Department of Agricultural Resources and Economics

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Addressing the education and training needs of the tea sector in Kenya: The case of the School of Agriculture and Biotechnology at Karatina University
(2015) Kamotho, G.N.; Mathenge, P.W.; Kamiri, H.W
In Kenya, personnel working in the tea sector are drawn from various fields of specialization such as general agriculture, horticulture, engineering and economics. There are no special training programmes to train personnel at degree, diploma and certificate levels on tea in the country. The training needs assessment carried out by Tetralink Taylor and Associates East Africa in 2010, observed that there are training needs for each segment along the tea value chain. It is against this background that the School of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Karatina University recognized the training gap in tea value chain and decided to design and mount specialized programmes in tea. The paper was informed by the Training Needs Report of 2010 by the Tetralink Taylor and Associates East Africa and other secondary data from published articles on tea. From the documentary analysis, it was established that training of personnel for tea sector was long overdue. Karatina University has taken the right direction towards this crucial aspect of human resource capacity building. It is recommended that Karatina University be a centre of excellence for tea information resource and develop more tea academic programmes for manpower training at bachelors, master and doctorate degree levels.
Assessing the contribution of dolichos bean (Lablab purpureus L. (sweet)) to food security in a changing climate in Kenya
(2022) Kamotho, Grace N.; Kinyua, Miriam G.; Muasya, Reuben M.
Lablab pupureus (L.), is a multipurpose drought tolerant legume which is considered as a minor crop in Kenya, hence, it is underutilized. In Kenya there are few known Lablab genotypes for specific environments. Choice of genotypes to grow is based on colour preference and seed availability, thus low yields are obtained. To assess the status of Lablab production in Kenya, a baseline survey was conducted in Lablab growing localities. A disproportionate stratified sampling was used and a questionnaire was administered to 108 respondents from diverse Lablab growing regions of Kenya. Performance of Lablab genotypes under different environmental conditions was also evaluated. Field trials of forty five (45) accessions of Lablab collected from Rift Valley, Eastern, Coast and Central regions of Kenya were established in three locations with different agro-ecological environments; (Nakuru, Uasin Gishu and Bungoma). The 45 accessions and three environments were factorially combined and replicated three times in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Results from the survey indicate that most farmers (84.3%) grew Lablab in small acreage of less than 1.0 acre, and only 44.4% of the respondents used the improved Lablab cultivars which were obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture or research stations. Majority (88%) preferred Lablab to common beans and all respondents noted that Lablab fetched more income per unit quantity than common bean. All respondents utilized Lablab dry beans as food. The crop was also utilized as a livestock feed especially during the dry season when no other crops are in the farms by 51.9% of the respondents while 25% used it in conservation agriculture and for soil erosion control. About 20.4% of farmers used the leaves and green pods as vegetables. The study identified accessions that are suitable for different agro ecological zones. In conclusion, Lablab is a crop that is climate resilient and contributes to food security in communities that grow it. It is recommended that dolichos should be promoted in Kenya as a climate change adaptation measure and for enhancing food security.
Challenges and Opportunities in Tomato Production Chain and Sustainable Standards
(International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 2020-04-23) Gatahi, Dennis Maina
Tomato(Lycopersicon esculentum) is an important member of the Solanaceae family. It is mainly used as food and cash crop globally. Tomato also serves as an ornamental plant in some parts of the world. In urban areas, thiscrop is included in the foodscaping systems where it is grown in hanging baskets, growing pots and aquaponics for aesthetic and food purposes. Tomato production is mainly done for fresh and processing market niches. Most developed countries process a larger portion of tomato than is offered in fresh form. Cultivation of tomato is practiced on the open field and inside greenhouses. Greenhouse production has gained popularity recently. Determinate varieties are produced outdoor while indeterminate ones are produced in greenhouses and tunnels. Due to good adaptability, heirloom tomato varieties are becoming popular especially where farmers practice tomato grafting using the indigenous varieties as rootstocks. High cost of inputs, pest and diseases, postharvest losses and marketing are the major challenges facingtomato production globally. Organic tomato production is an emerging market niche. This is due to the increased consumer awareness, environmental conservation requirements and globalization. Thus, farmers have been making strides towards compliance to organic and other sustainable standards. These standards require adoption of the requisite practices, documentation, verification and certification by a third party. Value addition in tomato is an important aspect in addressing the postharvest challenges, product diversification and ultimately profitability. Thisreview paper is expected to provide the requisite information in tomato value chain to ensure sustainable production of tomato globally.
Climate Variability and Adaptation Among Small Holder Banana Farmers in Mountain Regions of Kenya
(Geography, Environment, Sustainability,, 2021-04-01) Karienye, David K.; Nduru, Gilbert M.; Kamiri, Hellen W.
Banana production is the mainstay industry for majority of small holder farmers living in the mountain regions of Kenya. These regions are affected by climate-related impacts at all levels of the value chain. This paper therefore discusses climate trends, related impacts, and adaptations in banana value chain in Mt. Kenya region for the period between 1980 and 2017. The study locations were purposively selected from Mt. Kenya region to include both Imenti South and Mukurweini sub-counties. A sample of 381 respondents was selected using simple random sampling. Triangulation research design was used to guide the study by integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods in data collection and analysis. Historical document analysis was used to examine climatic data (temperature and rainfall) from the Kenya Meteorological Department, Nairobi. Results showed that rainfall and temperature have changed during the study period. Temperature trends in Mukurweini showed R2 = 0.3314 while in Imenti South R2=0.3441 with an overall annual increase in temperature in Mukurweini by 0.02°C while in Imenti South we registered an increase by 0.016°C for the study period. Mukurweini sub-county rainfall trend line had R2=-0.1064 while Imenti South sub-county had R2=-0.1014. Adverse effects of climate variability on banana value chain included low yields in both Mukurweini (79.2%) and Imenti South (60.2%) sub-counties. Farmers in the study area preferred irrigation (57.2%) followed by crop diversification (13.9%) as adaptive strategies to climate variability.
A community-based evaluation of population growth and agro-pastoralist resilience in Sub-Saharan drylands
(2019-02) Burian, Alfred; Karaya, Rebecca; Julia, Wernersson; Egberth, Mikael; Lokorwa, Benjamin; Nyberg, Gert
Abstract Human population growth is considered together with climate warming as major driver of change in Sub-Saharan Africa. Research on the implications of increased population densities often utilises community knowledge but without incorporating the view of local stakeholders. In this study, we applied a community-centred approach to assess direct and indirect consequences of population growth in drylands of north-western Kenya. Combined social, agricultural and geo-spatial analyses allowed us to identify major system transitions, determine their linkage to population growth and deduce consequences for local livelihoods and community resilience. Community-members reported positive and negative consequences of fourfold population growth since 1974 but evaluated its overall effect as clearly beneficial. This overall positive effect was based on both, positive developments and the successful mitigation of potential system stressors. First, food security was maintained despite high growth rates because a shift from migratory pastoralism to a more labour-intensive agro-pastoralist system helped to increase agricultural productivity. Additionally, land-use changes were linked to land privatisation and improved erosion protection on private land, decoupling population growth from environmental degradation. We detected, however also early warning signs of reduced community resilience as households were unable to fully recover livestock densities after catastrophic events. A population-growth driven reduction in household land-sizes and the decreased monetary value of agricultural production were identified as drivers of this development. The extrapolation of our results to establish a general relationship between population densities, land-use and household resilience in Sub-Saharan drylands suggest that further system transformations will be required to ensure regional food-security.
Determinants of Agricultural Imports in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Gravity Model
(African Journal of Economic Review, 2021-04) Mwangi, Esther N.
Import dependency on agricultural products in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has been increasing over the last two decades raising a lot of concern on the determinants of agricultural imports and their impact on economic growth. This study examines the determinants of agricultural imports in SSA by applying an augmented gravity model on a panel data for 37 SSA countries over the period 1995-2018. The results show that economic size measured by GDP, arable land endowment, membership to regional trade agreement, cultural proximity measured by sharing of a common language, inflation and governance quality influence agricultural imports positively and are significant. Furthermore, population growth of trading partners, geographical proximity measured by distance between the trading countries, transport costs measured by whether a country is landlocked or not, and agriculture productivity of the importing country negatively influence bilateral agricultural imports flow in SSA. These findings are crucial in understanding agricultural trade flows and formulating sound policies aimed at promoting international agricultural trade for economic growth and development in SSA.
Determination of the effect of fermentation on the rate of plant nutrient release from plant tissues.
(2022) KAMOTHO, GRACE N.; MUNGA, ZACHARIA M.
The use of fermented plant extracts (FPE) as a top dress in crop production is a natural process that can provide plant nutrients and suppress diseases. However, there is scanty information on the use of plant extracts and the bulky of it is not documented. This study aimed at determining the effectiveness of fermentation in extracting plant nutrients from plant tissues for use as top dress in crop production. Materials from Lantana (Lantana camara, L), stinging nettle (Urtica dioica L) and Tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia, G), common plants that are locally available in most agricultural areas were investigated. A complete randomized design (CRD) was used to set up the experiments in the laboratory. Tender shoots and leaves of these plants were fermented in water and the levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK) contained were measured at intervals of 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 days. The concentration of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) yeasts and the pH were also determined at each interval. Standard foliar feeds (Agro-Feed and Power Booster) commonly used by farmers were used as control. The results demonstrated that Lantana and stinging nettle were not significantly different in the percentage of N released. Phosphorous was highest in stinging nettle at 5.26%, Tithonia had 5.12% while Lantana had the lowest at 4.48%. However, potassium was highest in Tithonia at 4.38%, stinging nettle had 3.64%, while Lantana had the lowest at 3.63%. There were also high significant differences in concentration of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Yeast and pH at p<0.05. The findings of the study showed that nutrients can be extracted from plant materials by fermentation although in less quantities as compared to commercial foliar feeds.
Effect of Drying Method on Volatile Nutraceuticals and Microbial Growth in Moringa oleifera
(International Journal of Horticultural Science and Technology, 2021) Gatahi, Dennis Maina; Nyoro, Felix
Fresh Moringa oleifera leaves are very rich in phytonutrients, however the leaves are also highly perishable and require processing for increased shelf-life. The method of processing, specifically drying affects the nutritional value of the product. The present study therefore, analyzed the nutraceutical value and growth of toxic microbes when the leaves were dried under different conditions i.e. room temperature, greenhouse, 50% shade net, and in the oven at 60 oC for 4 h. The experiments were carried out at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT). The treatments were applied in triplicate and arranged on a completely randomized design (CRD). Data on nutritional value of dried Moringa leaves was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) for parameterization and means separated using protected LSD0.05. The study showed that drying Moringa leaves under shade, room and greenhouse conditions significantly (P<0.05) affects the nutritional value of the product. The results showed highest levels of vitamin C, vitamin A, polyphenols and terpenoids when the leaves were dried under 50% shade net and room temperature conditions. In contrast, the glucosinolate content was significantly (P<0.05) higher when the leaves were dried instantly in the oven (9.1%/wt), followed by drying under greenhouse conditions (8.7%/wt) before oven drying. However, drying of Moringa leaves under shade before oven drying resulted in growth of toxic microbial organisms such as staphylococcus, yeast, E. coli and molds that can potentially affect the safety of the product. Finally, the drying conditions also significantly (P<0.05) affected the moisture content of the powder obtained. The results of this study form an important reference for small-holder Moringa growers and processors in the development of an optimal processing regime for high value Moringa powder
The Effect of Participation in Farmer Groups on Household Adoption of Sustainable Land Management Practices in Kenyan Drylands
(Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, 2020-12) Karaya, Rebecca N.; Onyango, Christopher A.; Ogendi, George M.
Land degradation is a major cause of declining yields and loss of dryland ecosystems resilience in the Lake Baringo Basin in Kenya. One of the solutions to land degradation in drylands is the application of Sustainable Land Management (SLM) technologies. Improving farmers’ capacity to adopt SLM technologies has been an important strategy of the Kenyan government and her development partners to addressing land degradation. State agricultural extension services are charged with the role of building this capacity. Unfortunately, such extension services have had little impact in the Kenyan drylands. To counter this inadequacy in extension services, farmers have formed grass-root organisations to foster networks of support and information sharing. In this paper, we analysed the effect of participation in farmers organisation in promoting adoption of SLM practices by agropastoralists in the Lake Baringo Basin. Data were collected through in-depth household interviews with 150 farmers, 79 of them group members and 71 non-group members. Level of knowledge, sources of information and challenges of SLM adoption were studied. The study revealed significant and positive association between group participation and adoption of SLM practices at X2 (3, N=150=63.209, P=0.000). Additionally, group partnering with development agencies like Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and government departments was reported to have significant influence on household adoption of SLM practices at X2 (3, N=79=13.147, P=0.004). The results indicated that farmer groups can effectively be used to leverage farmers' adoption of SLM innovations and potentially improve household income and food security in the Kenyan drylands. We recommended organizational and resource capacity building for farmer groups to promote their effectiveness in provision of resources and services to their members. In addition, government research and extension agencies and academia should consider forming collaborations with farmer groups in generation of SLM technologies that are suited to the farmers location and prevailing context.
Effects of Blended Fertilizers on Leaf Nutrients Content of Mature Clonal Tea in Kenya. Journal of Experimental Research. Volume 6 (2).
(Enugu State University of Science & Technology, 2018-06) itienei, Kibet S; Kamiri, Hellen W.; Kamau, David M.; Nyabundi, Wilson K.; Morogo, Maureen
Fertilizer studies in Kenya tea industry have focused predominantly on compound NPK. These fertilizers cannot be easily manipulated for specific soils and tea clones. In this respect, Athi River Mining limited has produced Mavuno blended NPK fertilizers with calcium (Ca) and magnesium (Mg). However, their application rates that would result in optimal nutrients uptake are lacking. This is the knowledge gap that this study sought to address. Therefore, the fertilizer blends were assessed for their effects on nutrients uptake at different rate in two sites. The sites were selected purposefully, one in the eastern and the other in the western tea growing areas. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) were used to select 36 trial plots in the two areas which were treated with three fertilizer types where one type was control, and four fertilizer application rates with one rate being a control. The trial was replicated three times Leaf samples were collected and analyzed for nutrients content. The data were then subjected to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Mstat C computer software package. Two leaves and a bud had higher nitrogen content (Timbilil 4.84%; Kagochi 4.53%) compared to deficient levels in mature leaf (Timbilil 2.26%; Kagochi 2.95%). This study has shown that supplementing the soil applied NPK fertilizers with calcium, magnesium and micronutrients resulted in better nutrients uptake.
EFFECTS OF WEATHER ON THRIPS POPULATION DYNAMICS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON THE THRIPS PEST MANAGEMENT
(Karatina University, 2008-06-30) Waiganjo, M.M.; Gitonga, L.M.; Mueke, J.M.
Onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman, is the most destructive insect pest of the onion crop, Allium cepa L. worldwide. Both larvae and adults attack the onion crop at all stages of its growth, resulting in reduction of yield and quality. Despite the heavy losses incurred as a result of damage by the onion thrips, very little efforts have been made to develop an integrated pest management strategy for the control of the pest in many African countries. Field trials were conducted in four seasons at the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) Mwea-Tebere farm in Kirinyaga District. Onion plants were planted periodically and thrips populations monitored weekly from onion plant samples and blue sticky traps for a full year under natural field conditions. The purpose of the trials was to assess the effect of weather on thrips population in onions with the aim of predicting thrips control requirements for a given climatic trend. Weather variables monitored included: rainfall, temperature, relative humidity and wind. Thrips occurred in the onion field and infested onions in all the crop seasons. However, there was significant (P=0.05) variation in thrips numbers between the crop seasons. Dry weather (30.3 mm rainfall) with moderately high temperatures (15.6-28.2oC) increased seasonal thrips numbers, while wet season (391mm rainfall) with moderately high relative humidity was negatively correlated with thrips numbers. Regression analysis (step-wise selection model) showed that minimum relative humidity was the only significant weather factor for predicting thrips infestation in the onion crop (R2 =0.15; y = 60.342-0.1022x). The results suggest that climatic trends can be used to determine the potential thrips control needs in onion production.
Emerging issues in the Tea Industry
(2015) Kimenyi, E.
Enhancing Tripartite Symbiosis between Soybean, Bradyrhizobia and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungiunder Contrasting Farm Management Practices in Tharaka-Nithi County-Kenya
(Kenyatta University, 2021-05) Gitonga, Nicholas Mawira
Organic farming is gaining popularity as agronomically and environmentally sound soil management strategy with the potential to enhance soil microbial diversity and fertility, environmental quality and sustainable crop production. However, the role of bradyrhizobia and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in organic farming systems is poorly understood. Field experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of organic farming and bradyrhizobia inoculation on soybean nodulation, AMF root colonization, growth, production and yield quality. Greenhouse and laboratory experiments sought to determine the effects of bradyrhizobia and/or AMF inoculation and dual inoculation in promoting root colonization and nodulation, determine soil mycorrhizal inoculum potential (MIP), evaluate the abundance and effectiveness of native bradyrhizobia and determine the morphological and genetic diversity of native bradyrhizobia isolates under different farm management practices. Field experimental treatments included native bradyrhizobia, commercial Bradyrhizobiun japonicum, a mixture of native and commercial Bradyrhizobium japonicum and control. Promiscuous soybeans varieties SB 19 and SC squire as well as non-promiscuous Gazelle were used as test plants. All field experiments were carried out in split-split plot design. In the greenhouse, AMF and bradyrhizobia were inoculated and dual inoculated on SC squire soybeans. The AMF inoculants used were Funneliformis mosseae and Rhizophagus irregularis while bacteria involved commercial bradyrhizobia and native bradyrhizobia. Greenhouse experiments were set out using completely randomized design. The native bradyrhizobia were isolated and characterized. Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from nodule isolates was extracted using Gene Jet DNA extraction kit. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting 16S rDNA gene was carried out using universal primers P5-R and P3-F. Polymerase chain reaction product purification and sequencing was carried out in MacrogenNetherlands. Sequencing was done using the same primers. Non molecular data obtained was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Means that were significantly different at p< 0.05 were separated using Tukey’s HSD test. Field experiment results demonstrated significant improvement of soybean nodule dry weight (NDW), shoot dry weight (SDW) and seed dry weight (SEDW) due to inoculation. Bradyrhizobia inoculation increased soybean seed yields by between 29-59% of its potential yield. Remarkably, organic farming significantly (p=0.001) out-performed conventional systems in SDW, NDW, SEDW and AMF root colonization. Moreover, seed nutrient significantly differed in organic and conventional farming where, seed nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic carbon were higher in organic farming. Soybean varieties differed significantly on SDW, NDW and SEDW, where SC squire performed better compared to SB 19 and Gazelle. Greenhouse results showed bradyrhizobia and AMF dual inoculation significantly enhanced AMF root colonization, NDW and SDW compared with individual bradyrhizobia, AMF or control. Moreover, organic farming significantly (p=0.001) increased SDW, NDW and AMF root colonization compared to conventional farming. Organic farming had a significant effect (p = 0.001) on soil MIP. Based on molecular analysis, isolates were bradyrhizobia and matched with Bradyrhizobium japonicum among other species. There was little or no genetic differentiation of isolates with the highest molecular variation (91.12%) within the populations and 8.88 % among populations. The results demonstrate the importance of organic farming and dual inoculation in sustainable crop production. The highly potential native bradyrhizobia isolates (GRPc and GRPk) and exotic AMF should be xix popularized and commercially ultilized by farmers to alleviate declining soil fertility and increase food production with minimum expenses.
Environmental issues in the tea value chain
(2015) Macharia, A.
The Director EEIPP's presentation pointed out that tea production is important for Kenya’s economy in several ways. These include: direct and indirect contribution to GDP and exports dependency; Source of employment; and, Food security. However, there are environmental concerns in the tea sector. The Environmental Concerns can be summarized into three: i) Concerns during construction of tea factories and associated infrastructure; ii) Concerns during tea manufacturing process; and iii) Concerns in tea agriculture.
Factors influencing adoption potential of purple tea in Nyeri County: A geographic perspective
(2015) Huho, J.M.
Kenya is the world’s third largest producer of tea after China and India. Tea plays a major role in Kenya’s economy as it is the third major foreign exchange earner, behind tourism and horticulture and employs approximately four million people. Over 96% of the tea is produced and exported as black tea; largely for blending lower quality tea from other countries, leading to low market prices. Coupled with the effects of changing climate, the low prices have been threatening tea production. As a result, Tea Research Foundation of Kenya (TRFK) has developed the purple tea clone (TRFK306/1) which is not only high quality and high yielding but also drought, frost and diseases resistant. The release of purple tea clone to farmers in 2011 was in response to the Vision 2030 and MediumTerm Plan (MTP) 2008-2012 which targeted new tea products diversification and value addition so as to enhance tea productivity and to boost agricultural economic growth. Unfortunately, the adoption of the purple tea by farmers has remained relatively low with the awareness standing at 30%. To a large extent, this has been attributed to poor marketing of the purple tea and inadequate processing plants for the product. The need to enhance adoption potential on purple tea has therefore, led to emergence of researches largely focusing on economic aspects such as marketing and establishment of processing plants. However, other important factors influencing adoption potential such as climate change and demographic characteristics of the farmers have received less attention. This study investigated the socio-demographic factors affecting adoption potential of purple tea in Nyeri County from a geographical perspective.
Farm Household Typology Based on Soil Quality and Influenced by Socio-Economic Characteristics and Fertility Management Practices in Eastern Kenya
(2023-04-12) Wawire, Amos; Csorba, Ádám; Zein, Mohammed; Rotich, Brian; Phenson, Justine; Szegi, Tamás; Kovács, Eszter Tormáné; Michéli, Erika
The smallholder farming systems in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are highly diverse and heterogeneous in terms of biophysical and socio-economic characteristics. This study was conducted in upper Eastern Kenya (UEK) to categorize farm households and determine the influence of socio-economic characteristics (SeC) and soil fertility management practices (SFMP) on soil fertility across farms. Conditioned Latin hypercube sampling (cLHS) was performed to determine 69 soil sampling sites within Meru and Tharaka Nithi counties. From each household (whose field soil sample was obtained), data relating to resource endowment and soil fertility management were collected through a household questionnaire survey. Standard laboratory procedures were used to analyse soil samples. Data reduction was performed using categorical principal component analysis (CATPCA) (for SeC and SFMP) and standard principal component analysis (PCA) (for soil properties). Two-step cluster analysis identified three distinct farm categories or farm types (FT), namely, low fertility farms (FT1), moderately fertile farms (FT2), and fertile farms (FT3). The correlation of clusters against soil properties was significant across pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), cation exchange capacity (CEC), available P, plant available K, and exchangeable bases. FT1 had low SOC, pH, CEC and available P (soil characteristics), low usage of fertilizer and manure (soil fertility management), and smaller household size, lower income, and smaller farm size (socio-economic). FT2 had lower SOC (compared to FT3) and available P. In terms of soil fertility management, FT2 had higher cases of fallowing and composting with moderate fertilizer usage. Households in this category had moderate income, family size, and land size (socio-economic). FT3 had relatively high SOC, pH, CEC, and mineral nutrients. This farm type was characterized by high fertilizer use (soil fertility management) as well as larger household size, higher income, and larger farm size (socio-economic). The results indicate the importance of nutrient management in enhancing soil quality. Delineation and characterization of farms based on the various parameters including resource endowment reveal imbalanced farm resource flows, suggesting a need for locally tailored interventions suited for location-specific conditions to facilitate improved targeting of soil fertility-enhancing technologies and sustainable crop production regimes. While fertilizer is one of the most critical inputs for enhancing agricultural production, it is a major contributor to nitrous oxide emissions from agriculture and can have negative environmental effects on soil biota and water sources. Farmers’ knowledge on the use of fertilizer is thus necessary in developing strategies (such as integrated approach) to promote its efficient use and minimize its detrimental impacts.
Farmers' Preference for Onion Varieties and Implications of Knowledge of Iris Yellow Spot Disease in Kenya
(African Crop Science Journal, 2021-03) Subramanian, S.; Birithia, R.K.; Kuria, D.K.
Thrip transmitted Iris yellow spot disease (IYSD) is an economically important viral disease, affecting bulb onions worldwide. Recommended IYSD resistant varieties are not commonly grown in countries like Kenya, yet inappropriate disease control measures are applied upon disease occurrence in the fields. This is presumably due to lack of knowledge on the disease and/or recommended varieties do not match farmers’ preferred traits. The objective of this study was to assess farmers’ knowledge of IYSD and their criteria for selecting onion varieties for/against IYSD in Kenya. A study was conducted with 360 respondents across three onion growing agro-ecological zones (AEZ) in Kenya, during 2019- 2020. Farmers’ fields were assessed for IYSD incidence and severity. All farmers acknowledged the existence of IYSD based on diseased plants in the field. However, majority of the farmers (95.6%) were not aware of the cause of the disease. Onion thrips and IYSD susceptible red onion varieties were the most preferred (77.9%) by farmers. Preference for these varieties was based on their high yielding capacity, early maturity, strong pungency, marketability and long shelf life. Most farmers (59.8%) relied on fungicides to control IYSD, though ineffectively. Lack of appropriate management strategies for IYSD was due to lack of knowledge on the disease diagnosis, epidemiology as well as cultivation of IYSD susceptible red varieties.
Genetic mapping and identification of quantitative trait loci for yield and drought tolerance in tea
(2015) Kamunya, S.M.; Kireger, E.K.; Wachira, F.N.; Sharma, R.S.; Korir, R.; Maritim, T; Kiplang’at, J.; Sharma, V.; Chalo, R.; Ahuja, P.S.
Accelerated breeding and selection of improved tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) cultivars requires sound knowledge and understanding of genetics associated with desirable attributes.Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping for yield and drought tolerance in tea was performed using 42 F1 clonal progeny derived from a cross between tea cultivars TRFCA SFS150 and AHP S15/10 that had been established at two distinct tea growing regions in Kenya. The 100 informative markers identified in the cross that exhibited 1:1 segregation ratio were used to construct a linkage map of tea. The map consisted of 30 (19 maternal and 11 paternal) linkage groups that spanned 1411.5 cM with mean interval of 14.7 cM between loci. QTL analysis was carried out for yield and drought tolerance produced nine putative yieldQTLs and 13QTLs for drought tolerance. None of theQTLs was congruently detected in the two sites owing to G x E interactions. Markers OPT-18- 2500 and OPO-02-900 had pleiotropic effects in that they were significantly associated with yield at Timbilil (YLD-T; P = 0.007) and drought tolerance at Kangaita (DT-K; P = 0.003). The implications of the current study with respect to mapping population, G x E and marker-assisted selection are discussed.
ICT and technological development in advancing tea research in Kenya
(2015) Oluoch, J.; Osida, J.
Agriculture is the backbone of the Kenyan economy and it is constantly influenced by changes in technology. Because of the rapid development of ICT in the world, each organization or person has to concern their products and services more towards modernized and ICT related manner. This research contribute to understand the technological development and use of ICT in advancing tea research, identify the constraints associated with ICT use and propose recommendations with managerial implications towards the improvement of present ICT system in agriculture sector of Kenya. Tea producers and farmers in Kericho County were selected for the survey. A scoring system was used to develop continuous dependent variables which were used in regression models to identify the variables most significantly influencing ICT use. Least significant difference technique was used to identify comparisons of constraints in ICT use in advancing tea research. There were 60.6% of the participants who used ICT related equipment or facilities for their tea production and tea related business and 76.1% of the participants had ICT uptake problems, where telecommunication and internet reported higher impact on tea sector. The participants stressed the cost of technology, lack of training, trust level in the ICT system, lack of ICT proficiency and lack of technological infrastructure as challenges for ICT use in advancing tea research. Managers can use these results to promote ICT use in tea research that can lead to more efficient communication and increased demand for the firm’s products and services. The usage of different ICT applications was comparatively high in tea sector and in general the usage of mobile communication was common among all participants. This survey results provide insights which suggest corrective steps to expedite ICT and technological development in advancing tea research and prioritize the necessary research in the sector.
Impact of innovation on the financial performance of KTDA managed tea factories: A case of Meru and Kirinyaga counties
(2015) Kiai, R.M.; Wambui, J.W.
Kenya is a key player in global tea industry and especially through Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA). However, KTDA has been facing the challenges of increasing cost of production in the recent past. The higher processing cost translates to low returns to the farmers resulting in conflict between the management and the farmers. To address the issue of increasing cost, a number of innovations have been undertaken with the aim of reducing the operational cost. This paper looks at the organizational innovation and process innovations and the effect they have in the reduction of operation costs in KTDA factories in Meru and Kirinyaga counties. The study used both primary and secondary data from sampled respondents. A self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting primary data and financial reports by the companies for the secondary data. Data analysis was by use of SPSS, where descriptive and inferential statistics, t-statistic, were used in assessing the relationship between the variables in the study. The study found out that the innovations adopted by KTDA have had a positive impact on the financial performance of the factories by reducing the operational cost. The paper recommends that KTDA managed factories continue adopting innovations in their operations to lower operational cost and higher returns to the farmers.