Factors Influencing Willingness to Adopt Recommended Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) Agronomic Practices Among Smallholder Farmers in Semi-Arid Lands of Embu County, Kenya

Elizaphan Mboi Ombasa; Phyllis Wambui Muturi; Bernard M. Gichimu; Hezron N.  Isaboke; Josiah N. Gitari

doi:10.18006/2022.10(4).805.811

Authors

Elizaphan Mboi Ombasa Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Embu, P. O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4935-7169
Phyllis Wambui Muturi Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4170-8059
Bernard M. Gichimu Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8596-1155
Hezron N. Isaboke Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Embu, P. O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4952-8474
Josiah N. Gitari Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7974-1826

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18006/2022.10(4).805.811

Keywords:

Adoption, Agricultural technologies, Dry lands, Orphaned crops, Farmer field school

Abstract

The study assessed the willingness of smallholder farmers to adopt the recommended agronomic practices of Bambara groundnut in semi-arid lands of Embu County. The study was carried out in three sub-counties i.e. Mbeere North, Mbeere South, and Embu West, of Embu County. Data were extracted with the help of a well-structured questionnaire which was distributed to 384 smallholder farmers who were participants at the farmers’ field schools at the three sites. The data were analyzed using means, percentages, and logistic regression. Results of the study revealed that 60.94% of the farmers were willing to adopt the recommended agronomic practices. The willingness of the farmers to adopt the recommended agronomic practices was influenced by farming experience, farm size, extension contact, participation in farmers’ groups, cropping technologies adoption, and intercropping system used by the farmers. The application of the farmer participatory approach is an innovative way of introducing and promoting less popular but sustainably proven agricultural technologies among smallholder farmers. This is a climate-smart strategy to address the challenges of food in the area. Awareness creation among the farmers using the right extension channels can increase farmers’ willingness to adopt climate-smart technologies such as the production of the highly nutritive and drought tolerant Bambara groundnut in dry areas.

Author Biographies

Phyllis Wambui Muturi, Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya

Lecturer in the department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, Kenya

Bernard M. Gichimu, Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya

Lecturer in the department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, Kenya

Hezron N. Isaboke, Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Embu, P. O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya

Lecturer and Chairman of department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, University of Embu, Kenya

Josiah N. Gitari, Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. BOX 6-60100, Embu, Kenya

Lecturer in the department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, Kenya

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