Masters Projects and Theses

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A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF KENYA’S BUILDING BRIDGES INITIATIVE SPEECHES
(Chuka University, 2023-10) GITONGA EURIDISE NKATHA
Language is vital in communication between people. People understand each other through shared knowledge between the speaker and the hearer. It is a major mechanism within the process of social construction, seen as an instrument for consolidating, manipulating concepts, seek attention, create relationships in the area of power, and use it as tool to control the society. Anchored in Critical Discourse Analysis theoretically, this study shed light on the crucial use of language in the society. The study sought to explain specific linguistic ways in which language is used to represent an instrument of control and manifest symbolic power in the Kenya’s Building Bridges initiative speeches. The study developed and proposed various strategies of (de) legitimization employed by political leaders in Kenya to justify their course of action regarding the Building Bridges initiative. The study was guided by two objectives; to analyze how political actors (de) legitimize the Building Bridges Initiative in Kenya and to analyze how political actors, use language to create a Kenyan identity through the Building Bridges Initiative discourse. Qualitative research methodology was used in this study, of which the descriptive survey method was employed for the analysis of data. YouTube videos of speeches made by specific political actors regarding the Building Bridges Initiative since November 2019 to 2021 were purposively sampled, transcribed and analyzed in their written form. De(legitimization) strategies were identified until saturation point was reached where no new strategies were being generated without resulting to redundancy. These were then categorized into thematic areas in accordance to the objectives of the study. The study established that strategies used by politicians in (de)legitimizing BBI were; authorization, rationalization, moral evaluation, and mythopoeic. It also established that majority of the speakers used language to attract attention, and advance ideologies that created a Kenyan identity. The study found that Kenya’s identity was to a large extent shaped negatively in the BBI discourse with only two out of the six having a positive orientation. These included: Kenya as a nation in need of national conversation, Kenya as a country struggling with tribalism and corruption and Kenya as a peaceful country with fairness and inclusivity. The information gathered in this study is useful to linguists since it provides them with ways to understand the language of politicians world over. Politicians may use language with hidden meaning that needs unravelling. Therefore, this study offers some of the ways of understanding and disambiguating what the politicians really say in their speeches. From the findings of this research, the researcher suggests the following areas for interested scholars: A study on creation of identity using other theories for example politeness theory, speech acts theory, or conceptual metaphor theory.
A History of Social Exclusion and Poverty of the Thagichu of Igembe Sub - County, Meru County from 1907 to 1962
(INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INNOVATIVE RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, 2016-08) Kithinji, Caroline Mucece, Okelo,David O. and Kaburi, Muriungi Colomba
This study is on social exclusion and poverty of the Thagichu of Igembe Sub - County, Meru County in Kenya from 1907 to1962. The study traces the history of social exclusion of the Thagichu from the colonial epoch of the years1907 to 1962. Kenyan Government strategies towards alleviation of social exclusion and poverty between 2013 1nd 2015 are also explored. The study was guided by the theories of Underdevelopment, Materialistic Conception of History and Social Darwinism. The study employed the descriptive research design. Data was collected from oral, archival and secondary sources. A total of 50 people were purposively sampled and interviewed. Data from oral sources was corroborated with data from archival and secondary sources. The major findings of this research are that the Thagichu have been socially excluded by the colonial Government. This exclusion was noted in inadequate infrastructure like roads, schools, hospitals and lack of access to social services like banks compared to other areas of Meru County. The study also established that the government has come up with strategies that could help in tackling social exclusion and poverty of the Thagichu. Such strategies are building more educational facilities, provision of free primary and day secondary education, adult and continuing education, non-formal education and provision of educational funds through the constituency development fund and Affirmative Action Social Development Fund. Other strategies aimed at poverty alleviation are establishment of road networks, land adjudication, presence of NGOs, provision of formal employment, Health facilities, growth of an urban centre and Provision of electricity. This study has contributed to the Thagichu historiography
A hybrid deep learning model for intrusion detection in cloud-based implantable medical devices
(Chuka University, 2015) Kirimi James
The rapidly evolving technologies in the healthcare sector, such as implantable medical devices (IMDs), require advanced security solutions that leverage the intelligence capabilities of these technologies while ensuring optimal safety and reliability. The IMD technology redefines healthcare service delivery by offering timely interventions, minimally invasive treatment options, and continuous patient condition monitoring to improve quality of life. Despite these achievements, IMDs face unauthorised access, data manipulation, and denial-of-service attacks, which conventional security solutions are limited in handling due to resource constraints within IMD ecosystems. As a result, different machine learning and deep learning frameworks have been proposed for real‐time threat detection. However, they still suffer from overfitting, slow inference, and excessive resource demands, hindering their effective integration into the IMD ecosystem. The study's primary goal was to design and develop a hybrid of deep autoencoders, convolutional neural networks, and long short-term memory (LSTM) strategies to provide a comprehensive detection model that reduces inference time for deployed models while enhancing performance. Autoencoders provide the fundamental architecture of the detection model, while convolutional neural networks are used in the encoder and decoder for simplicity and to capture nonlinear data effectively. The Long Short-Term Memory captures temporal dependencies in the model, enhancing overall detection capabilities. The study adopted an experimental approach, developing a hybrid deep autoencoder model to test its performance against convolutional neural networks, long short-term memory, and other conventional machine learning techniques. The results demonstrate that the hybrid model outperformed standalone models, achieving high accuracy scores across the datasets. The best model in the ICU dataset achieved 100% accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score, and a false positive rate of 0.00%. The WUSTL had an accuracy of 79.32%, a recall of 79.92%, a precision of 79.41%, a specificity of 79.24%, and a false positive rate of 20.59%. The Edge IIoT dataset had a recall, F1, and accuracy of 96.87%, a precision of 96.94%, a specificity of 96.88%, and a false-positive rate of 3.12%. The model’s inference time was substantially reduced compared to the standard deep autoencoder model across the datasets, providing a lightweight detection environment for the intrusion detection system.
A pragma-semiotic analysis of communication strategies in vaccination campaigns against mpox in Kenya
(Chuka University, 2025) Chemiati, Rebecca Chemutai
The success of any public health campaign is dependent on its ability to strategically utilize various modes of communication to effectively convey complex health messages. Meaning-making in public health campaigns is dependent on the strategic integration of language and other modes of communication. Integration of these two linguistics fields provides a comprehensive understanding of how public health campaigns navigate through the complexities of effective communication in a multi cultural society. The motivation behind this study is based on the need to understand how semiotic and pragmatic elements collaboratively work to create meaning. The study focused on analysis of meanings and the functionality of speech acts in vaccination campaigns against Mpox in Kenya. This study adopted a descriptive research design guided by the Multimodal Theory by Gunther Kress and Theo van Leeuwen and John Searle’s Theory of Speech Act. The study population comprised all publicly available communicative materials used in the vaccination campaigns against Mpox in Kenya. Purposive sampling was used to identify campaign materials that possess linguistic elements only relevant to the study. A total of thirty campaign materials were sampled. However, the final sample size was dependent on the point of saturation. The data was sourced from official websites of institutions of public health and digital media platforms. An integrated pragma-semiotic approach was utilized during data analysis where visuals were classifieds as icons, indexes and symbols to examine their communicative functions while speech acts were analysed according to Searle (1976). This document is made up of six chapters; chapter one, two and three comprise the introduction, literature review and research methodology respectively. Chapter four highlights meanings in vaccination campaigns against Mpox in Kenya. The study finds that the campaigns made use of various semiotic resources such as icons, indexes, symbols, spatial arrangements, layouts and colour schemes which carried multiple meanings. The icon of a vaccine bottle for instance connotates hope through the administration of the vaccine which is a lifesaving substance. This reinforces the idea that the relevant authorities are concerned with the protection and preservation of life. Symbolically, this icon is a representation of defence and immunity.Chapter five engages speech acts in vaccination campaigns against Mpox in Kenya. The findings of the pragmatic analysis reveal the use of five types of speech acts as categorized by Searle (1976) and hierarchical structuring which operate as complex illocutionary arrangements. Chapter six contains the summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations. This study has validated that the union of pragmatic and semiotic elements in the campaigns against Mpox generated an integrative communicative power which not only informed the population regarding Mpox pandemic but also advocated certain preventive methods, primarily vaccination among high-risk groups. The study demonstrates how verbal and visual elements interact dynamically to produce persuasive messages that impact behaviour change. This study advances the theoretical frameworks utilized by demonstrating how various illocutionary acts are reinforced and modulated through semiotic resources to inform, create awareness and promote vaccination uptake. It bridges the gap between theory and applied communication practices. The integration thus provides a comprehensive understanding of the process of meaning-making. It offers insight on the role of communication strategies in the design of more effective public health campaigns.
AB INITIO STUDY OF STRUCTURAL AND PIEZOELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF HAFNIUM DOPED BISMUTH SODIUM POTASSIUM TITANATE
(Chuka University, 2023-10) MWANZIA BONFACE MUTUKU
Piezoelectric materials have gained increased attention in the recent times due to their significant technological applications. These materials are widely used to make ultrasound transducers, sensors, actuators and others are used for energy harvesting. Due to its brilliant piezoelectric properties, Lead Zirconate Titanate (PZT) is mostly used with a piezoelectric constant of 𝑑33 = 374 𝑝𝐶/𝑁 from experimental reports and 306 − 314 𝑝𝐶/𝑁 from theoretical studies. However, due to the toxic nature of lead oxide which is formed when PZT is being manufactured, there is increased effort in development of lead-free materials. Several classes of materials have recently been studied and are now being considered as potential alternatives to PZT. Lead free perovskite systems such as Bismuth Sodium Potassium Titanate (BNKT) have been developed, with a piezoelectric constant 𝑑33 = 157 𝑝𝐶/𝑁 . However, the main drawback of this system is that it is highly corrosive and has a low piezoelectric constant compared to PZT. In the quest to provide suitable alternatives, dopants such as zirconium have been used, which improved the piezoelectric constant of BNKT up to203 𝑝𝐶/𝑁. Hf which possesses similar physico-chemical properties as zirconium has led to an improvement in the piezo electric constant of other piezoelectric systems such as in hafnium doped Barium Titanate (BT). It has an added advantage of being extremely resistant to corrosion, which is expected to mitigate the corrosive nature of BNKT. In this study, hafnium has been incorporated in BNKT so as to engineer an alternative material suitable for piezoelectric applications. Density Functional Theory (DFT) method was used to predict the structural and piezoelectric properties of hafnium doped BNKT, starting with those of Bismuth Sodium Titanate (BNT) and BNKT. The exchange and correlation was taken as the Generalized Gradient Approximation (GGA). The optimal lattice parameters for BNT were found to be 𝑎 = 5.57 Å and 𝑐/𝑎 ratio of 2.50 for the conventional cell, having space group R3c space group number 161. Piezoelectric constant for this system was found to be 97.67 pC/N. This structure was adopted for doping and further calculations. Potassium doped bismuth sodium titanate was modelled using VESTA software and its optimized lattice parameter was found to be 𝑎 = 5.60 Å. Piezoelectric constant for this system was found to be 147.42 pC/N. Hafnium doped BNKT had an improved piezoelectric constant of 205.52 pC/N for 3% hafnium doping, which decreased to 163.22 pC/N at the level of 6% doping. The results shows that small amounts of hafnium improved the piezoelectric constant of BNKT from 147.42 pC/N to 205.52 pC/N. Elastic and elastic compliance full tensors for these systems was also generated with elastic constants of C33 = 286.48 Gpa, 282.13 Gpa, 257.193 Gpa and 276.43 Gpa for BNT, BNKT, 3% Hf doped BNKT and 6% Hf doped BNKT respectively. This study concludes that doping BNKT with hafnium indeed improves the piezoelectric properties of BNKT. This makes this material more useful in energy generation since high piezoelectric constant leads to efficient mechanical – electrical energy conversion in the piezoelectric materials.
Access and Utilization of Seasonal Climate Forecast Among Small Holder Farmers in Masinga Sub-County, Machakos County, Kenya
(Chuka University, 2019-09) Masesi, Gideon Kyalo
Climate change in Kenya and other East African countries is expected to manifest itself in shifts in seasons and increased frequencies of extreme weather events, such as droughts, heavy rainfall and associated flooding. As climate continues to change, seasonal forecasts will become even more crucial as one way of informing farmers of short-term weather dynamics, impending seasons of below- or above-normal rainfall and extreme rainfall events. Kenyan government has invested considerable resources into the development of understanding and technologies to meet the expected demands of its citizens for improved climate forecasts. Regrettably, many of the benefits of these investments have not yet been realized as farmers do not use this forecasts information to make agricultural sound decisions, hence benefits to the nation are considerably less than they might be otherwise. This therefore called for a study to evaluate the access and utilization of seasonal climate forecast among households in Masinga Sub County, Machakos County in Kenya. A cross-sectional survey research design was used. A systematic random sampling procedure was employed to select 274 respondents in the four sub locations of Masinga Sub County. Structured questionnaires were used to elicit required information from the respondents. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson‟s correlation coefficient was utilized to establish relationship between some socioeconomic characteristics and utilization of climate forecasts. Results indicated that 82% of the respondents were able to access climate forecasts through radio, and television. Majority of the respondents indicated that their major interest was to know the start and the end of rain (63%). Radio was the major source of climate forecast (38%) with 90% of the respondents getting information from radio and 60% from television. Above 60% of the respondents indicated that the climate forecast information received from dissemination channels was inaccurate. Over 60% indicated that bulletins used very difficult and complicated language while chief “Barraza‟s” was considered to use simple language (56%). Inadequate extension officers (84%) was a limitation to access to climate forecast information. Majority of the respondents (54%) use both indigenous knowledge on climate forecast and seasonal climate forecasts, however 61% stated that they were very unsatisfied with scientific forecasts. Inaccuracy of forecasts (98%) was a key factor affecting adoption of climate forecast. Over 80% of the respondents felt that climate forecasts cover a wide area making it difficult for them to relate the climate reports to their specific local areas. It was noted that seasonal climate forecast information given by the relevant institutions are coarse thus providing little or no detail on the local characteristics of a season, and do not reflect the localized pattern of rainfall. Moreover, difficult terminologies used in climate forecasting limit their usability and usefulness to farmers and other users. Majority of farmers lack confidence in forecasts issued by KMD and perceive them to be incorrect. Most of the climate forecasts broadcasts are done at the wrong time of day, when the households were out in the fields or in their daily activities. This hinders usability of climate forecasts by the targeted groups. The study further established a significant relationship between land, income, age, education level and gender with utilization of climate forecast. Therefore, based on the major findings of this research it is recommended that, (i) climate forecasts should be downscaled into regional level and should be location specific to increase utility (ii) disseminate climate forecast through local media in local languages so that information can reach local farmers (iii) probabilistic nature of seasonal forecasts should be given with technical guidance to help farmers interpret vii easily and respond to the forecast and (iv) climate forecasts should be issued in the evening between 6.00 p.m-9.00 p.m. to reach a large audience.
Adherence to focused antenatal care guidelines among nurses and midwives working in selected hospitals in Imenti South sub-county, Meru county, Kenya
(Chuka University, 2024) Mwiti Glory Kanyiri
Focused antenatal care is essential to improving neonatal and maternal health by preventing, identifying, and treating medical conditions that endanger a pregnant woman’s health besides a fetus. Maternal mortality ratio and morbidity remain and one of the strategies to reduce maternal mortality ratio is the effective implementation of focused antenatal care. This study aimed to determine nurses’ and midwives’ adherence to focused antenatal care guidelines among nurses and midwives working in selected public health facilities in the Imenti-South Sub-County, Meru County. The study adopted an analytical cross-sectional research design. It involved all 55 nurses and midwives working at the antenatal clinic in the level 4 hospitals, level 3, and level 2. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Chuka University Institutional Ethics Committee. Permit to collect data was obtained from the NACOSTI, the County director of medical services, Meru County, Imenti South health coordinator, and an informed consent signed by the respondents. Data was collected using an observational checklist and a researcher-administered questionnaire. Data was cleaned, coded, and entered in the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) (V.27) for analysis. Descriptive statistics like mean, frequencies, median, percentages, and range were used to summarize, data was presented in tables and graphs. A chi-square test was used to show the relationship between sociodemographic characteristics and adherence to focused antenatal care guidelines. Regression analysis was used to determine predictors of adherence. The mean age of the participants was 35.91 ±10.92 SD with more than half being less than 36 years (56.4%). The majority were females (60%). About threequarters had a diploma in nursing. Average years of experience was 10.45 ±10.05 SD while working in the ANC department was 3.89 ±3.71 SD. The majority of the facilities were level II (60%). More than half of the nurse-midwives had no in-service training on FANC (72.7%). Most nurse-midwives had poor knowledge of FANC guidelines (67.3%). More than half of the facilities had adequate resources to offer ANC services (58.2%). There were slightly more participants with good adherence to FANC guidelines (50.9%) than those with poor adherence (49.1%). Adherence was significantly associated with the level of the facility. There was no significant association between adherence and knowledge level of FANC guidelines (p>0.05). However, there was a significant association between adherence and availability of resources (p= 0.012, COR= 4.364; CI = 95% 1.383,13.772). Nurse-midwives have poor knowledge of FANC guidelines. The percentage of nurse-midwives with good and poor adherence to FANC guidelines was almost equal. Adherence to FANC guidelines is significantly associated with the availability of resources. There is a need to train the nurse-midwives on the current FANC guidelines as well as provide continuous monitoring and evaluation to enhance adherence. The county government in collaboration with the national government should ensure there are adequate ANC services resources in the facilities. An interventional study should be carried out to determine if the in-service training for the nurse-midwives will improve their knowledge of FANC guidelines.
An assessment of christians’ perception of christian marriage in the catholic church, our lady of visitation deanery, diocese of Embu, Kenya
(Chuka University, 2025) Mbogo, Gladwell Karimi
Marriage is one of the most important social institutions in the society. In the Catholic Church, it holds a profound religious and social significance. The Catholic Church teaches that marriage is one of the seven sacraments. It emphasizes on monogamy and indissolubility of marriage. There is lack of comprehensive research examining Christian’s practice of Christian marriage within Our Lady of Visitation Deanery. This study sought to assess Christians’ perception of Christian marriage in the Catholic Church, Our Lady of Visitation Deanery, Diocese of Embu, Kenya. The study was guided by the following objectives; to examine the role of the church teachings in shaping perception of Christian marriage, to evaluate factors influencing Christians’ perception of Christian marriage, to determine strategies for expanding the perception and practice of Christian marriage and to analyze the impact of societal changes on Christian marriage practices in Our Lady of Visitation Deanery. This study adopted structural functionalism theory to provide a better understanding of marriage as a social institution that fulfils key societal functions such as preservation of marital norms and values. A descriptive survey research design was adopted for the study. The target population was 5020 people. A sample of 357 respondents including the Clergy, married couples, members preparing to marry and unmarried members were selected through stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques. The researcher used questionnaires, interview schedule and focus group discussions to gather information. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 29 to generate descriptive statistics and inferential statistics, while qualitative data from the Clergy and unmarried members was analyzed thematically using coding, categorization and identifying of emerging patterns to interpret meanings and relevance to the research. Key findings of the study showed that most Christians in our Lady of visitation deanery value Church marriage as a sacred covenant that symbolizes faith, love and divine blessing. The study concluded that although church teachings shape Christians perception of church marriage, there is a gap between doctrinal teachings and practice of marriage. It recommended strengthening marriage catechesis and premarital counselling, continuous marriage formation, integration of culture and faith and Community sensitization in order to enhance the practice of church marriage. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on social-anthropological aspect of religion by showing how religion interacts with culture in shaping marriage practices and family relations.
An enhanced convolutional neural network model for translating Kenyan sign language into text in english
(Chuka University, 2024) Muthui Nancy Njoki
Most people communicate effectively and socialize through verbal means, such as talking. However, mute and deaf people cannot interact with society through speech. So, they use the non-verbal modes of communication. Non-verbal communication is a sort of usual body movements, hand gestures, and facial expressions like sign language, and this needs translation according to the specific patterns that the gestures and facial expressions or positioning of the hands, fingers, and arms carry with them during sign language. While it bridges a gap between those who can hear and those who cannot, it is by no means universally comprehended, thus standing as a barrier that leads to frustration and social exclusion of deaf people. As such, a translation tool may help convert sign language into easily understandable written language that will facilitate smooth communication between hearing and hard-of-hearing persons. While lots of research is going on in the area, little attention has been given to translating Kenyan Sign Language into some of the commonly spoken languages in Kenya. Besides, most translation tools face several challenges due to changing environmental conditions and the movement of a person while performing sign language, leading to changes in background lighting. This work translates KSL into English text through the experimental approach using a deep learning CNN model, DenseNet121, preprocessed by Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization. This architecture has been developed, trained, and tested on the dataset provided by the Kenyan Sign Language Classification Hackathon with an accuracy of 91.5%. The proposed model will bridge communication gaps and help include people who are hard of hearing in educational, health, and employment opportunities.
ANALYSIS OF AGRONOMIC, PRODUCTION COST AND COOPERATIVE MANAGEMENT ON EARNINGS OF SMALLHOLDER COFFEE FARMERS IN RUNYENJES SUB-COUNTY, EMBU COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2020-12) Ndirangu, Samuel Gitonga
Coffee is an important crop globally but many farmers get relatively low earnings from this enterprise. This has contributed to many farmers opting out of coffee production for other enterprises which has further weakened the coffee industry. This study was aimed at assessing the factors that affected the earnings of smallholder coffee farmers in Runyenjes Sub-county, Embu County, Kenya and was carried out between February and September, 2020. Data on agronomic practices, production cost and management of coffee cooperative societies was collected using questionnaires from a sample of 384 smallholder farmers and 30 cooperative management officials from the 10 coffee cooperative societies. Data collected on cooperative management and production cost was analyzed using ordinal logistic regression model. Chi-square statistics were used for hypothesis testing for data on agronomic practices in Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The results revealed that agronomic practices affected the earnings of smallholder coffee farmers. Fertilizer application, spraying and manure application, weeding and pruning had a strong effect on earnings with Cramer’s V coefficients of 0.67, 0.61 and 0.31, respectively. Pruning and weeding had a small effect on earnings with Cramer’s V coefficients of 0.06 and 0.07, respectively. Resource management and strategic planning were significant positive predictors (p=0.001 and p=0.001, respectively). Transport cost and cost of improved cultivars were also significant positive predictors of earnings (p=0.003 and p=0.002, respectively). The study concluded that agronomic practices, production cost and cooperative management affected smallholder farmers’ coffee earnings. The study recommended that cooperative societies should develop a follow-up procedure on the farm level to ensure adherence to the husbandry practices and that the government should formulate policies that enable smallholder farmers to access farm inputs at subsidized prices for increased earnings and reliance on coffee production. The study also recommended that cooperatives should help put up factory managed nurseries that will establish high quality cultivars for farmers at lower costs.
ANALYSIS OF CROSS-METAPHORICAL COHERENCE IN G𝑰̃CHUKA SOCIAL DISCOURSE
(Chuka University, 2022-09) Miriti, Emise
ABSTRACT This study analyzed the different metaphors used in various G𝑖̃chuka speech events with particular focus on coherence in metaphors and the influence of social context on metaphor use. The aim of this study was to investigate how Gĩchuka social discourse is systematically structured by metaphor. Metaphor determines how people think, speak and how they create and understand their world. Metaphor overlap creates both metaphorical and disourse coherence which makes comprehension better. The objectives of this study were: to discuss the metaphors used to conceptualize various aspects of life in Gĩchuka social discourse; to analyze coherence in Gĩchuka social discourse and to establish how social context influences metaphor use in Gĩchuka social discourse. This study was guided by the Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) by Lakoff and Johnson. It employed purposive sampling of eleven Gĩchuka speech events which included: a dowry negotiation ceremony, funeral arrangement and burial ceremony, a religious meeting, a table banking activity (chama), a funds drive, a work activity, a birthday occasion, a house warming accasion, a home coming occasion for an initiate, a community charity meeting and a thanks- giving occasion to parents. Different and unrelated speech events which cut across the main Gĩchuka social domains were selected with the aim of eliciting varied metaphors by which phenomena is conceptualized in Gĩchuka social discourse. Pile Sort Tasks were used to group the data for analysis, and the various metaphors were identified using the Metaphor Identification Procedure Vrije Universiteit (MIPVU). This study found Gĩchuka social discourse to be highly motivated by metaphor. Ontological metaphors were the most predominantly used metaphors in Gĩchuka social discourse. The JOURNEY metaphor was found to be used simultaneously with most metaphors to create coherence within the discourse and among metaphors. The study establishes that the social context plays a significant role in metaphor use in Gĩchuka social discourse. This study deepens the understanding of the nature of metaphors that motivate Gĩchuka social discourse. The metaphors highlighted in this study will be useful for cross-culture studies. This study contributes to knowledge in cognitive linguistics by conventionalizing and invigorating the use of metaphors in Gĩchuka social discourse, which increases vitality in African languages.
ANALYSIS OF FACTORS INFLUENCING MICROFINANCE CREDIT UPTAKE AMONG SMALLHOLDER DAIRY CATTLE FARMERS IN MAARA SUB-COUNTY, THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) KAVIKU AGNES MUTINDA
Microfinance institutions are essential in improving smallholder farmers’ production and productivity by providing financial resources. Despite the benefits of microfinance credit on production, its uptake in the Maara sub-county remains low compared to potential output. Several factors have been shown to contribute to low microfinance credit uptake, including inadequate financial literacy, lack of collateral, high transaction costs, and inadequate infrastructure. However, these factors may vary from region to region. Therefore, there is a need to continuously study the factors that affect microfinance credit uptake to develop dynamic policies for sustainable agricultural productivity. The study aimed to analyse the effect of institutional factors, farmer and farm characteristics, the influence of perceptions and attitudes, and the effect of milk yield on microfinance credit uptake among smallholder dairy farmers in the Maara Sub-County. The study employed a descriptive research design and utilized a sample of 315 smallholder dairy cattle farmers, selected through cluster sampling from a target population of 1,500. The study applied the theory of diffusion of innovation. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on institutional factors, farm and farmers’ characteristics, milk yield, and farmers’ perceptions and attitudes. The analysis of the data was conducted utilizing Stata version 17. A probit model was used to determine how farm and farmers’ characteristics, institutional factors, and milk yield affect microfinance credit uptake. A Principal Component Analysis was used to analyse the effects of farmers’ perceptions and attitudes on microfinance credit uptake. Group membership, collateral availability, and the number of dairy cattle all had a positive and significant (p = 0.000) effect on microfinance credit uptake. Collateral availability had the highest effect implying that one unit increase in the smallholder dairy cattle farmers' collateral increases the uptake of microfinance credit by 45.23%. The positive effect may imply that the collateral can be liquidated in case of default. At the same time, the number of dairy cattle had the lowest effect implying that an increase in the number of dairy cattle by one unit increases the uptake of microfinance credit by 11.19%. The results of this study also showed that years of schooling had a negative and significant (p =0.000) effect on credit uptake. The negative effect implies that an increase in one unit of schooling years decreases the uptake of microfinance credit by 1.57%. This implies that more educated smallholder dairy cattle farmers have a higher level of awareness regarding the costs associated with credit uptake such as interest rates, thus lowering their borrowing. However, the gender of the decision maker, age, land size, household size, the area under dairy cattle, and the milk yield per cow per day did not significantly (p > 0.05) affect the uptake of microfinance credit by smallholder dairy cattle farmers. The Principal Component Analysis model results showed that smallholder dairy cattle farmers negative experience had the highest factor loading (38.88%), while farmers' mistrust of the microfinance credit provider had (17.07%) loading factor on the uptake of microfinance credit. Therefore, the study concluded that group membership, collateral availability, and the number of dairy cattle play a vital role in positively influencing credit uptake. On the other hand, the negative effect of years of schooling underscores the importance of implementing targeted financial literacy programs to empower farmers with the necessary knowledge and bridge the credit uptake gap. The study further recommended that formulating policies geared toward enhancing the educational attainment of farmers would be vital in enhancing credit uptake to farmers in the study area. To promote sustainable agricultural productivity, targeted financial literacy programs must address farmers' challenges. Encouraging participation in farmer groups will enhance credit access.
ANALYSIS OF MARKETING CHANNELS, INPUTS AND FARMER CHARACTERISTICS ON TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO PRODUCTION IN MIGORI COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) JABUYA LAWRENCE OTIENO
Sweet potato (Ipomea batatas L.), particularly the orange fleshed, has gained prominence due to its ability to adapt to wide production ecologies and yield response to minimal inputs. Orange fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) can produce up to 50 tonnes per hectare, improving household income and nutrition in Kenya. However, production in Kenya remains low, with smallholder OFSP farmers producing an average yield of 14 tonnes per hectare. The influence of inputs, farmer characteristics and marketing channel factors on OFSP production by smallholder farmers in Western Kenya has not been fully studied. This research was carried out to assess the technical efficiency of orange fleshed sweet potato smallholder farmers through analysis of inputs, farmer characteristics and marketing channels in Suna East and Kuria West Sub-Counties of Migori County. A descriptive study design was adopted and a cluster random sampling technique was used to select 225 respondents from approximately 6500 OFSP farmers. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect primary data on input factors, smallholder farmers’ credit access and marketing channel variables. The key informants of the study were OFSP farmers with the assistance of the County government officials from Migori County. The data was entered into SPSS 28 software and analyzed using Stata 15 software. The Multivariate probit model was used to analyze the factors affecting the choices of smallholder OFSP farmers' marketing channels. The results showed that the distance to markets, grading, farmer age, education levels, storage capacity, market assurance, extension visits, group membership and cost of packaging materials influence the smallholder farmers' marketing channel choice decision. The stochastic frontier model was used to analyze the effect of inputs, farmer characteristics, and marketing channels on technical efficiency. The land set aside for OFSP production, planting vines, fertilizer, manure and family labour were the major inputs in the efficiency of OFSP production, according to the model parameters computed using the maximum likelihood method. The technical efficiency of OFSP production among smallholder farmers varied, with the least efficient producing at 36.98 % and the most efficient producing at 99.93 %. Smallholder farmers estimated mean technical efficiency was 78.07%, indicating a need to improve OFSP production by 21.93%. The technical efficiency of smallholder OFSP production was highly influenced by the inefficiency variables like years of farming experience, gender, extension visits, market distance, size of the household, and access to training. Smallholder OFSP farmers produced 8.453 tonnes per hectare with available farm inputs. Farmers can significantly increase the existing level of OFSP technical efficiency of production in the region by concentrating on better use land, use of clean planting materials and hiring labour. Smallholder farmers should be advised to seek services from extension agents and attend training frequently to reduce production inefficiencies. In addition, interventions are required to strengthen the marketing and production capacities of smallholder OFSP farmers.
Analysis of persuasive and politeness strategies used in sermons by pentecostal preachers in Nyeri County
(Chuka University, 2015) Kibuchi Robert Warui
Language is used to persuade, dissuade, manipulate, and develop diverse power and political beliefs. Politicians, lobbyists, corporate experts, and religious speakers, among others, achieve enormous power, influence, and profit by skillfully employing words.This research sought to discover the persuasive strategies and politeness used by religious preachers in their discourse within the church context. The purpose of this study was to analyze persuasive and politeness strategies used in sermons by Kenyan Pentecostal preachers in Nyeri county. The objectives that guided this study were; to describe the persuasive strategies used by Pentecostal preachers to execute their persuasion agenda and to analyze politeness strategies used by Kenyan Pentecostal Preachers in Kenya. The data source was audio recordings from the sermons of three preachers. The population of study was all the sermons with politeness and persuasive strategies. Purposive sampling was used to select five sermons with persuasive techniques and politeness. The research design of this study was qualitative. A card was used in this study by isolating the persuasive strategies and politeness strategies applied in the discourse of the Pentecostal preachers. Two theories were used to analyze data. Politeness theory was used to analyze data for the first objective while Aristotle theory of persuasion was used for the second objective. The study revealed that preachers employed different persuasive techniques to influence belief, evoke emotion and t encourage action. It was also found that the preachers strategically used a range of politeness strategies and they relied on the frameworks of the negative politeness, and positive politeness, bald-on-record and off-record communication. Indirectness, hedging, apologies depersonalized addressing characterized negative politeness strategies that are oriented towards maintaining the autonomy of the hearer. the preachers strategically used a range of politeness strategies and they relied on the frameworks of the negative politeness, positive politeness, bald-on-record and off record. The study is of relevance to sociolinguistics and pragmatics because it provides information on how politeness and persuasion works in the church discourse. In addition, the results offer helpful information to the interlocutors on the use of proper strategies to ensure successful and decent communication, where everybody during the contact feels listened to and appreciated. The results may form basis for effective sermon preparation to achieve different communicative goals. Further research can be done by doing a comparative study on the use of rhetorical devices among different denominations.
ANALYSIS OF PRODUCTION, SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY IN COWPEA PRODUCTION, CHUKA SUB-COUNTY, THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA.
(Chuka University, 2022-09) GLORY, NTINYARI
Cowpea production is a significant enterprise for smallholder farmers in Chuka Sub-County because of its cheap supply of nutritious food and it’s also a source of revenue for the farmers. Despite its importance, cowpea production levels are a fraction of the potential due to low technical efficiency in enhancing soil fertility, agronomic practices, pest control, farm input utilization among others. This affects the revenue levels and food security of the smallholder farmers. This research aimed to analyze the production, socio-economic and institutional factors that affect smallholder farmers’ technical efficiency on cowpea production in Chuka Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. Cross-sectional data on cowpea production was obtained utilizing the multistage sampling procedure from a sample of 389 households in Mugwe, Magumoni and Karingani Wards. The target population was 12905 households. A structured questionnaire was administered to collect data and information on the production, socio-economic and institutional factors affecting smallholder farmers’ technical efficiency. Descriptive research design was utilized to define the socio-economic and institutional qualities of the smallholder cowpea farmers. The stochastic production frontier model that is the Cobb Douglas production function, one step approach was used to ascertain the level of technical efficiency of the farmers, and the production, socio-economic and institutional factors influencing technical efficiency. The respondents’ approximated average technical efficiency was 34%, which suggests that there is a chance of improving cowpea production by 66% through competent utilization of the existing production factors. The model parameters for the production factors approximated using the maximum likelihood method showed that labour, topdressing fertilizer, manure, pesticides and land size were significant production factors in cowpea production at a 5% level of significance. Further age, education, farming experience, extension contact and access to digital financial services significantly affected cowpea production technical efficiency. If the parameter coefficient has a negative sign, it implies that as the independent variable increases, technical efficiency levels increase since the level of technical inefficiency decreases. A positive sign for the parameter coefficient indicates that when the independent variable increases, technical efficiency will decrease because technical inefficiency will increase. The negative coefficients on the farming experience, education, and extension contact variables showed that an increase in any of the variables while maintaining the other variables constant might lead to a substantial improvement in the level of technical efficiency. The positive coefficients on age and access to digital financial services showed that an increment in those variables while maintaining the other variables constant, might result in a substantial decrease in the level of technical efficiency. Thus, cowpea farmers were not producing at their maximum capacity with the existing production factors. This study urges cowpea farmers to boost the use of labour, topdressing fertilizer, manure, pesticides and land size to improve production. For the purpose of improving cowpea production, farmers are encouraged to attend more trainings on cowpea production to add on to their knowldge and to contact extension officers to the highest frequency possible. The study’s findings are beneficial to the cowpea farmers, agricultural institutions and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative. The cowpea farmers get to know the factors they can alter and improve their level of technical efficiency while the agricultural institutions and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperative can add to their information on the level of technical efficiency of cowpea farmers in Chuka Sub-County, Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya.
ANALYSIS OF PRODUCTION, SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS AFFECTING TECHNICAL EFFICIENCY OF SMALLHOLDER BANANA PRODUCERS IN KIRINYAGA CENTRAL SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) MATIVA JACKSON MKENYE
Banana provides food, nutrition security and income for most households and is fourth most popular food crop in the world after wheat, maize and rice. Despite its significance, full potential of banana production in Kenya remains unexploited by smallholder producers. This is as a result of low technical efficiency especially in utilization of farming inputs and producer specific factors like production, socio-economic and institutional factors among others. In Kirinyaga County, the actual banana production is at 4-18 tonnes per acre against the potential of 30-40 tonnes. Due to the limited supply of resources for production, attainment of highest possible levels of technical efficiency is key to achieving sufficiency in banana farming. This study aimed at analyzing the effects of production, socio-economic and institutional factors on technical efficiency of smallholder banana producers in Kirinyaga Central Sub-County, Kenya. The study used a cross-sectional research design and targeted a population of 24,440 smallholder banana producers. Multistage sampling technique was employed where purposive sampling and simple random sampling methods were used in some stages to sample respondents in the study area. A sample of 402 smallholder banana producers were selected. Using a questionnaire, primary data on production, socio-economic and institutional factors affecting technical efficiency of banana production was collected. The data was then analyzed using Stata version 17 and SPSS version 25. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the production, socio-economic and institutional factors of the smallholder banana producers. A stochastic frontier analysis approach was used to model the technical efficiency level using the Cobb-Douglas function. The stochastic production function of the Cobb Douglas function was estimated using the maximum likelihood estimation technique. The study showed that the level of banana production technical efficiency among the smallholder producers varied between 0.9% to 95.5% and average technical efficiency of 83.1%. According to the model parameters calculated, land set aside for production of banana, banana suckers and agrochemicals were significant production factors in banana cultivation at 5% significance level. The study found that agrochemicals and planting materials had positive effects on technical efficiency whereas land size had a negative impact on technical efficiency. This implied that increasing the amount of land set aside for banana production by an acre reduces the amount of banana harvested by 0.438 kgs while increasing the amount of planting materials and agrochemicals used by one unit increases banana production by 1.315 and 0.155 kgs, respectively. The study found that decision makers’ age and size of the household had negative effects on banana production technical efficiency whereas education, experience, producer group membership and market access had positive effects. The study recommends people with high levels of education to venture into banana production. In addition, producer group formation and membership be encouraged for the benefit of increasing technical efficiencies. The inefficient producers are advised to increase their present output by enhancing technical efficiency as a result of the inefficient utilization of their resources throughout production.
ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING AGROFORESTRY ADOPTION AND MAIZE YIELD IN KERICHO COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) KIPNGENO DOMINIC
Maize is Kenya’s staple food crop. The Kenyan government has developed ambitious agricultural policies and programs to increase its performance and productivity to improve its rural citizens' livelihoods. Agroforestry is among the practices recognized as a technique of contributing to food security and economic development. However, its adoption rate remains low despite its capacity to improve crop yield, mitigate soil erosion, and reduce fuel wood and fodder scarcity. This study aimed to analyse the socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry technologies for improved maize production in selected Sub-Counties in Kericho County, Kenya. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design. The target population was smallholder maize farmers who have and those who have not adopted agroforestry farming systems. A sample of 350 smallholder farmers was used in the study. A stratified random sampling technique was used to select the respondents. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-economic factors such as farm size, age, household size and education. Data collected on institutional factors included access to credit, extension services, farmer's group membership and availability of research institutions. Data collected was coded and analysed using STATA version 17. A binary logistic regression model was used to determine socio-economic factors influencing the adoption of agroforestry farming systems. A propensity score matching regression model was used to analyse the effect of agroforestry adoption on maize production. The findings showed that among the socio-economic factors, gender (p = 0.000), land ownership (p = 0.012), and income (p = 0.036) positively and significantly influenced the adoption of agroforestry. However, age, household size, land size and education did not significantly influence (p > 0.05) the adoption of agroforestry. Institutional factors such as extension services (p = 0.000), group membership (p = 0.001), credit (p = 0.000), and the availability of research institutions (p = 0.033) were found to influence adoption of agroforestry significantly. The propensity score matching was used to determine agroforestry adoption's effect on maize yield among selected farmers from the overall group. The nearest neighbor matching algorithm results showed that agroforestry adoption negatively affected maize grain yield by -1241.2 kg per ha. It is possible that the adopters did not follow the recommended spacing for the planted agroforestry trees. As a result, the canopies may have cast too much shade on maize crops, preventing them from receiving the necessary amount of sunlight. Despite agroforestry reducing maize grains production, the study findings indicated that farmers increased their overall income through the sale of tree products such as timber fruits, thus accounting for the positive and significance of agroforestry. The findings of this research mean that efforts to increase agroforestry adoption should not only concentrate on improving farm productivity but also on other benefits that can be derived from agroforestry. The study also encourages empowering farmers through credit access, quality extension services, and the formation of farmer groups to create awareness on how best farmers can utilize agroforestry to increase overall household income and farm productivity. Although the current findings indicate that agroforestry did not increase maize production, farmers can still gain from the farming system through the sale of tree products, among other benefits that complement household income.
ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS INFLUENCING SMALLHOLDER FARMER ADOPTION OF SOIL AND WATER CONSERVATION PRACTICES ON MAIZE PRODUCTION, THARAKA NITHI COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) GITONGA HELLENAH MWENDWA
Maize is among the most significant crops in Kenya for food security. Soil and water conservation practices adopted in maize production offer a potential solution to combat climate change by enhancing soil productivity and decreasing soil and water erosion thereby enhancing crop productivity and smallholder farmer’s farm income. Despite various interventions to practice improved soil and water conservation technologies (SWCs) in maize production, adoption of these technologies is low resulting to poor output due to various factors. Therefore, this study aimed at analyzing the socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the adoption of SWCs and subsequent effect on maize yield in Tharaka Nithi County, Kenya. A cross-sectional survey research design was used where multi-stage sampling method was applied. Three hundred and eighteen (318) households in Maara and Chuka Sub-Counties were interviewed from a population target of 5250 using a structured questionnaire to obtain data on socio-economic and institutional factors influencing the uptake of SWCs. Descriptive statistics were completed using SPSS version 28 while econometric analysis by Stata version 17. The Propensity Score Matching model (PSM) was employed on the effects of adoption of SWCs on maize yield while Multivariate Probit (MVP) model was employed on both socio-economic and institutional factors affecting the use of SWCs. The MVP model had positive coefficients which indicated that increase in either one of socio-economic and institutional factors increased the adoption of certain SWCs, farm size had a P-value at 1% on intercropping and irrigation, household size P-value at 5%, land topography a P-value at 5% on intercropping, grass strips and stone bunds, extension and training a P-value at 1% on intercropping and grass strips and membership P-value at 1% on intercropping and irrigation. The negative coefficients showed that increase in the factors decreased the adoption of certain SWCs, gender had a P-value at 5% on intercropping and P-value at 10% on mulching, education at 1% on minimum tillage and 5% on stone bunds, perception on soil erosion had a P-value at 1% on intercropping and irrigation and topography of the land had a P-value at 5% on crop rotation. The PSM model applied the logit regression model where positive estimates on socio-economic and institutional factors showed an increase in either of the factors had an increase in adoption of SWCs indicating significance on age at 5% on mulching, household size at 5% on intercropping, land size at 5% on irrigation, extension services at 1% on crop rotation and group membership at 10% on irrigation that influenced adoption of SWCs. The negative coefficients indicated that an increase in either of the factors decreased the adoption of SWCs where land size had a P-value at 5% on grass strips, household size had a P-value at 10% on terraces, age had a P-value at 10% on crop rotation and irrigation, access to extension services had a P-value at 1% on grass strips and group membership had a P-value at 1% on terraces. The PSM used three matching algorithms (Nearest neighbor, radius and stratification) to match the adopters and non-adopters that determined the Average Treatment Effects (ATT). Intercropping and irrigation were positively significant at 5% and 1%, respectively. The positive ATT indicated an average increase in maize yield from intercropping and irrigation as soil and water conservation practices (SWCs) at a range between 290 kgs to 375 kgs and 270 kgs to 725 kgs per hectare, respectively. Stone bunds and minimum tillage were negative and significant at 1%. The negative ATT was significant and showed that there was average decrease in maize production from stone bunds and minimum tillage as SWCs at a range of about 50 kgs to 287 kgs and 248 kgs to 690 kgs per hectare, respectively. The adoption level of SWCs was average given that there was low frequency of implementation by the smallholder maize farmers. Therefore, the study recommends that small-scale maize producers should practice more of intercropping and irrigation as SWCs for increased productivity and increased food security. There is also the need for government and stakeholders’ interventions which will enable small-scale maize farmers to increase on adoption of SWCs that results to improvement in crop output and income.
ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS, AGRONOMIC PRACTICES AND COOPERATIVE DIVERSITY ON COFFEE YIELD GAP AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN NYERI CENTRAL SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) NDUNG’U FLORENCE WAIRIMU
Coffee significantly aids in the reduction of poverty in households, increases the gross domestic product (GDP) of Kenya and generates tax revenue. However, the coffee yields have been declining over the last two decades which is revealed by the reduction in acreage by 30% from 170,000 ha in the 1980s to 108,199 ha in 2021. This has resulted to decrease in production by 70% making it hard for smallholder coffee farmers to benefit from the sector. The ultimate result is a large yield gap between farmers’ actual yields and the potential productivity of the coffee varieties from the KALROCoffee Research Institute, Ruiru. This study aimed at identifying factors (socioeconomic characteristics, agronomic practices and cooperative diversity) influencing coffee yield gap among smallholder coffee farmers in Nyeri Central sub-county, Nyeri County. A cross-sectional research design was used and through the systematic random sampling technique, a sample of 175 smallholder coffee farmers was drawn from the target population of approximately7000 coffee farmers. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for the study with its validity determined by the academic supervisors and the experts in the coffee sector. The reliability of the research instrument was also determined using the split half method. Primary data on coffee farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, agronomic practices and cooperative diversity were collected. The data on socio-economic characteristics, agronomic practices and cooperative diversity were analyzed as descriptive statistics using SPSS version 29 and their effect on coffee yield gap was determined using the fractional logit regression model in STATA version 17. The findings noted that the average farmers’ yields per hectare for Ruiru 11, Batian and SL 28 was 8,593.920 kg/ha, 3,545.277 kg/ha and 1,722.423 kg/ha, respectively. The yield gap estimated was 66,406.080 kgs, 53,454.722 kgs and 38,177.577 kgs for Ruiru 11, Batian and SL 28, respectively. Further, the yield gap index per farmer ranged between 84.99% to 96.90% and the yield gap index per variety was 88.54% for Ruiru 11, 93.78% for Batian and 95.68% SL 28. The model parameters indicated that gender of the household head, schooling years, household size, labour, weed management, disease management, extension, training as well as production and market information were negative but significant independent variables at p<0.05. The insect-pest management was found to have a positive and significant effect on coffee yield gap at p<0.05. The independent variables omitted in the model analysis were found to be insignificant and hence did not affect the outcome in this study. Moreover, negative coefficients indicated that an increase in each of the explanatory variables resulted in a decrease in the coffee yield gap, holding other factors constant. The marginal effect showed the number of units that the independent variable contributed to either increase or decrease the coffee yield gap. The study concluded that the smallholder coffee farmers’ age was 60 years which contributed to increased yield gap while households led by male individuals resulted to minimized yield gaps. Also, the smallholder coffee farmers were producing below their potential as depicted by the large yield gap estimate. Hence, this study suggests that farmers should fully implement the recommended agronomic practices fully and adopt the improved varieties especially Ruiru 11. Also, the Government and other stakeholders should support the extension services so as to increase coffee yields which would result in reduced coffee yield gap.
ANALYSIS OF SOCIO-ECONOMIC, PRODUCTION AND MARKETING FACTORS INFLUECING COMMON BEAN COMMERCIALIZATION AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN CHEPALUNGU SUB-COUNTY, BOMET COUNTY, KENYA
(Chuka University, 2023-10) LANGAT SHEILA CHEPKOECH
Common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) are important pulses for human nutrition for its edible seeds. Currently, the level of common bean production in Kenya is 0.67 t/ha. Common bean commercialization provides a pathway for improving productivity and food security. The current level of common bean commercialization is at 40% which is regarded low as farmers grow common beans as a subsistence crop which may not be economically sustainable. Subsistence farming is considered inefficient and may not be viable in ensuring food and income sufficiency in the long run. This study aimed at determining socio-economic, production and marketing factors influencing common bean commercialization in Chepalungu sub-county, Bomet County. The study adopted utility maximization theory and a descriptive research design. A cluster random sampling procedure was used to obtain a sample of 313 smallholder common bean farmers from a population of 1,440 common bean farmers. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect primary information on socio-economic characteristics (age, family size, level of education, gender and off-farm income), production factors (land, labor, inputs, capital), and marketing factors (marketing channels, distance to the market, market price, market information and marketing experience) influencing common bean commercialization among smallholder farmers. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS version 29 and STATA version 15 and econometric analysis was done using Stochastic frontier model, multiple regression model and Tobit model. Common bean productivity was measured using technical efficiency and the results from Stochastic frontier model indicated that the technical efficiency was 93.36%. These findings suggest that smallholder common bean farmers can increase current production by 6.64% by increasing their efficiency. Land under common beans, seeds and agrochemicals were significant at 1% and had a positive influence on the level of common bean productivity while family man days had a negative influence on the level of common bean production. The findings further show that distance to the market and farming experience increased technical inefficiencies by 0.68 and 0.24 units respectively. The level of common bean commercialization was 43.46 %. Multiple regression model shows that certified seeds and manure were significant at 1% while second generation seeds, planting fertilizer and hired labor were significant at 5% and positively influenced the level to common bean commercialization. Cropping systems negatively influenced common bean commercialization and was significant at 1% level. Tobit model shows that the quantity of common beans produced, marketing experience, distance to the market, farm gate marketing channel, land size and extension services positively affected common bean commercialization implying that a unit increase in these variables will lead to an increase in common bean commercialization while age and access to market information had significant negative effect at 1% and 5% respectively on commercialization implying that a unit increase in both variables will decrease level of common bean commercialization. The level of productivity was high (93.36%) showing that farmers are more efficient but the level of commercialization was low (43.46%), showing that majority of farmers do not participate in the market. Smallholder common bean farmers in Bomet County are advised to increase the land allotted to common beans, use certified seed and agrochemicals to increase productivity and commercialization. Policy makers are also encouraged to provide farmers with inputs and affordable farming credit so that farmers can afford improved seeds so as to increase common bean productivity which would in turn increase the level of commercialization.

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