  
Kumakech A ◽  
Otim G ◽  
Alexandrina A ◽  
Wamani S ◽  
...  

Beans is an important source of proteins and income for poor resource households. However the yied of beans has remained very low in comparion to yields obtained under ideal management conditions. This necessitated the examination of socio-economic factors influencing bean yields of smallholder farmers in eight districts of northern Uganda. A total of 1112 farmers were randomly selected from the study area and the data was subjected to descriptive statistics and regression analysis using IBM SPSS (version 20). The results indicated that 2.3% of variation in beans yield was attributed to amount of seed and acreage planted. The study further revealed that majority of the respondents (81.7%) were practicing farming and most of them were 31-40 years of age (31%). Also, 90.4% and 59.6% of the respondents had bean gardens ranging from 1 to 2 acres and sourced seeds for planting from local market respectively. While 90.4% of the farmers didn't have access to credit, 91.7% actually had access to market information. From the study, majority of the farmers (20.4%) attained yields of either 60 - 120kgs or above 240kgs per acre. It is recommended that, the government’s effort to support agricultural mechanization for increased acreage and productivity be strengthened through private public partnership to quickly reach the smallholder farmers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 43-56
Author(s):  
U.B Adie ◽  
N.A. Ayi ◽  
B.A. Bassey

The study broadly examined the socio-economic factors affecting training and visit system of extension among yam farmers in Eket Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria The study had three specific objectives, namely: to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of the yam farmer; 2 determine the socio-economic factors affecting training and visit system of extension among yam farmers and describe the problems militating against yam production in the study area. The study adopted a purposive/judgmental sampling technique to select two hundred respondents for the study. Both primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multiple regression and Likert scale. Data was collected through the use of a set of questionnaires administered to selected respondents. The findings of the socio-economic characteristics of the yam farmers revealed that majority 77.5% were males, with 37% of them being matured adults in the age range of 51 years and above and 66.5% of the yam farmers were married with household size of 4-7 members per family. Majority of the farmers had secondary education (55%), 46.5% had farming experience of 10 years and above with monthly farm income between N20,000 - N50,000 (46.5%). Majority 88.5% of the farmers were Christians and had monthly contact with extension agents (47%). Gender, age, religion, level of education, farm income and maritalstatus statistically and significantly affect training and visit system at 1% and 5% respectively. The major constraints faced by farmers in yam production in the study area were found to include low soil fertility (3.12), low income (2.64) and land tenure system (2.52). It is recommended that in order to improve yam production, the government of Nigeria should provide favourable environment and invest heavily in yam cultivation by providing farm inputs such as fertilizers to smallholder farmers at subsidized rates. In addition, the government should provide more loans to farmers at zero or low-interest rate. Improved extension services should be provided to farmers with new technologies in order to increase their gross margins income. Social amenities and infrastructural facilities such as; good roads network, electricity as well clean sources of water should be provided in rural areas to encourage young and educated men and women to take up yam production. Keywords: Agricultural Extension; Training and Visit , Communication, Farmers, Production, Demonstration


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-244
Author(s):  
Uсhе Okoуе ◽  
Success Esomchi Obi ◽  
Okeme Ukwumonu Patrick

The paper examined socio-economic factors affecting cashew production in Ogaji, Ankpa LGA, Northcentral Nigeria. Data was collected through a semi-structured questionnaire and interview administered to 143 registered farmers. Data obtained were analyzed descriptively using inferential statistics of mean score ranking, frequency tables and graph. Results showed that majority of the farmers were within the age of 26-35 and have been into farming since birth. Also there was moderate literacy level among the farmers as 50% of total respondents have formal education. Findings reveals that the socio-economic factor affecting production were; Access to and use of credit facilities, farmers-herders conflict, income level, transportation problem, lack of access to capital and poor extension services agent relations were the major socio-economic factors affecting cashew production in the study area. The study amongst others recommends that; the government should encourage private sectors such as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) to invest in credits facilities like small-scale bank to offer credit to farmers at affordable rate, proactive measures should be taken to quell the farmer-herders crisis as it poses threat to farming activities. Government should strive to develop roads; this will increase small holder’s economic opportunities by reducing transport cost and allowing farmers to get access to marketing information and small holder’s cashew profitability. Extension service agent should try to understand the rural dwellers and their educational level to help them have access to extension services in other to improve their knowledge of farm management.


2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 223
Author(s):  
Kaaria Ann Gaceri

In today’s rapidly changing commercial world ‘retail design’ is taking on the great importance than ever before both in terms of selling a company’s products and promoting an organizations’ corporate identity (Onwong’a,Mamati, Kangu &Osongo, 2010) .The purpose of this study was to evaluate the factors affecting the implementation of health and safety measures in supermarkets in Kenya; A survey of Supermarkets in Kenya.The implementation of health and safety measures at workplaces is minimal and yet it goes without doubt that if properly implemented, workplace accidents, injuries and illness would decrease in number. The research study was thus to facilitate the understanding of the benefit to implementing health and safety measures, thereby enhancing the acceptance in organizations.The study was be guided by the following specific objectives, to establish whether leadership influences the implementationof health and safety measures in supermarkets in Kenya,to find out whether employee training influences the implementation of health and safety measures in supermarkets on Kenya,andto establish whether employee participation influences the implementation of health and safety measures in supermarkets in Kenya.  The study employed a descriptive research design (Sekaran, 2006).Data analysiswas aided by SPSS Version 17(Marija, 2008). The target population was the general retail merchandise in Kenya while the study population wasHuman Resource Department Staff in supermarkets with more than 10 outlets in Kenya. The study was a census of supermarkets with more than 10 outlets and hence the sample size was equal to the study population.Primary data was collected using self administered questionnaires. A pilot test was conducted to test the validity and reliability of the research instruments. The study employed descriptive statistics and data analysis was performed using both qualitative and quantitative techniques.The final findings were presented using pie charts and statistical tables. This study will be of value to the human resource managers of the general retail merchandise industry, the government,research institutions, scholars and other private institutions.


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