Influence of Farmers’ Socio-economic Characteristics on Adoption of Bambara Nut Production in Western Kenya

Abstract

A survey was conducted to determine the effect of the socio-economic and institutional factors on farmers’ adoption of Bambara nut as food security crop. Purposive survey research design was used to generate both qualitative and quantitative data. 384 respondents were interviewed in the study. Proportionate sampling technique was used to select 131, respondents from Kakamega North Sub- county, 127 from Butere and 94 from Matungu and 32 respondents from Mumias subcounties based on population. Primary data was collected through structured questionnaire, interview schedules alongside focused group discussion. Findings indicated that that seven variables were statistically significant and contributed to adoption. These factors include: subcounty of farmer’s residence, gender, farm size, on-farm income, labor, member of social group, marketing problems, access to extension services and respondents’ access to credit. Four other factors (age, level of education marketing and credit) were not significant. Chi-square test showed that the estimated model fitted the data reasonably well and indeed the variables were jointly significant in explaining adoption of Bambara production and utilization in Kakamega County. In order for smallholder farmers to benefit from neglected food crops there is need for stakeholders to contribute towards formulating relevant policies and impliment research programmes that will promote and commercialize amongst others Bambara amongst smallholder farmers. This would lead to increased smallscale growing of Bambara nut and thus contribute to ensuring food security at household level among resource poor farmerss in Kakamega Count of Kenya.