Factors Affecting Adoption of Agricultural Innovations Amongst Small Holder Farmers: a Case of Nyota Beans Technology in Bungoma County

Abstract

In the developing world, agriculture remains the major source of income for over two billion people. As a result, in majority of emerging nations, improved agricultural technology and other new sustainable agricultural technologies are viewed as crucial steps toward ending poverty. But in the majority of these nations, these technologies have continued to be adopted at a slow rate. The study therefore investigated the adoption of the Nyota bean seed technology amongst small holder farmers and assessed the factors that influenced its adoption or lack of it, the challenges, and opportunities in adoption of the seed variety among small holders in Kimilili Sub County, Bungoma County. In the study we used descriptive research design and a proportionate random sample technique was used to come up with bean farmers in Kimilili Sub County in Bungoma. The study used 121 smallholder farmers as its sample size and an in depth interview that were structured was used to gather primary data. Data was analysed using frequency, percentages and inferential. The findings showed that the respondents' gender distribution was significantly uneven. Majority of the respondents were females who were largely above 50 years with basic education and had farming experience of over 20 years. Majority of the respondents knew about some of the agricultural technologies recently introduced in the area and listed examples such as improved varieties, fertilizer use, use of crop protection products. The Study findings show that government extension officers and County government were the most preferred sources of agricultural information. Majority of the respondents were members of informal or formal cooperatives whose key functions was savings and credit and had access to credit facilities for buying farm equipment, farm inputs, to do soil testing and buying basic utilities. However, others did not obtain loans because they did not like to borrow. The majority had access to extension services and received training on adopting improved varieties, doing soil tests, and practicing soil conservation. Thus, even though they only allotted a small amount of their land, the majority of respondents adopted the Nyota technology. Respondents that did not adopt the bean variety cited lack of knowledge and high cost of fertilizer and opted to plant other varieties such as wairimu, nyayoo and rosecoco. The results demonstrated that farmers' age, gender, and educational attainment all significantly influenced their usage of technology. This study evaluated many aspects influencing smallholder farmers in Bungoma County, Kenya. Results showed that a number of factors, including human, social, economic, educational, household size, access to knowledge, and participation in social networks, influence how widely agricultural technology is adopted. Farming experience positively and significantly correlated with age of the respondents while planting improved variety as an example of agricultural technology had negative but significant correlation with age of the farmers. Aspects of bean that pushed farmers to adopt the technology had significant and positive correlation with planting improved varieties. This indicates that positive attributes of improved varieties pushed the farmers to adopt them. In conclusion, developed policies by the agencies should provide technical skills to both farmers and extension agents on improved agricultural technology adoption and also ensure that they support adoption of improved technologies. They should also consider the farmers needs and develop farmer friendly technologies.