Abstract
Access to information on agroforestry is a key transformer to agricultural productivity. This study was undertaken to find out Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs) sources and factors influencing access and use of these information sources by smallholder agroforestry farmers in Kajiado Central, sub-County in Kenya. A survey of 67 respondents was analyzed using Chi-square at 0.05 levels of significance to determine relationship between socio-economic characteristics of households and access to agroforestry information sources. The results showed 53.7 % of the farming households used face to face communication namely; neighbours and friends, extension agents and group meeting, while 34.1 % actively used ICTs information sources namely; radio, television, telephone and internet; and 28.8 % used demonstrations and publicity events to disseminate (one way) or share (receive and send feedback) information on agroforestry practices. Land size, secured land tenure, education level, monthly income and distance to the shopping centre were socio-economic factors found statistically significantly difference (p<0.05) and positively influencing farmers' access to sources of agroforestry information. The study recommends policy makers, planners and implementers to empower farming households through capacity building, incorporating ICT devices, supporting farmers to farmers meetings to promote agroforestry practices in Kenya.
Highlights
Farmers constantly seek agricultural information to increase production and overcome challenges of reducing land productivity potential
This study found Information Communication and Technologies (ICTs), neighboring farmers, extension agent and group meetings were highly influential communication channels used by the households (Table 3)
This study has revealed that social interactions between neighbouring farmers, contacts with extension agents and use of ICTs are essential in adoption of agroforestry practices
Summary
Farmers constantly seek agricultural information to increase production and overcome challenges of reducing land productivity potential. In Kenya, research institutions, universities, agricultural based firms and financial institutions are core agricultural information sources available to farmers through various other information platforms that integrate ICT devices [1] These institutions are essential knowledge base as they hold diverse agroforestry information and research findings as well as relevant skills developed to improve agricultural and industrial practices. On farm tree planting in form of woodlots, silvi-pasture and apiculture with trees, wind breaks, boundary planting, fodder banks, and fruit orchards are some of the agroforestry farming systems adopted in the area of this study. These practices, plotted by either the government ministries or private sector are either modification of an existing practice more novel to farmers. The aim is to conserve the drylands through increased vegetation cover, provision of fodder [4] and wood fuel, soil protection, food security as well as lessen negative effects of climate change [5, 6]
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