PhD Theses: Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension
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Item An Evaluation of Effects of Exchange Rate Volatility on Kenya’s French Bean Exports(University of Nairobi, 2015-04) Mwangi, Samuel C.During the period after the adoption of a floating exchange rate regime in Kenya, there has been substantial volatility produced by the regime. In spite of the considerable foreign exchange contribution of Kenya’s French beans subsector to the economy, the effects of exchange rate volatility on it remains unclear. This study evaluated the effects of exchange rate volatility on Kenya’s French bean exports to major markets in the European Union. Monthly secondary data for the period January 1990 to December 2011 were used in the estimation of an export demand model. In measuring exchange rate volatility, this study employed the generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model. The empirical results show a negative effect of exchange rate volatility on French bean exports and a stimulation of the exports by a shift in the exchange rate regime from fixed to floating. An increase in the level of income in the importing countries led to a rise in the volume of Kenya’s French bean exports while an increase in the relative price led to a decrease in demand in the European Union. From these results, this study recommended that policy makers need to maintain a robust exchange rate regime that will ensure a non-volatile behaviour. Policy measures should be instituted aimed at mitigating the high exchange rate volatility to promote French bean exports from Kenya. In order to cushion exporters from high exchange rate volatility, the government could set up a export stabilization facility and develop forward market for French bean exports. There is need for policy makers to work towards increasing the volume of exports through diversification of market destinations by targeting local, regional and export markets as opposed to the current practice. This can be realized through regional and export market promotion initiatives as well as consistent compliance with quality standards. Innovative ways of meeting the standards and facilitation of smallholder farmers to meet these standards is required. In addition, French bean export promotion incentives such as input subsidies and tax concessions need to be considered. To limit over-reliance on exporting as a major channel for French beans produce in Kenya, the government and key stakeholders in the industry need to be proactive in promoting utilization of French beans locally through value addition and creating awareness to the local consumers on the nutritive value of the vegetable coupled with research and extension initiatives. To reduce the relative price of French bean exports from Kenya, there is need for structural reforms that contribute to increased productivity and the enhancement of international competitiveness.Item An Evaluation of the Effect of Land Fragmentation and Agro-Ecological Zones on Food Security and Farm Efficiency: The Case of Embu County in Kenya(University of Nairobi, 2017-12) Ndirangu, Samuel N.Declining size of the farm holdings in most high agricultural potential areas as a result of continuous land fragmentation is currently a major policy concern in Kenya. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of land fragmentation and agro-ecological zones (AEZs) on food security and farm efficiency in Kenya. The study used data collected from 384 farm-households that were randomly selected from three AEZs in the Embu County, using a multistage stratified sampling technique. The three agro-ecological zones were the Sunflower, Coffee and the Tea zones, based on the official AEZs classification system in Kenya. The status of household food security was determined using household caloric acquisition method which was used to compute a household food security index (HFSI). Farm efficiency was measured using stochastic frontier method. The Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and Multinomial Logit Regression Analysis were used to evaluate the effect of land fragmentation on food security and farm efficiency. The effect of land fragmentation on household food security was found to be negative in the Sunflower and Tea zones, but not in the Coffee Zone. Further, it was found that the minimum farm-size that could ensure the attainment of threshold level of household food security (HFSI = 1) was above 2 ha in the Sunflower Zone and 0.5 ha in the Tea Zone. Land fragmentation was found to have a positive effect on farm efficiency in the Coffee and Tea zones, but not in the Sunflower Zone. For assurance of sustainable food security in Embu County, this study based on its findings recommends that further fragmentation of farms below the minimum size for attainment of threshold level of household food security should be discouraged. For the farms that are already below the minimum cut-off size for food security, measures to increase these farms’ productivities so that they can support more people per ha should be devised and implemented. Other measures that should be vii taken to improve food security are increased technology adoption, farmer training, market and road infrastructure and credit.Item Organisational Internal Context, Information Communication Technology Infrastructure, Staff Attitude and Implementation of Electronic Project Monitoring Information System in Public Tertiary Institutions in Kenya(University of Nairobi, 2015) Mburugu, Kirema N.The study sought to establish the influence of organizational internal context on the implementation of Electronic Project Monitoring Information System (e-ProMIS) in Public Tertiary Institutions in Kenya. The study was guided by eight objectives which sought to establish the extent to which each of the independent variables namely; organisational strategy, organisational structure, organisational leadership, organisational culture and staff capacity influence the implementation of e-ProMIS. The study also sought to determine the joint influence of organisational internal context on implementation of e-ProMIS. The moderating influence of availability of ICT infrastructure and mediating influence of staff attitude between the organisational internal context and implementation of e-ProMIS were also examined. Eight research hypotheses related to the objectives were tested. Pragmatic paradigm to support mixed mode approach was adopted. Cross sectional descriptive survey and correlational research design were used. The population comprised members of staff from public tertiary institutions in Kenya. A sample of 210 members of staff was selected using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Questionnaire with both open and closed-ended items with Likert-type interval scale anchored on a five point scale was used to collect data. Descriptive statistics were computed for all variables using frequencies, percentages, arithmetic mean and standard deviation. Statistical tools used for inferential statistic were Pearson‘s Product Moment Correlation (r), simple regression, multiple regression and stepwise regression ( ). F-tests were used to test hypotheses in the study. The results revealed that r=0.513 f (3,158) =18.840 at p=0.000<0.05, 1. was confirmed and concluded that organisational strategy had a statistically significant influence on implementation of e-ProMIS. With r=0.558 f (3,158) =23.760 at p=0.000<0.05, 2. was confirmed and concluded that organisational structure had a statistically significant influence on implementation of e-ProMIS. With r=0.544 f (2,159) =33.410 at p=0.000<0.05, 3. was confirmed and concluded that organisational leadership had a statistically significant influence on implementation of e-ProMIS. With r=0.504 f (3,158) =17.892 at p=0.000<0.05, 4. was confirmed and concluded that organisational culture had a statistically significant influence on implementation of eProMIS. With r=0.655 f (1,160) =120.161 at p=0.000<0.05, 5. was confirmed and concluded that staff capacity had a statistically significant influence on implementation of e-ProMIS. With =0.557 f (6,155) =39.272, 6. was confirmed and concluded that organisational internal context has a significant influence on the implementation of Electronic Project Monitoring Information System in Public Tertiary Institutions in Kenya. With =0.557 R2Δ=0.597 f (6,155) =39.272 at p=0.000<0.05, 7. was confirmed and concluded that the strength of the relationship between organisational internal context and implementation of e-ProMIS depends on availability of ICT infrastructure. With =0.546, R2Δ=0.559, f (6,155) = 54.42, β=0.706, p=0.341>0.05, 8. was confirmed and concluded that the strength of the relationship between organisational internal context and implementation of e-ProMIS depends on staff attitude. The study further revealed the relevance of Diffusion of Innovation Theory and Theory of Reasoned Action in studying implementation of electronic based systems. The study highlights the need for staff training on new technologies, provision of adequate ICT infrastructure and staff attitudinal change trainings for effective implementation of new electronic based systems. The study deviated from other studies by empirically showing how organisational internal context influence the implementation of ICT based technologies. The study recommends further research to be conducted to establish the influence of monitoring and evaluation on implementation of e-government systems. Other e-government systems like e-procurement and itax also need to be studied.