Determinants of participation of men in community based Agro-forestry projects in Bureti constituency, Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the determinants of participation of men in community based Agro-forestry projects in Bureti Constituency. The study objectives were: To investigate how education contributed to participation of men in Agro-forestry projects in Bureti Constituency, To establish the extent to which cultural values influenced participation of men in Agro-forestry in Bureti Constituency, To assess how the access to finance influenced participation of men in agro-forestry in Bureti Constituency, To determine whether the access to information influenced participation of men in Agro-forestry in Bureti Constituency and To establish the extent to which technological interventions influence participation of men in agro-forestry projects in the constituency. This study was expected to benefit the community based project managers, government ministries and other key stakeholders in the Agro-forestry projects in Bureti and elsewhere. The dependent variable included: The level of education of men which was important in this study as it equips one with knowledge, skills and techniques in agro-forestry community projects. Cultural values which enhance or decrease participation of men in community based projects in line with a community’s respective cultural values. Access to information is key in development; hence an informed community can enhance effective participation of community members. Access to credit can also promote participation of men in community-based agro-forestry projects and where men adopt technological interventions it affects their participation in these projects. The extraneous variable was government policy. Most governments’ policies are pro-women and thus, it was expected that they affect the participation of men. The study adopted the Social Action theory of community development to demonstrate that men are the less fortunate group in the Kenyan society as regards to their participation in agro-forestry projects. This indicated the need to establish policies that would enhance the effective participation of men. This study was a descriptive survey, based in Bureti Constituency. Pilot testing was done in the neighbouring Sotik Constituency using a sample of 25 men from a random sampling frame of 248 participants from all the five wards in Sotik. The study sample selected by stratified random sampling and the sample size was 193 from a target population of 1930 men being the sampling frame of the members of 320 registered men participants of community-based agro-forestry projects in the constituency. This study used a questionnaire, which was first pre-tested using the test-retest method for reliability and validity. Permission from the relevant authorities was sought before administration of the questionnaires to the respondents was done and data collected was then analyzed using SPSS Version 20. At all stages of the study, ethical considerations were undertaken. The study established that higher educational levels enhanced participation of men, technological interventions also promoted the participation of men as it enhanced their interest in the project and culture promoted men’s participation in these projects in Bureti especially as leaders and decision makers in the projects. Lack of adequate information and lack of adequate finance impacted their participation negatively. The study recommended the formulation of policies including friendly financial packages for men. It also recommended the installation of proper project information systems by the members of community based agro-forestry projects. It also recommended the enhanced lobbying for increased men’s participation to be done.