Farm Production Factors Affecting Malt Sorghum Production among Contracted Sorghum Farmers in Homa Bay County, Kenya
##article.subject##:
Production factors, Sorghum farmers, Malt sorghum, Double log Cobb-Douglas function
##article.abstract##
Sorghum is a globally important food security crop with high commercial importance, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Though its production in Kenya is crucial in ensuring increased agricultural productivity and income, sorghum farmers in Homa Bay County still record low yield. This research was intended to determine the factors affecting production of malt sorghum among contracted sorghum farmers in Homa Bay County, Kenya and a total of 217 East Africa Breweries Limited (EABL) contracted farmers participated. Survey information were analyzed using descriptive statistics and double log Cobb-Douglas production function. Results revealed that the mean age of the contracted malt sorghum farmers was 45 years with 1.5 years of experience and produce on average 2,203kg of malt sorghum per acre per cropping season. On average, 20% of the farmers planted Sila while 49.2% planted Gadam varieties of malt sorghum. Analyzed results revealed a one percent increase in land size would increase malt sorghum yield by 155.4%, while a one percent increase in quantity of seed, pests and disease attack, labor would lead to a decline in malt sorghum yield by 57.2%, 26.8% and 11.4% respectively. To improve malt sorghum productivity, recommendation to the county and the national governments of Kenya is made come up with strategies to address the challenges of seed quantity, pests and diseases and labor. Such strategies may involve the introduction of drones and chemical perch repellants that are neither harmful to sorghum grain nor human beings and farmers should be encouraged to plant simultaneously.
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Wanjala, S. P., Njehia, B. K., & M urithi, F.M. (2015). Important variables influencing milk yields on smallholder farms in Western Kenya. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 3(1).
Chepng’etich, E. (2013). Analysis of technical efficiency of smallholder sorghum producers in Machakos and Makindu Districts in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, MSc. Thesis, Department of Agribusiness Management & Trade, Kenyatta University. https: //doi. org/10.1007/s10668-014-9513-1).
Cochran, C.C. & Werner, S.E. (1977). Soil Survey of Crawford County, Illinois. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Dicko, M.H., Gruppen, H., Traoré, A.S., Voragen, A.G., & Van Berkel, W. J. (2006). Sorghum grain as human food in Africa: relevance of the content of starch and amylase activities. African journal of biotechnology, 5(5), 384-395.
FAOSTAT. (2017). Statistical database. Publisher: FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Rome, Italy.
Gebregziabher, G., Namara R. E., & Holden, S (2012). Technical efficiency of irrigated and rain-fed smallholder agriculture in Tigray, Ethiopia: A comparative stochastic frontier production function analysis. Quarterly Journal of International Agriculture, 51(892-2016-65167), 203-226.
Godfrey-Sam-Aggrey, W. (1978). Effects of delayed hand weeding on sole-crop cassava in Sierra Leone. Experimental Agriculture, 14(3), 245-252.
Gooding, M. J., Pinyosinwat, A., & Ellis, R. H. (2002). Responses of wheat grain yield and quality to seed rate. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 138(3), 317-331.
Government of Kenya. (GoK, 2009). . Arid and Semiarid lands; Northern Kenya and other Arid lands Ministry report, Government Printer, Nairobi, Kenya.
Hariprasanna, K.& Rakshit, S (2016). Economic importance of sorghum. In The sorghum genome (pp. 1-25). Springer, Cham.
Homa Bay County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) 2018-2022, 2018)
Jatoe, J. B. D., Al-Hassan, R. M., &Abatania, L. N. (2005). Factors affecting the adoption of improved sorghum varieties among farm households in Northwest Ghana: A probit analysis.
Jongwe A. (2014). Synergies between urban agriculture and urban household food security in Gweru City, Zimbabwe. Journal of Development and Agricultural Economics, 6(2), 59-66.
Kanana, M.C., & Mbugua, J. (2019). Factors influencing the performance of contract farming in Kenya: A case of sorghum smallholder farmers in Imenti North, Meru County, Kenya. International Academic Journal of Information Sciences and Project Management, 3(4)
Kantarelis, D. (2010). Theories of the Firm. Inderscience Enterprises.
Kebeney, S.J., Msanya, B.M., Semoka, J.M., Ngetich, W.K. & Kipkoech, A.K. (2015). Socioeconomic factors and soil fertility management practices affecting sorghum production in Western Kenya: a case study of Busia county. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International, 1-11.
Kenya Food Security Steering Group, & Kenya (KFSSG, 2014). The 2014 Long Rains Season Assessment Report. National Drought Management Authority.
Kibet, C. (2011). Major challenges facing Kenyan agricultural sector. In International Conference on Innovations in Extension and Advisory Services: Linking Knowledge to
Kilambya, D. & Witwer, M. (2019). Analysis of incentives and disincentives for sorghum in Kenya. Gates Open Res, 3.
Kumar, A. A., Anuradha, K., Ramaiah, B., Grando, S., Frederick, H., Rattunde, W., & Pfeiffer, W. H. (2015). Recent advances in sorghum biofortification research. Plant Breeding Reviews: Volume 39, 89-124.
Lacy, S.M., Cleveland, D.A., & Soleri, D. (2006). Farmer choice of sorghum varieties in southern Mali. Human Ecology, 34(3), 331-353.
Luzinda, H. (2018). Factors Influencing Adoption of Improved Robusta Coffee Technologies in Uganda. Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 18(1), 33-41.
Mahmood, Z. H., Bashar, A. S., & Nasir, S. A. (2018). Estimating profit and cost functions and economic and technical efficiencies of wheat production nejaf province–al-
abbassi township (a case study) for season 2016. The Iraqi Journal of Agricultural Science, 49(3), 400-409.
Meeusen, W., & van Den Broeck, J. (1977). Efficiency estimation from Cobb-Douglas production functions with composed error. International economic review, 435-444.
Mundia, C.W., Secchi, S., Akamani, K., & Wang, G. (2019). A Regional Comparison of Factors Affecting Global Sorghum Production: The Case of North America, Asia and Africa ‘s Sahel. Sustainability, 11(7), 2135.
Muui, C. W., Muasya, R. M., Nguluu, S. N., Kambura, A., Kathuli, P., Mweu, B. M., & Odhiambo, D. O. (2019). Sorghum landraces production practices in Nyanza, Coast and Eastern regions, Kenya.
Muui, C.W., Muasya, R.M., & Kirubi, D.T. (2013). Baseline survey on factors affecting sorghum production and use in eastern Kenya. African journal of food, agriculture, nutrition and development, 13(1), 7339-7353.
Oboko, R., Kimani, J. Kante, M., Chepken, C., Wario, R., &Kiai, R.N. (2016). Aknowledge management system for indigenous crops production: case of sorghum farming in south Tharaka, Kenya. AIMS Agriculture and Food, 1(4), 439
Odhiambo, D.O. (2019). Sorghum landraces production practices in Nyanza, Coast and Eastern regions, Kenya. Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 3(1), 49-54.
Ogundele, O.O., & Okoruwa, V.O. (2006). Technical efficiency differentials in rice production technologies in Nigeria. AERC.
Omoare, A.M., and Oyediran, W.O. (2020). Factors Affecting Rice Farming Practices among Farmers in Ogun and Niger States, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 24(4), 92-103.
Omondi, L.B. (2019). Analysis of Integration of Sorghum Markets in Kenya (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi).
Omoro, W. (2013) Factors for low sorghum production in Nyanza, Kenya: A case study of small-scale farmers in East Kano sub location, Nyando District, Kenya. A Research
Project Submitted to Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied sciences In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Development, Specialization: Rural Development and Food Security.
Orr, A., Mwema, C., Gierend, A. & Nedumaran, S. (2016). Sorghum and Millets in Eastern and Southern Africa: Facts. Trends and outlook.
Oyier. M, Owuoche, J., Cheruiyot, E., Oyoo, M., & Rono, J. (2016). Utilization of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench.) hybrids in Kenya: A review. International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research, 9(6), 65-75.
policy and Action for Food and Livelihoods, held in Nairobi, Kenya, November (pp.
Shehu, J.F., Mshelia, S.I., & Tashikalma, A.K. (2007). Analysis of technical efficiency of small-scale rain-fed upland rice farmers in the North-west agricultural zone of Adamawa state, Nigeria. Journal of Agriculture and Social Sciences, 3(4), 133-136.
USDA (2004). The Plants Database, version 3.5. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA, 70874-4490.
Wanjala, S. P., Njehia, B. K., & M urithi, F.M. (2015). Important variables influencing milk yields on smallholder farms in Western Kenya. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 3(1).
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2021-10-24
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