An Evaluation of the Effects of Agro-meteorological Information on Maize Enterprise Management

87 Pages·2016·0.88 MB·English

AN EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTS OF AGRO-METEOROLOGICAL
INFORMATION ON MAIZE ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT AMONG
SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN MIGORI, KENYA.

By

Herman Ouko Oyugi

(B.Sc. Agric. Education and Extension, (UoN))

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of
Science in Agricultural Information and Communication Management.
University of Nairobi.

August, 2016
i
Declaration
I declare that this is my original work and has not been presented for an award of any degree in
any university.
Name: Herman Ouko Oyugi. Date: ……………………
(A56/69008/2013).
Sign…………………………
This thesis has been submitted with our approval as university supervisors.
Name: Dr. Hillary Nyang‘anga. Date……………………….
Department of Agricultural economics.
Sign……………………………….
Name: Mr. Evans Chimoita. Date……………………….
Department of Agricultural economics.
Sign……………………………….
Name: Dr. Titus Magomere. Date……………………….
Kenyatta University.
Sign………………………………

ii
Dedication
This thesis is dedicated to my beloved family, father, mother brothers and sister, whose
understanding and sacrifice have given me an inspiration and courage in fulfilling this study.

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Acknowledgement
I acknowledge the dedicated support of my supervisors Dr. Hillary Nyang‘anga, the late Dr. Fred
Mugivane, Mr. Evans Chimoita, and Dr. Titus Magomere for their valuable suggestions,
constructive criticisms during my thesis preparation and strong support during all stages of my
work. I would also want to thank the University of Nairobi, Faculty of Agriculture, through the
director Board of Postgraduate Studies for the award of the scholarship and ensuring that my
tuition fee was waivered and the stipend promptly paid for the entire study period.
I am also extremely grateful to the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock
Migori County for their support during the entire field work period. I am grateful to the
Divisional Agricultural Officer Migori East Mr. Albert Nyongesa for assisting in the logistics
Mr. Daniel Origa and Mrs. Monica Ochiel and all the Frontline Extension Officers who assisted
with field data collection. I am indebted to Mr. Nicanor Odongo for his assistance during data
analysis. Many thanks to my larger family Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Oyugi, brothers and sister,
friends Mr. Tembe and Mr. Odep, 2013 Agricultural Information and Communication
Management (AICM) cohort, members of staff department of agricultural economics, University
of Nairobi for their prayers and moral support throughout the study period.
Special thanks to the farmers in Migori and extension officers for their willingness and readiness
to share with me their wealth of experience while handling maize. God bless you all.

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Table of content
Title Page
Declaration………………………………………………………………………………………....i
Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………………..….ii
Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………..…iii
Table of content…………………………………………………………………………………..iv
List of tables………………………………………………………………………………..…...viii
List of figures..................................................................................................................x
List of appendices………………………………………………………………………………...xi
Abbreviations and acronyms……………………………………………………………….........xii
Abstract............................................................................................................................……....xiii
1.0 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background information…………………………………………………………….……1
1.2 Statement of the problem……...………..…………………………………………….….3
1.3 Justification…………………………………………………………………………….…4
1.4 Objectives
1.4.1 General objective……………………………...…………………………………6
1.4.2 Specific objectives……………………………………………………………….6
1.5 Research questions……………..…………………………………………………………6
1.6 Significance of the study…………………………………………………………...…….7
1.7 Limitations of the study…...……………………………………………………………...7
2.0 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Access and utilization of agro-meteorological information…………………...............9
2.2 Importance of agro-meteorological information to farmers………………………..10
2.3 Agro-meteorological needs and analysis………………………………………..........12
2.4 Coping strategies with agro-meteorological risks and uncertainties………………….13
2.5 Use of traditional weather and climate knowledge..........................................…………15
2.6 Agricultural enterprise and its susceptibility to climatic factors .......……….................16
2.7 Agricultural information dissemination.................................…......................................18
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2.8 Gaps in literature………………………………………………………………………..20
2.9 Theoretical framework…………………………………………………………….........20
2.9.1 Agenda setting theory………………………………………………................20
2.9.2 Priming…………………………………………………………………..............22
2.9.3 Framing……………………………………………………………….................22
2.9.4 Criticisms of agenda setting theory…………………………………...................23
2.10 Conceptual framework ………………………………………………………………..24
3.0 CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Study area……………………………………………………………………………….27
3.2 Sampling design and techniques…………………………………….…......................28
3.3 Data collection………………………………………………………………………..30
3.4 Data analysis……….…………………………………………………………………30
4.0 CHAPTER FOUR: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1.0 Socio-economic characteristics of the respondents…………………………………33
4.1.1 Gender distribution of the respondents………………………………….........33
4.1.2 Age distribution of the respondents……………………………………..........35
4.1.3 Education level of the respondents…………………………………………...35
4.1.4 Occupation of the respondents…………………………………………..........38
4.2.0 Agro-meteorological information awareness and accessibility…………………….39
4.2.1 Agro-meteorological information awareness………………………….…..........39
4.2.2 Agro-meteorological accessibility………………………………………...........39
4.3.0 Agro-meteorological information dissemination………………………………..........41
4.3.1 Television forecasts……………………………………………………..........44
4.3.2 Use of video in the dissemination of agro-meteorological information………44
4.3.3 Usefulness of agro-meteorological information presentations………................45
4.3.4 Preferred media for communicating agro-meteorological
information……………………………….…………………………………...46
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4.4.0 Agro-meteorological warning services………………………………………..........47
4.4.1 Farmer understanding of the symbols used in television and weather
Charts........................................................................................................……...50
4.5.0 Factors affecting access to agro-meteorological information…………………….......50
4.6.0 Use of agro-meteorological information in the management of maize
enterprise………………………………………………………………………………..52
4.7.0 Use of agro-meteorological information in maize enterprise selection...........….........53
4.8.0 Regression results…………………………………………………………………..54
4.8.1 Regression results for the first research question…………………………….54
4.8.2 Evaluation of the model……………………………………………………….56
4.8.3 Regression results for the second research question…………………………..56
4.8.4 Evaluation of the model …………………………...............................................57

5.0 CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Summary and Conclusions……………….…………………………………………..59
5.2 Recommendations………………………………………………………………………61
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………….............62
APPENDICES…………………………………………………………………………………68

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List of Tables Page
Table 1: Socio-economic characteristics of the respondents. ……………………………………34
Table 2: Pearson‘s correlation analysis…………………………………………………………..37
Table 3: Usefulness of agro-meteorological information presentations…………………………46
Table 4: Preferred media for agro-meteorological information dissemination…………….........47
Table 5: Use of agro-meteorological warning services…………………………………….........49
Table 6: Farmers understanding of the symbols used in forecasts………………………………50
Table 7: Use of agro-meteorological information in the management of maize farms…….........52
Table 8: Use of agro-meteorological information in maize enterprise selection…………...........53
Table 9 ANOVA table for the first research question…………………………………………...56
Table 10: ANOVA table for the second research question……………………………..………..57

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List of figures Page
Figure 1: Two step flow of information………………………………………………………….21
Figure 2: Conceptual framework………………………………………………………………...25
Figure 3: Map of the study area………………………………………………………………….28
Figure 4: Agro-meteorological information accessibility………………………………..............40
Figure 5: Mean acreage under maize in Migori County. ………………………………………..41
Figure 6: Channels used in agro-meteorological information dissemination……………………42
Figure 7: Use of videos in agro-meteorological information dissemination…………………….45
Figure 8: Agro-meteorological information warning services preference……………………….49
Figure 9: Factors affecting agro-meteorological information accessibility……………………...51

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List of appendices Page
Appendix 1: Research questionnaire…………………………………………………………….68
Appendix 2: Interview schedule…………………………………………………………………73
Appendix 3: Regression results………………………………………………………………….74
Appendix 4: Map of the study area………………………………………………………………75

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