Classification and influence of agricultural information on striga and stemborer control in Suba and Vihiga Districts, Kenya

Abstract

This paper reports on findings of a study to examine the sources used by farmers in search of agricultural information on striga and/or stemborers control technologies and factors that influence acquisition of such information in Western Kenya region. A random sample of 476 households in Suba and Vihiga districts were interviewed and 15 information pathways were identified. Using principle component analysis (PCA) to derive few latent variables that encapsulate maximum variance in the pathways, two components (latent variables) proxying for ‘agricultural knowledge’ were extracted. Type I-knowledge (first component) loaded heavily with sources that had ‘group’ information searching. Type II-knowledge (second component) loaded heavily with sources requiring individual farmer search. Both types of knowledge positively and significantly influenced the likelihood of households using improved technology to control stemborer, while only Type-II knowledge and social economic factors were important in influencing the farmers’ likelihood of using an improved technology to control striga. This study shows that information is an important factor in the households’ likelihood of using improved technologies in the control of striga and stem borer in Vihiga and Suba, Kenya. Methods of individual interaction are important to striga control.