Browsing by Author "Gikunda, R. M."

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The Effect of Sleep Quantity on Performance of Students in Public Universities, Kenya
(2014-06) Gikunda, R. M.; Abura, G. O.; Kiriungi, L.; Muchiri, J. M.
The purpose of this study was to examine the subject in public universities. A total of 100 undergraduate students were involved in the study. The study used survey research design. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from the respondents. Data was analyzed with the help of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics specifically frequencies and percentages, and inferential statistics particularly Pearson’s Product Moment Correlation were applied in data analysis. The study achieved a response rate of 92%. The results indicated that majority (54%) had a cumulative average of a B. The study also revealed a positive correlation between sleep quantity and academic performance with a coefficient of 0. 326 (at 0.01 significance level). The study concluded that lack of adequate sleep negatively affects the performance of students in public universities in Kenya. The main cause of insufficient sleep among university students was stress which resulted from family problems, inadequate pocket money and broken relationships. Therefore, public university students need to evaluate their experience of stress, learn and use effective stress management strategies to deal adequately with it.
FERTILIZER MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND PROFITABILITY OF POTATO CROP AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN BUURI
(Chuka University, 2022) Kiroria, P. K.; Oloo-Abucheli, G. O.; Gikunda, R. M.; Okode, M. O.
In Kenya, average production of potatoes has stagnated around 2.9 million tons per year in the past 5 years. While seed potato and total land area under cultivation has risen by 4% and 12.3%, respectively; marginal production have gradually declined by 9%. This decline in production could be attributed to farm management practices, specifically fertilizer management. This study analysed how fertilizer management practices influence potato profitability among small-holding farmers. The specific objectives were to determine: adoption and application of fertilizer management practices, profitability of a potato crop farming and association between fertilizer management and profitability of potato crop enterprise in Buuri Sub-county. The study was anchored on the Allocation Theory and employed a cross-sectional correlational research design, a sample size of 377 respondents drawn from target population of 26,604 households. Questionnaire was used to obtain primary data and analysed using descriptive and inferential analysis tools. The result revealed farmers use fertilizer at planting and growth stages while not at tube formation; DAP fertilizer is used at planting, DAP & NPK at growth stage and CAN fertilizer at tube formation stage. Results on traditional methods of rate of application revealed that: farmers use table spoon full at planting, one handful at vegetation and tube formation stage, while for modern measures were 10 grams at planting and 10-20 grams at vegetation & 10 grams at tube formation stages. Result for placement shows farmers apply fertilizer in potato seed hole before placement of seed and four weeks after planting during vegetation. Correlation result shows weak correlation for right type of fertilizer (r=0.041), strong for right time (of r=0.647), very strong for right rate (r=0.913) and right placement (r=0.882). Fertilizer management contributes 98.7% variation in the profitability of potato crop, with a partial effect of right type at 0.024, right time at 0.014, right rate at 0.581 and right placement at 0.504. Thus fertilizer management practices significantly influence profitability of potato crop.
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ADVISORY SERVICES AND ADOPTION OF AGRICULTURAL INDIGENOUS PRACTICES IN CHUKA SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2021) Ooga, D. M.; Mugambi, J. M.; Munyiri, S. W.; Gikunda, R. M.
Adoption of agricultural indigenous practices (AIPs) holds the promise for agricultural and environmental sustainability. However, the adoption rate has been low among smallholder farmers for decades. Level of advisory services (ASs) accessibility has been documented as one of the key drivers of adoption. However, little information exists to show the relationship between access to ASs and adoption of AIPs in Chuka sub-County. Therefore, the objective of the studyintended to generate factual information regarding the relationship between access to ASs and AIPs adoption among smallholder farmers in the said sub-County. Data was collected from 100 farmers through stratified sampling. Percentages, mean, frequencies, standard deviation, and simple Pearsoncorrelationwere used to analyze data at p<0.05. Results of Pearson correlation indicated a significant positive relationship between access to ASs and adoption of AIPs (r = 0.51, p = 0.01). Conversely, ASs were rated as inaccessible. Further, the study revealed that radio was the most widely used source of information. It was concluded that access to ASs influenced adoption of AIPs among farmers since the relationship was significant. It was therefore, recommended that County government should formulate policies and incentives to enhance access to agricultural ASs towards the adoption of AIPsforagriculturalandenvironmentalsustainability.Countygovernmentshouldalsostepupsupportforextension education and trainings for effective adoption of AIPs among farmers.