Abstract
A survey targeting smallholder households was carried out in Mumbuni and Ndovoini sub-locations in the semi arid Makueni County, Kenya, to identify agroforestry types and practices and their level of adoption and socio-economic factors influencing adoption of agroforestry. The study involved a survey of 234 households using a structured questionnaire. The collected data was subjected to descriptive statistical analysis and binary logistic regression model. Results obtained revealed that more than 90% of the households practised agroforestry. It was also observed that significantly (P<0.01) more agroforestry trees in overall were planted at Mumbuni (40 trees/acre) than at Ndovoini (9 trees/acre). Agroforestry annually contributed 41 and 17% of farm-based income in Mumbuni and Ndovoini, respectively. Adoption of agroforestry was significantly influenced by the size of the household, mode of acquisition of land, security of land tenure, size of landholding, gender and the level of education of the head household. Adoption of sustainable agroforestry practices was low in both sites. There were 50 to 58% of households with fruit trees dispersed on crop land; the other practices on fruits were poorly being carried out (<20%). The highest practices on forest wood trees were homestead planting (Mumbuni 40.2% and Ndovoini 70.1%); the rest were poorly adopted (<25%). Agroforestry practices on fodder were least adopted (<16%). Key words: Agroforestry, agroforestry practices, Makueni County, semi arid lands, socio-economic factors, adoption of agroforestry.
Highlights
Agroforestry plays an important role in enhancing the resilience of semi arid farming systems by providing a range of products such as human food, fiber, fodder, timber, poles, medicine, and firewood
Forest wood and fodder trees were the three agroforestry tree types planted at the study sites (Table 1)
Most households planted fruit trees. This was followed by forest wood trees and significantly (P
Summary
Agroforestry plays an important role in enhancing the resilience of semi arid farming systems by providing a range of products such as human food, fiber, fodder, timber, poles, medicine, and firewood. In the Semi arid lands of Makueni, Kenya, adoption of agroforestry practices is low despite the recognized potential of sustainable agroforestry to contribute to more resilient farming systems, food security and poverty reduction. Socio-economic study of farmers and their relationship to the agroforestry would help to ascertain the opportunities for the development of agroforestry systems in Kenya (Franzel et al, 2002).
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