Analysis of communication and dissemination channels influencing uptake of integrated soil fertility management among smallholder farmers in Western Kenya

Abstract

Lack of access to timely and accurate information has been identified as a major impediment to the development of rural agriculture in Kenya impacting negatively on agricultural producers resulting in high poverty levels. Nyanza and Western provinces in western Kenya are among the poorest with poverty levels of 65% and 61%, respectively. This study was carried out to evaluate the existing information/knowledge communication and dissemination channels, and assess the influence of these channels on uptake of Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) knowledge among smallholder farmers in western Kenya. Structured questionnaires were administered to 120 farmers from Vihiga and Siaya districts. In Vihiga, farmers were sampled in a systematic random manner from available lists of participant and non-participant farmers, whereas in Siaya, farmers were selected based on randomly selected diagnostic trial sites of the Africa Soil Information Service (AfSIS) project. Community-based channels were found to be significantly advantageous. Farmers’ preferred information source, channel and knowledge source were own experience, farmer field days and farmer groups respectively. A probit regression indicated that off-farm income, education level, distance from nearest information centre, livestock value, and district of residence were the socio-economic variables that significantly influenced farmer access and uptake of ISFM knowledge. In conclusion, farmer field days and farmer groups should continue to be promoted as vehicles of information dissemination and communication. Investing in education and information centres as well as using ICTs to complement community-based channels will bolster farmer access to ISFM information and knowledge. Keywords: ISFM, information, knowledge, dissemination, communication, channels