Open Access10.1016/J.ENVC.2021.100409
Farm factors influencing soil fertility management patterns in Upper Eastern Kenya
F. Mairura,Collins M. Musafiri,Milka N. Kiboi,Joseph M. Macharia,Onesmus K. Ng'etich,Chris A. Shisanya,Jeremiah M. Okeyo,Elizabeth A. Okwuosa,Felix K. Ngetich +8 more
- 01 Dec 2021
- pp 100409
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TL;DR: In this article, the authors used a cross-sectional survey design to sample 300 small-scale farmers in Tharaka-Nithi County and employed a multi-stage sampling design.
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Abstract: Farmer adoption of soil technologies has been commonly explored in the literature using binary models, which significantly simplifies the multi-dimensional nature of technology adoption by farmers. Therefore, it is necessary to fill this gap to improve soil technology adoption models to enhance small-scale farmers' soil fertility management practices. We investigated patterns of multiple soil technology adoption using multivariate analysis and regression modeling in Central Kenya. We used a cross-sectional survey design to sample 300 small-scale farmers in Tharaka-Nithi County and employed a multi-stage sampling design. We found that soil nutrient applications and soil fertility management patterns were linked to crop enterprises, driven by socioeconomic farm characteristics. Our findings showed that farmers applied higher N inputs and soil fertility management technologies on crops with high economic and staple use-values. Farmers in high potential agro-ecozones and those with higher incomes and TLU (Tropical Livestock Units) intensity applied higher fertilizer N intensities than farmers with lower incomes and TLU intensity. Farmers in high potential agro-ecozones applied higher fertilizer and manure rates than their counterparts in low potential agro-ecozones of Tharaka-Nithi County. Farm size was inversely related to nitrogen fertilizer application intensity, while farmers had a lower propensity to restore fields undergoing degradation. We obtained five significant sets of soil fertility management technologies that farmers practiced due to the complementary nature of their benefits. We found that farmer perceptions of soil fertility, income distribution, site, education qualifications, credit access, labor availability, and access to extension services influenced their technology adoption patterns. We recommend that farmer sensitization about the fertility of their soils is needed to enhance soil fertility management strategies in small-scale farming systems.
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Citations
Smallholders' coping strategies in response to climate variability in semi-arid agro-ecozones of Upper Eastern Kenya
TL;DR: The most common climate adaptation strategies for small-scale farming in semi-arid and arid regions of Sub-Saharan Africa were terraces (89%), early maturity crop varieties (82%), and intercropping (79%), while the least common strategies were water-harvesting strategies (29%), trenches (35%), and staggering planting dates (46%).
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Yield-scaled and area-scaled greenhouse gas emissions from common soil fertility management practices under smallholder maize fields in Kenya
F. Mairura,Collins M. Musafiri,Joseph M. Macharia,Milka N. Kiboi,Onesmus K. Ng'etich,Chris A. Shisanya,Jeremiah M. Okeyo,Elizabeth A. Okwuosa,Felix K. Ngetich +8 more
TL;DR: In this article , the static chamber technique following a randomized rotational commencement pattern between farms and plots during GHG sampling events was used to quantify on-farm GHG emissions under different maize cropping practices in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya.
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Use of inorganic fertilizer on climate-smart crops improves smallholder farmers' livelihoods: Evidence from Western Kenya
Collins M. Musafiri,Milka N. Kiboi,Joseph M. Macharia,Onesmus K. Ng'etich,M. Okoti,Betty Mulianga,D. Kosgei,Abdi Zeila,Felix K. Ngetich +8 more
TL;DR: In this paper , the effects of inorganic fertilizers on sorghum yields among small-holder farmers in Western Kenya were evaluated using a cross-sectional survey and collected data from 300 smallholder farmers.
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Impact of Social, Institutional and Environmental Factors on the Adoption of Sustainable Soil Management Practices: An Empirical Analysis from Bangladesh
TL;DR: In this article , the authors explored the determinants of sustainable soil management (SSM) practices among Bangladeshi paddy farmers and found that differences in the farmers' socioeconomic conditions, environmental and institutional settings were the main drivers of the SMM practice decisions.
Tied-ridging and soil inputs enhance small-scale maize productivity and profitability under erratic rainfall conditions in central Kenya
Michael Ngigi Ndung’u,Jayne Mugwe,Monicah Mucheru-Muna,Felix K. Ngetich,F. Mairura,D. Mugendi +5 more
TL;DR: In this paper , the effects of tied ridging and selected soil fertility inputs on; soil water content at different depths, maize yields, and economic returns were evaluated, and the best performing treatments in yields and profitability were those that combined organic and inorganic fertilizers, regardless of the presence or absence of tied-riding.
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