Factors affecting practice of socio agroforestry by farmers in Nyakanga Valley Gwassi Division, Suba District, Kenya

Abstract

This research project report discusses factors affecting practice of socio agroforestry by farmers in Nyakanga Valley Gwassi Division, Suba District, Kenya. The background of the study discusses practice of socio agroforestry by farmers around the world, in Africa, in Kenya and narrows down to Nyakanga Valley. This report addresses why very few farmers practice socio agroforestry in Nyakanga Valley as statement of the problem. The purpose of this study was to determine factors affecting practice of socio agroforestry by farmers in Nyakanga Valley. Objectives of the study were to establish how socio economic factors, to determine how size of land and to examine how agro ecological factors affect practice of socio agroforestry by farmers in Nyakanga Valley Gwassi division, Kenya.

The study adopted a descriptive survey design with quantitative and qualitative approaches to data collection. A sample of 29 respondents drawn from 91 farmers and 2 key informants from OSIENALA and KFS.The findings of the study was that socio economic factors, size of land and agro ecological factors have to be taken into consideration for fanners to be able to practice socio agroforestry. The study further found out that awareness of practice of socio agroforestry is very high among farmers, wood fuel is used by all farmers as cooking energy giving rise to demand for trees this has led to cutting down trees and not replanting leading to negative agro ecological factors such as soil erosion and land degradation. There is availability of land amongst the farmers, all farmers' sampled owned land with the average size of land being 5 acres.

The study concluded that practice of socio agroforestry can effectively be achieved through social or organizational technologies emphasis should be on return on investment for farmer. Based on the findings the researcher recommends that constrains to practice of socio agroforestry should be understood and strategies to counter them designed together with the farmers and farmers should be encouraged to invest in the practice of socio agroforestry for them to see the results of their investment and to raise the living standard of the farmers and take care of the environment. A comparative study should be done on farmers who have adopted practice of socio agroforestry and those who have not adopted.