Browsing by Author "Muriithi, Lydia"

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    Exploring Socio-Economic Characteristics on Adoption Intensity of Biochar Among Farming Households in Sub-Humid Regions of Western Kenya
    (UoEm, 2025-01-08) Kyalo, Annastacia Maitha; Mogaka, Hezron; Kirimi, Florence Kaumi; Kizito, Kwena; Ndirangu, Samuel Njiri; Onyari, Charles Nyambane; Muriithi, Lydia; Elvin, Otara Nyaboe; Mutungi, Scholastica Katava; Kiprotich, Shadrack; Njiru, Moses Muchangi; Kamau, Ezekiel Areri;
    Agriculture is a cornerstone of Kenya's economy, yet declining soil fertility and low adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies, such as biochar, have hindered productivity among smallholder farmers. Biochar is perceived to be a costeffective technology especially among resource constraint farming households. Despite many smallholder farmers acknowledging the importance of biochar as a soil amendment, most farmers face socio-economic barriers that hinder its adoption at scale. This study focused on how socio-economic factors influence adoption intensity of biochar, with a focus on the farming households in the sub-humid regions of Western Kenya. Employing a multistage stratified sampling procedure and Heckman selection model, the study reveals that awareness of biochar, access to credits, total land used in farming and education level positively and significantly influences adoption of biochar while total land owned in acres negatively and significantly influences adoption of biochar. Similarly, awareness of biochar, access to credits, and education level positively and significantly influences adoption intensity of biochar while terms of land ownership negatively and significantly influence adoption intensity of biochar. The study identifies awareness of biochar, education, credit access, and land ownership as key factors influencing its adoption by smallholder farmers. Promoting biochar as a soil amendment and carbon sequestration technique for farmers should be the main goal of the government, non-governmental organizations, and development organizations. Promoting the advantages of biochar for crop yields and soil fertility should be spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture's Extension Department. While development organizations offer financial assistance and training to promote adoption, policymakers should push farmer cooperatives to reduce the cost of biochar production and implementation
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    Exploring Socio-Economic Characteristics on Adoption Intensity of Biochar Among Farming Households In Sub-Humid Regions of Western Kenya
    (University of Embu, 2025-02-13) Kyalo, Annastacia Maitha; Mogaka, Hezron; Kirimi, Florence Kaumi; Kizito, Kwena; Ndirangu, Samuel Njiri; Onyari, Charles Nyambane; Muriithi, Lydia; Elvin, Otara Nyaboe; Mutungi, Scholastica Katava; Kiprotich, Shadrack; Njiru, Moses Muchangi; Kamau, Ezekiel Areri
    Agriculture is a cornerstone of Kenya's economy, yet declining soil fertility and low adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies, such as biochar, have hindered productivity among smallholder farmers. Biochar is perceived to be a cost- effective technology especially among resource constraint farming households. Despite many smallholder farmers acknowledging the importance of biochar as a soil amendment, most farmers face socio-economic barriers that hinder its adoption at scale. This study focused on how socio-economic factors influence adoption intensity of biochar, with a focus on the farming households in the sub-humid regions of Western Kenya. Employing a multistage stratified sampling procedure and Heckman selection model, the study reveals that awareness of biochar, access to credits, total land used in farming and education level positively and significantly influences adoption of biochar while total land owned in acres negatively and significantly influences adoption of biochar. Similarly, awareness of biochar, access to credits, and education level positively and significantly influences adoption intensity of biochar while terms of land ownership negatively and significantly influence adoption intensity of biochar. The study identifies awareness of biochar, education, credit access, and land ownership as key factors influencing its adoption by smallholder farmers. Promoting biochar as a soil amendment and carbon sequestration technique for farmers should be the main goal of the government, non-governmental organizations, and development organizations. Promoting the advantages of biochar for crop yields and soil fertility should be spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture's Extension Department. While development organizations offer financial assistance and training to promote adoption, policymakers should push farmer cooperatives to reduce the cost of biochar production and implementation
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    Factors Affecting Multiple Climate Change Adaptation Practices of Smallholder Farmers in lower Eastern Kenya
    (Journal of Agricultural Extension, 2021-10) Mogaka, Hezron R.; Muriithi, Lydia
    The study investigated the socioeconomic and institutional factors influencing uptake of multiple climate change adaptation practices among smallholder farmers in lower Eastern Kenya. Multistage sampling procedure was used to select 384 small-scale farmers. Percentage and regression were used in the analysis. Among the socio-economic factors, gender positively and significantly influenced adoption of conservation agriculture and water harvesting at 5%, respectively. Among the institutional factors, distance to markets positively or negatively influenced uptake of all the technologies at 1% and 5%, respectively. Due to complementarity in adoption of all the seven adaptation practices, age and distance to nearest markets should be considered during technology dissemination. The study, therefore, calls for agricultural policy reforms that aim at designing incentive programmes which adequately address most of the socioeconomic and institutional issues related to uptake of adaptation practices as well as encouraging off-farm diversification.
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    Factors Influencing Youth Farmers' Use of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies In Drylands of Machakos County,Kenya
    (UoEm, 2025-04-02) Mutungi, Scholastica Kavata; Mogaka, Hezron Rasugu; Kirimi, Florence Kaumi; Onyari, Charles Nyambane; Muriithi, Lydia; Otara, Elvin Nyaboe; Kiprotich, Shadrack; Njiru, Moses Muchangi; Kyalo, Annastacia Maitha; Kamau, Ezekiel Areri;
    Land degradation presents a serious threat to sustainable soil and water resources, primarily through erosion, declining soil fertility, and extreme weather events. Addressing these challenges involves selecting appropriate Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) technologies to mitigate soil quality decline and enhance agricultural productivity. Soil and water conservation technologies have been promoted across various regions, especially in dryland areas for several decades with mixed outcomes. Despite their positive impacts, the utilization intensity of these technologies at farm level remains low. Furthermore, there is limited information on use and use intensity of the technologies among youth farmers, who are key to driving agricultural transformation. This study investigates the socio-economic factors influencing the use and use intensity of SWC technologies among youth farmers. A cross-sectional survey was employed to gather data from 396 youth farmers selected through a multistage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Cragg's Double Hurdle (DH) model. The findings revealed that among 12 independent variables included in regression analysis education level, farm income, and farming experience significantly determined the choice of using SWC technologies. Additionally, access to credit, marital status, education level, farming experience, land size, technical knowledge, training participation, farm income, and land ownership had significant effects on the intensity of use. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, such as strengthening credit access, enhancing technical training, and expanding educational opportunities to promote broader adoption and effective utilization of SWC technologies. Integrating these factors into policy and planning is essential to enhancing agricultural productivity, resilience and sustainability among youth farmers in dryland regions.