DETERMINANTS OF SPATIAL VARIATION AND ADOPTION OF DAIRY GOAT FARMING IN NYERI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The study was guided by the following specific objectives: to examine the spatial variations in adoption of dairy goat farming in Nyeri County and to determine the factors influencing the adoption of dairy goat farming in Nyeri County.The study adopted a descriptive household survey design. Three-stage systematic sampling technique was applied to select a representative sample of 215 households from a population of 248,050. Both primary and secondary data were used in the study. Secondary data was collected through a thorough review of available literature while primary data was collected through face to face interviews using a structured questionnaire. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test. The results of the study showed that there existed spatial differences in adoption of dairy goat farming in Nyeri County. Chi-square test revealed that traditional goat farming experience, gender, household head age, agro-ecological zone, education, farmers’ group membership and access to extension services had significant impact on farmers’ dairy goat farming adoption decision in the study area. Based on the results, the study recommends enhancement of dairy goat adoption through improving farmers’ access to extension services. More extension service providers should be trained and deployed to farm level to facilitate timely provision of quality agricultural information on dairy goat farming. Policies geared towards empowering women also need to be promoted in order to increase their ability to engage in profitable dairy goat farming enterprises. In this regard, their access to financial resources and land should be improved. Farmers’ associations should also be strengthened so as to better play their role of offering technological, financial and informational support to farmers. The ministry of finance should collaborate with financial institutions to make credit more accessible to farmers. Dairy goat farming promotional campaigns should be carried out in the entire county to reduce the spatial disparity in adoption of the technology among the sub-counties.