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

Abstract

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.