ISSN 2375-1177
African Journal of Agriculture and Food Security ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 6 (3), pp. 229-242, March, 2018. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Attributes of push-pull technology in enhancing food and nutrition security
Ogot Nicholas O, Pittchar Jimmy O, Midega Charles AO and Khan Zeyaur R
International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, P.O. BOX 30772-00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Accepted 24 October, 2017
Abstract
Push-pull technology (PPT) is an agricultural novelty that eliminates pest infestation (specifically, Striga and Stemborers) from cereal farm. It was invented by Professor Khan in 1997 to help reduce degradation of crops by pests which were adversely affected by yields. By this, an increased production was evidenced amongst the sub-Saharan farmers. This study aimed at determining the basic attributes of PPT that enhance FNS. It found out that PPT plots had more yields that influenced the entire pathway. Production recorded data for; maize (PPT-1393kgs, NPPT-401kgs), sorghum (PPT-556kgs, NPPT-125kgs), millet (PPT-930kgs, NPPT-107kgs), fodder (PPT-7163kgs, NPPT-891kgs), and beans (PPT-122kgs, NPPT-88kgs). Data for cereals consumed domestically were; maize (PPT-1215kgs, NPPT-349kgs); sorghum (PPT-415kgs, NPPT-105kgs), millet (PPT-596kgs, NPPT-93kgs), fodder (PPT-3844kgs, NPPT-727kgs), and beans (PPT-119kgs, NPPT-81kgs). Amount of the cereals sold recorded; maize (PPT-Kshs. 28,152, NPPT-Kshs. 7,477), sorghum (PPT-Kshs. 10,907, NPPT-Kshs 2,620), millet ((PPT-Kshs. 2,778, NPPT-Kshs. 3,110), fodder (PPT-Kshs. 19,444, NPPT-Kshs. 2,250), and beans (PPT-Kshs. 3,259, NPPT-Kshs. 2,410). And the amount of cereals sold that contributed to food were; maize (PPT-Kshs. 10,556, NPPT-Kshs. 4,667), sorghum (PPT-Kshs. 3,407, NPPT-Kshs. 600), millet (PPT-Kshs. 411, NPPT-Kshs. 1,500), fodder (PPT-Kshs. 13889, NPPT-0), and beans (PPT-0, NPPT-Kshs. 1,225). Furthermore, PPT registered an average monthly food adequacy of 9.62 out of 12 while NPPT had 8.34. The regression model gave a significant r2 of 0.9162, an indication of 91.62% variation in the PPT’s influence on food adequacy (p=0.00187). The study found out that PPT has both direct and indirect impact on FNS of the adopters.
Key words: Push-pull technology (PPT), Non push-pull technology (NPPT), Food and Nutrition Security (FNS), Production, Consumption, Sales and Food Diversity.