Exploring Socio-economic Determinants of Adoption Intensity of Soil Fertility Enhancement Technologies among Farmers in Drylands of Lower Eastern Kenya

Abstract

Catastrophic effects of climate change variation specifically intense rainfall have significantly contributed to decline in soil fertility. This problem has been exacerbated further by anthropogenic activities which are not limited to mono-cropping, over cultivation and overgrazing. There is therefore an urgent need to address this problem to enhance production of crops. Soil Fertility Enhancement Technologies (SFET) such as zero tillage, crop production, cereal-legume intercropping, organic and inorganic fertilizer, Zai pit, micronutrient supplementation, cover cropping, mulching and soil testing and mapping is among the current intervention that sought to address poor soils for better productivity particularly in the dryland areas. Despite their promotion, adoption of these technologies and the proportion of farmland treated with appropriate SFET remain low. A cross sectional survey was utilized to gather data from 414 agricultural homes chosen via a multi-stage sampling method. The analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics. The Heckman two-stage selection model was employed to analyze the association between the adoption and adoption intensity of SFET and socioeconomic factors. The model was used because it is able to accounts selection bias arising from other factors that might affect adoption other than the variables used by the study. The results indicated that off-farm income sources, involvement in SFET promotion initiatives, informal agricultural training, formal education level, farm size, access to agricultural information, and land use substantially impacted the choice to adopt SFET. Furthermore, farm size, land use, off-farm income sources, and livestock size significantly affected the intensity of SFET adoption. The study emphasizes the necessity for focused initiatives that improve access to agricultural information and expertise, especially about SFET. Integrating SFET into broader agricultural policies and strategies, such as subsidizing SFET inputs, will ensure the sustainability of agricultural production in dryland areas and improve the livelihoods of farmers. Keywords: Intensification, drylands, agricultural productivity, adoption intensity, soil fertility.