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  Climate Adaptive Extension Services and Resilience of Sorghum Farming Households in Semi-Arid Areas of Embu and Tharaka-Nithi Counties, Kenya

  (South African Journal of Agricultural Extension (SAJAE), 2026)

  Njiru, M.M

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  Kaumi, F.K.

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  Mogaka, Hezron R.

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  Ndirangu, S.N

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  Kiprotich, S

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  Unpredictable weather events resulting from climate change have caused widespread destruction of people, livestock, and property. To counteract these negative effects and help farmers mitigate the adverse impacts of climate change, climate-adaptive extension services (CAES) have been designed by institutions. The CAES helps farming households respond appropriately by making timely, informed decisions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and enhance resilience. The objective of the study was to determine the level of resilience among sorghum-farming households and the CAEs that enhance resilience in arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs) of Embu and TharakaNithi Counties, Kenya. Primary data were collected from a sample of 426 sorghum-farming households using questionnaires. An ordered probit regression model was estimated in Stata to analyse the data. The results indicated low household resilience to climate change. Moreover, the results revealed that capacity building, information on climate-smart technologies, timely weather information, training, weather advisories, and diversified strategies were effective CAES that enhanced resilience. This information is crucial for policymakers to design ways to enhance the use of effective CAES and increase households’ resilience.

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  Procurement practices and value for money in State Corporations in Kenya

  (PLOS, 2024-06-18)

  Waci, John Muturi

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  Kariuki, Peter Wang’ombe

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  Mwirigi, Purity Mukiri

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  Public procurement related expenditure is approximately fifty to seventy percent of the national budget of developing countries and accounts for almost a third of the gross domestic product. Cognizant of the significant funds committed in public procurement, the quest for value for money is critical. This study sought to determine the effect of procurement practices on value for money in State Corporations in Kenya. Specifically, the study investigated the effect of procurement planning, supplier sourcing, supplies management and E-procurement on value for money. Data collected from 87 State Corporations in Kenya was used in this study. The results of the study indicated that procurement planning, supplier sourcing, supplies management and e-procurement positively and significantly affect the value for money in state corporations in Kenya. The study concluded that proper procurement practices positively and significantly affect the value for money in state corporations in Kenya. The findings of this study contributes to literature by providing an empirical examination on the impact of procurement practices and value for money from a developing country perspective.

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  Transfer Hydrogenation: Advances in Manganese and Nickel Metal Catalysis

  (Wiley, 2025-12-24)

  Kamau, James

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  Nyamato, George S.

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  Ogunah, Joanne

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  Transfer hydrogenation (TH) of ketones, catalyzed by transition–metal complexes, produces alcohols, which are important building blocks in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. For a long time, catalysts based on noble metals such as ruthenium, rhodium, and iridium have dominated the TH of ketones. However, due to limited availability, high price, and toxicity of these noble metals, there has been a push for their replacement with abundant, nonprecious, and biocompatible metals. In this respect, the reactions catalyzed by first-row transition metals, which are more abundant and benign, have attracted more and more attention. Thus, in this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the advances made in the last decade, in the application of the first-row transition metals, manganese and nickel, in the hydrogenation of ketones. Special focus is given to ligand design and reaction conditions in influencing the catalytic activity, yield, and the nature of the product.

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  Prospective Impetus of Agriculture Services Post Devolution on Household Food Security among Smallholder Farmers in Eastern Kenya

  (Agricultural Science Digest, 2026-06-02)

  Kanana Fridah

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  Kirimi Florence Kaumi

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  Onyari Charles

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  Wafula Judith

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  Kithome Raphael Wambua

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  Background: Food and nutrition security is a major challenge worldwide. Food insecurity ranges from moderate to severe and Kenya’s expanding population coupled with challenges in agricultural extension service provision exacerbates the problem. Food insecurity and malnutrition remain common in the country, despite the administration’s various efforts to address these challenges. Methods: This study aimed at assessing the effect of changes of agriculture services post devolution on household food security. Using a cross-sectional survey design, 428 respondents were selected through multistage stratified sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Food security was calculated using food consumption score index while ordered probit was used to model the relationship between the changes post devolution and household food security. The study also used an ordered probit model to assess how changes in agricultural services under devolution affect household food security. Result: The analysis of food consumption scores indicates that 57% of farm households achieved an adequate level of dietary diversity, while 39% fell into the borderline category and 4% were classified as poor. The results show that reliable extension services, subsidized inputs, market links and higher farm profitability had a positive impact while access to superior animal breeds and interruptions in input availability had a negative impact on food security. The findings underscore the importance of dependable and economically priced agricultural services supported by enabling systems for long-term food security improvement.

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  Influence of Farmland Factors on Adoption Intensity of Nutrient Management Practices in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya

  (University of Embu, 2026-07-28)

  Raphael Wambua Kithome

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  Florence Kaumi Kirimi

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  Joyline Mugambi Muchiri

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  Raphael Mwiti Gikunda

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  Fridah Kanana Kinyua

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  Background: The adoption of the recommended nutrient management practices can significantly improve agricultural production by up to 66.5% and potentially double farm yields. However, the rate of adoption of the practices is likely to be affected by farmland factors, including land ownership, farm terrain, soil type and farming system, among others. Although research on the adoption of agricultural practices has been widely undertaken, there is limited information on the probable influence of farmland factors on adoption intensity of nutrient management practices, especially among farmers in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. This study analyzed the adoption of nutrient management practices and examined the influence of farmland factors on the adoption of these practices among farmers in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Methods: A sample of 400 farmers was selected from a target population of 85,675 in the county through stratified random sampling. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the results, while the Tobit regression model was used to analyze the inferential statistics using Stata version 15. Result: The findings indicated that the use of cover crops was the most commonly practiced nutrient management practice (39.1%, n = 157), while precision nutrient management was the least adopted practice (0.7%, n = 3). The results also showed that the distance from the farm to the market (coefficient 0.036, p<0.05), mixed cropping (coefficient 0.069, p<0.05) and soil quality (coefficient -0.042, p<0.05) significantly influenced the adoption intensity of nutrient management practices. The adoption intensity of the practices was found to be low, primarily influenced by cropping systems. To enhance the adoption of nutrient management practices, national and county extension providers should design and implement training programs for farmers on soil nutrition.

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