Thesis (MScFor)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Kenya's economy depends largely on agriculture for growth and development and yet
only 20% of the total land area lies in high potential farming areas that support 80%
of the total population and 50% of the total livestock in the country. Intensified
cropping as a result of the high population concentration on high potential areas has
put pressure on land and other resources to an extent that potential productivity of
these areas has been degraded. Loss of soil nutrients through soil erosion has caused
decreased food production, deterioration of croplands and, siltation and
eutrophication of water bodies. Over reliance on forest resources by the communities
in the study area has led to deforestation as well as the general disturbance of
watershed areas and its functions. There is need therefore to find alternative ways of
retaining and/or restoring lost fertility through community participation so as to
increase food production.
The aim of this study was to investigate the socio-economic factors that influence
farmer participation in agroforestry activities in Moiben and Ainabkoi Divisions of
Uasin-Gishu District. Data was collected using participatory methods. One set of
data was collected using a questionnaire that had both open and closed ended
questions. Through random sampling, a total of 300 farmers were interviewed.
Additionally, key informants from various government departments were
interviewed. The other set' of data was obtained through resource assessment in a
forest adjacent to the communities in the study area.
This study found that the majority of the farmers had not practised agroforestry
despite many being aware of it. Socio-economic problems that hindered them from
adopting and practising agroforestry technologies included lack of forest extension
services as a reliable source of information about suitable tree species, and how to
plant and best locate them within the farm, gender-related issues hindered vulnerable
groups, particularly women and children and lack of secure land tenure was a
disincentive to those farmers who live on trust land and the married sons who have
not been allocated land by their parents. Farm labour during peak farming period was
found to scarce due to farmer prioritisation of farm activities. Farmers mentioned that
trees occupy land that is already becoming scarce and only give returns in the long
term yet farmers need immediate benefits. Forest extension services were ineffective
due to scarcity of resources that would enable officers to discharge their duties
efficiently. Resources within the gazetted forests were being over exploited since that
was the only source with cheaply available wood and non-wood products. It was also
found in this study that the majority of the farmers faced environmental problems that
included soil erosion, decreased crop yields as well as shortage of wood products.
In the future, affordable extension techniques need to be employed in order to reach
the farmers. The current regulations that govern private land ownership should be
streamlined so as to enable all family members participate in decision-making on
utilisation of land. There is need to incorporate agroforestry adult literacy classes as
well as in local school curricula. Being multi disciplinary, agroforestry can be spread
to the farmers by involving stakeholders at every stage. The current crop of extension agents should be re-trained or should be attending in-service courses regularly. This
could transform them into facilitators. Further research should be done on farmers'
attitude towards trees, cheaper techniques of disseminating information on
agroforestry should be investigated while the current extension techniques should be
evaluated for their strengths and weaknesses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kenia se ekonomie is grootliks afhanklik van landbou vir groei en vooruitgang.
Slegs 20% van die totale beskikbare landbougrond in hoe-potensiele landbou
areas ondersteun 80% van die totale bevolking en 50% van die totale lewende
hawe. Hoë bevolkingsdigtheid vereis intensiewe oesverbouing wat weer hoë
druk op landbougrond en ander bronne plaas. Dit het tot gevolg dat die
moontlike produktiwiteit van hierdie areas agteruit gaan. Die verlies van
voedingstowwe as gevolg van gronderosie het verlaagde voedselproduksie,
agteruitgang van landbougrond en toeslikking van waterbronne tot gevolg. Die
algehele afhanklikheid van gemeenskappe op bosprodukte het tot ontbossing en
algemene versteuring van opvanggebiede gelei. Dit is dus noodsaaklik om
alternatiewe maniere te kry om die grondvrugbaarheid te behou en/of te herstel
deur gemeenskapsamewerking en om sodoende voedselverbouing te verhoog.
Die doel van die studie is om ondersoek in te stel na die sosio-ekonomiese
faktor wat die landbouer se samewerking in Moiben en Ainabkoi gebiede van
Uasin-Gishu distrik beïnvloed. Die inligting is ingesamel deur deelnemende
metodes te gebruik. 'n Vraelys met keuse- en ander soortige vrae is gebruik om
die inligting in te samel. 'n Totaal van 300 landbouers is deur toevallige
keuring ondervra asook segsmanne van verskeie regeringsdepartemente is vir
inligting genader. Nog inligting is verkry deur hulpbronopnames in die gebied
aangrensend tot die gemeenskappe van die studiegebied.
Hierdie studie het gewys dat die meerderheid van die landbouers nie
agrobosbou toepas nie alhoewel hulle wel daarvan bewus is. Sosio-ekonomiese
faktore wat hulle verhinder om agrobosbou toe te pas sluit die gebrek aan
lanboudienste as betroubare bron van inligting oor geskikte boomspesies en
boomaanplantingmetodes in. Ook het geslagverwante probleme, kwesbare
groepe veral vroue en kinders, gehinder. 'n Tekort aan gewaarborgde
grondbesit vir landbouers wat op trustgrond werk en die getroude seuns aan wie
nog nie grond deur hulle ouers toegeken is nie, was terughoudende faktore.
Plaasarbeid was ook nie standhoudend nie. Landbouers het ook gevoel dat
bome waardevolle en skaars grond gebruik en slegs voordele op die lange duur
gee terwyl die landbouers die voordele dringend moet kan benut.
Landbouvoorligtingsdienste was nie effektief nie as gevolg van die skaarsheid
van hulpbronne wat personeel kan help in hulle verpligtinge. Voedsel- en ander
bronne uit die bosreservate word uitgeput aangesien dit die enigste goedkoop
bron is. Die studie het ook bevind dat die meerderheid landbouers
omgewingsverwante probleme soos erosie en swak oeste asook 'n tekort aan
houtprodukte ondervind.
Voortaan behoort bekostigbare landbouvoorligtingstegnieke gebruik te word om
landbouers te bereik. Die huidige bepalings wat privaatbesit reguleer behoort
vereenvoudig te word sodat al die lede van een gesin 'n aandeel kan hê in die
besluitnemingsproses oor die gebruik van die grond. Daar is ook 'n behoefte
aan volwasse-geletterdheidsonderrig vir landbouers as deel van die
skoolprogram. Aangesien agrobosbou verskeie gebiede raak, kan landbouers in enige stadium betrek word. Die huidige groep personeel behoort heropgelei te
word of behoort gereeld indiensopleiding te ontvang. Dit kan hulle tot
fasiliteerders bevorder. Verdere navorsing is nodig om landbouers se houding
teenoor bome te verander en om goedkoper landbouvoorligtingstegnieke vir
agrobosbou te vind. Huidige landbouvoorligtingstegnieke behoort ook
ondersoek te word om die sterk - en swakpunte te bepaal.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/53058 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Kurgat, Alfred Kipchumba |
| Contributors | Grundy, Isla, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Forest and Wood Science. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 168 pages : illustrations |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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