ISSN 2375-0693
African Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development ISSN 2375-0693 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-012, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Adoption of soybean by smallholder farmers in the Central Highlands of Kenya
Murage, F.M.1*, Mugwe, J.N.2, Ngetich, K.F.4, Mucheru-Muna, M.M.3 and Mugendi, D.N.1
1Department of Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, P.O. Box 6-60100, Embu, Kenya.
2Department of Agricultural Resource Management, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
3Department of Environmental Sciences, Kenyatta University, P.O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
4Department of Land and Water Management, University of Embu, P.O. Box 6- 60100, Embu, Kenya.
Accepted 03 March, 2019
Abstract
Current demand for soybean in Kenya is higher than production, and the deficit is filled through importation from neighboring Countries. Despite the high demand, production and adoption remain low. The study sought to determine factors influencing the decision to adopt soybean by smallholder farmers, assess acreage under soybean, and its production. Interviews were carried out using an interview schedule on 210 households randomly sampled from purposively selected farmer groups. Data were subjected to cross-tabulation for categorical variables to test for association. It was also subjected to a logistic regression model to predict factors affecting the decision to adopt soybean. Results showed that 41% of the households were adopters while 59% were non-adopters. The number of adopters increased from 28% to 88% over the six seasons. Acreage under soybean and its production increased over the six seasons. Farm size, membership of a farmer group and attendance of training on soybean production influenced the decision to adopt soybean positively while household head age negatively influenced the adoption of soybean. These results imply that the adoption of soybean can be enhanced by targeting younger farmers, farmers with bigger farm sizes, encouraging farmers to join farmer groups and increasing training on soybean.
Keywords: Adoption, acreage, production, soybean, smallholder farmers.