Browsing by Author "Munyiri, S. W."

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Effect of Tick Control on Milk Revenue of Smallholder Dairy Farmers in Kapseret Sub-County, Kenya
(IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS), 2021) Bett, J. K.; Nkari, I. M.; Munyiri, S. W.
Milk production is a viable economic enterprise in Kenya. It supports the livelihood of approximately four million Kenyans through food provision, income generation and employment. However, milk production per individual animal in Kenya, averaging seven to nine litres/cow/day, is low compared to the world’s best at 10,133 litres/cow/year (28 litres/cow/day). This means that Kenya produces an average of 20 litres of milk less per cow per day compared to the world’s best. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of tickcontrol on milk revenue of smallholder farmers in Kapseret Sub-county. The study was conducted between the months of January-March, 2020. Primary data was collected using closed and open-ended questionnaires.Spearman’s Rank correlation was used to show the strength of the relationship between the variables. Multiple regression model was used to assess the effect of tick control on milk revenue. Results were presented in tables, and descriptive statistics such as percentages and frequencies. The results indicated a positive and statistically significant relationship (r=0.161 & p=0.017)between tick control and milk revenue. Tick control practices essentially impacted cows’ health, which further influenced the level of milk revenue. The study concluded that tick influenced milk revenue of smallholder dairy farmers in Kapseret Subcounty. The study recommended that smallholder dairy farmers need to be trained on the best and timely prevention measures of east coast fever. The government can encourage tick control practices offering subsidized acaricides. This is mainly because cows’ health have direct influence on production.
IMPACT OF MARKETING CHANNELS, FEED SUPPLEMENTS AND CREDIT ACCESS ON MILK PRODUCTION AMONG SMALLHOLDER DAIRY FARMERS IN CHUKA SUBCOUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2022) Githae, S. W.; Muraya, M. M.; Munyiri, S. W.
Kenya dairy farming contributes approximately 17% of the Gross Domestic Product. Kenyan milk production has been projected to be between seven to nine litres/cow/day, way below international standards whereby a cow produces 25 to 28 litres/cow/day. Low yield of milk is attributed to lack of adequate information on relationship between age, education level, training, experience, marketing channels, feed supplements, credit access and milk production by the majority of the smallholder dairy farmers. This study determined the relationship between age, education level, training, experience, marketing channels, feed supplements (concentrate and minerals), credit access and milk production among smallholder dairy farmers in Chuka Sub County. The research design was correlational and stratified random sampling technique was used, with 238 respondents from a target population of 7396 farmers. Data was analysed using simple and multiple regression models. The study revealed that age education level, experience, were not significant predictors for milk yield. However, training in dairy farming was significant related to milk production. Inclusion of feed supplements was a significant predictor mineral mix provision; concentrate provision of milk yield. Marketing channels, credit access, were insignificant predictors of milk yield. Concentrate and mineral mix were significantly and positively correlated to milk yield. However, marketing channels and credit access were not significantly correlated to milk yield. The study concludes that feed supplements and mineral mix are important in predicting variations in milk yield.
Mechanisms and Sources of Resistance in Tropical Maize Inbred Lines to Chilopartellus Stem Borers
(Journal of Agricultural Science, 2020) Munyiri, S. W.; ; ;
Developing maize with durable resistance to maize stem borers could be enhanced by identifying genotypes with different mechanisms of resistance and pyramiding the resistances into high yielding genotypes. This study was carried out on 120 CIMMYT tropical maize inbred lines to identify the most important mechanisms of resistance that could be used to discriminate the germplasm into resistant or susceptible categories. The experiment was laid in an α-lattice design, and replicated three times during the 2011/12 seasons. Traits measured were leaf toughness, stem penetrometer resistance, trichome density, stem sugar content, leaf damage, number of stem exit holes and stem cumulative tunnel length. A selection index was computed and categorized the 120 inbred lines into 33 resistant, 29 moderately resistant, 31 moderately susceptible and 27 susceptible. The most resistant lines were those derived from the CIMMYT multiple borer-resistant populations with CKSBL10039 being most resistant and CML395 most susceptible with indices of 0.49 and 1.84, respectively. Trichome density, leaf toughness and stem sugar content in that order were the most important traits in discriminating the lines into resistance and susceptible categories. More research is needed to classify the specific types of trichomes and sugars present in both resistant and susceptible inbred lines.
Opportunities for Quality Seed Production and Diffusion through Integration of the Informal Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa
(videleaf, 2020) Munyiri, S. W.; ; ;
In perpetuating the preferred crop species, seed is exchanged among family members, neighboring communities or between tribes and regions according to customs and practices in many African traditions. Overtime, this form of seed sharing and trade formed the basis of the informal seed system also referred to as the farmer-based system or the traditional system. The majority of farmers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) are resource-poor and operate under myriad of constraints including technological, social, infrastructural and cultural limitations thus are mostly unable to access and source recommended quality crop seeds from the existing formal seed systems. Such seeds are pricey and their distribution channels are geographically limited in SSA. These challenges have partly resulted to the growth and persistence of the informal seed sector in the region. Crops established using poor quality seed lead to low yields and poor quality products. Most of the seeds exchanged in the informal sector do not meet the desired quality recommendations and these setbacks have been attributed to low crop production, disease and pest spread across farms and regions. While it is recognized that the informal sector is key in SSA, the challenge in enforcing quality has not been fully addressed to date. Further, due to overreliance on the formal sector for innovation dissemination, there is slow diffusion of new superior improved seeds. Seed is the most easily adopted innovation for improving agricultural productivity and ensuring food security. Essentially, all other agronomic efforts only enhance the inherent capability of a good seed, thus for greater yields, its quality must be unquestionable. The relative importance of the formal and informal seed suppliers is determined in part by biological and technical factors associated with seed production, multiplication, processing and distribution. The development of the formal seed system alone cannot solve the severe lack of quality planting materials in developing countries especially in SSA where perpetual food insufficiency is the norm. Enhancing the informal seed supply systems in the region could partly be achieved through gradual technical supported integration of the two seed systems and exploiting their synergy benefit at community levels. This review is premised on published work and has attempted to examine existing opportunities for enhancing quality seed production and distribution through integration of the two major systems.
PRODUCTION OF MINERAL NUTRIENT-RICH MULTIPURPOSE PUMPKIN LEAFY VEGETABLESUSING INTEGRATED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
(Chuka University, 2022) Mwaura, M. M.; Isutsa, D. K.; Munyiri, S. W.
Enhancing mineral nutrient composition in multipurpose pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch.) is important since it contributes to household food security. To respond to this need, an experiment arranged in split-plot in randomized complete block design and replicated three times was conducted at Chuka University for two seasons from January 2019 to July 2020. The main plots were assigned to nitrogen (CAN) (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha), sub-plots to mulch (no mulch, black-painted and unpainted rice straws), while split-plots to gibberellic acid (GA3) (0 mg/L, 40 mg/L and 80 mg/L). Nitrogen for each rate was applied in two equal doses at three weeks post-emergence and at the beginning of flowering. The black-painted and unpainted rice straws were placed on plots after land preparation. The GA3 solution was sprayed onto plants using a knapsack sprayer, starting with 40 mg/L followed by 80 mg/L, once during the fourth week after emergence. Data collection was done fortnightly from the fourth week after emergence and data values were subjected to analysis of variance using SAS software. Means were separated using the least significant difference test at α=0.05. Highest levels of potassium and magnesium were obtained for 100 kg N/ha. On the other hand, phosphorus and beta-carotene were highest in treatments where unpainted rice straw mulch was used, while application of 80 mg/L of GA3 gave high phosphorus and potassium contents. Results further showed that combined N fertilizer, mulch and GA3 had a significant (P<0.05) effect on nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and beta-carotene contents during both seasons, implying that they are useful factors in evaluation of mineral nutrient contents in leaves of multi-purpose pumpkins.
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.