International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension

International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension ISSN 2329-9797 Vol. 7 (7), pp. 001-009, July, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Household food security in a commercialized subsistence economy: A case of smallholder tea famers in Nandi south district, Kenya

Langat B. K.¹*, Ngéno V. K.¹, Sulo T. K.¹, Nyangweso P. M.¹, Korir M. K.¹ Kipsat M. J.¹ and Kebenei J. S.²

¹Department of Agricultural Economics and Resource Management, Moi University, P. O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya.

²Department of Soil Science, Moi University, P. O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya.

Accepted 18 April, 2019

Abstract

Policies fronting commercialization of agriculture in Kenya assumed that realization of increased household incomes through cultivation of cash crops, would guarantee improved food security and subsequent reduction of poverty. However, most communities in Kenya growing cash crops still struggle to put food on the table. Population pressure has led to competition for limited land resource, coupled with unfavourable poverty indicators; they have impacted negatively on food access in the district. The focus of the study was on the population of smallholder tea farmers in Nandi South District of Kenya. The main objective was to investigate socio-economic factors influencing households’ food security among smallholder tea farmers in the district. Multi-stage proportional-to-size cluster sampling was used to sample 165 households. Data was collected using both questionnaires and interviews. Translog Cost Function was used to specify the supply side factors influencing food security in the district. Household dietary diversity index (HDDI) had a positive correlation between the land size on maize and output. Months of adequate household food provisioning (MHAFP) also had positive correlation with tea income, outputs of maize and tea and their respective land sizes. Factors influencing household food security were; land productivity, off-farm income and land allocation to maize and tea, household characteristics: education, gender, and employment. Optimal allocation of land between tea and maize productions will guarantee household food security. Strategies aiming at increasing household food security should target increased access to inputs for food production and productivity of land and income diversification.

Key words: Food security, commercialization, smallholder tea farmers, Nandi south, Kenya.

International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension ISSN 2329-9797 Vol. 7 (7), pp. 001-007, July, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Landslide movement monitoring using GPS technology: A case study of Bakthang landslide, Gangtok, East Sikkim, India

M. S. Rawat¹, Varun Joshi²*, B. S. Rawat³ and K. Kumar⁴

¹G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development Sikkim Unit, Pangthang, East Sikkim, Gangtok-737101, India.

²University School of Environment Management, Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Sector-16C, Dwarka, New Delhi-110075.

³DBS PG College, Dehradun, Uttarakhand.

⁴G. B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, Kosi-Katarmal, Almora, Uttarakhand.

Accepted 16 March, 2019

Abstract

Landslide is a general term used to describe the down-slope of soil, rock and organic material under the influence of gravity. Several parts of northeastern region of India are vulnerable to landslide and moss movements. Nowadays, the Global Positioning System (GPS) technology has shown that it is capable to monitor sub-centimeter deformations of this ground movement. The main advantage of GPS sensors is that GPS requires no line-of-sight between the stations. This enables GPS to monitor the landslide even during unfavorable weather conditions either in real time or post-processing mode. However, the attainable accuracy of a GPS based system is limited by the satellite geometry and by systematic errors such as multipath, weak satellite geometry, etc. To monitor the landslide phenomena, it is imposed to represent the area under investigation by a number of points that are monumented durably. Some stations are used to define a stable reference frame and remaining stations are the monitoring points situated in the deformation area. In this way, the determination of the movement of the control stations is done relatively to the reference ones. Bakthang falls landslide selected for its movements. This paper therefore highlights an investigation of landslide motions to discover possible precursors of mass movement and periodical changing of landslide.

Key words: Landslide movement, global positioning system technology, bakthang falls landslide.

International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension ISSN 2329-9797 Vol. 7 (6), pp. 001-004, June, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Residents decision-making in tourism at Sitatunga’s swampy habitat: Saiwa National Park, Kenya

Ngeno Vincent*, Rop Wendi, Langat B., Korir M. K. and Kipsat M. J.

Department of Agricultural Economics and Resource Management, Moi University, P. O. Box 1125, Eldoret, Kenya.

Accepted 13 February, 2019

Abstract

The local community is one of the most important stakeholders in tourism development. Local people could participate in tourism through policy and planning process; benefits sharing or owning community projects. However, in most instances, private benefit of conservation to individuals, households and even entire community are not made clear or may be non-existent. This research examines the level of participation by communities around Saiwa Swamp National Park, created primarily for the protection of the rare Sitatunga antelope in Rift valley Kenya. Chi-square test, ANOVA, t-tests and correlations were performed in order to investigate, if there is a direct relationship between residents' participation variables and support for tourism. In general, there is a direct relationship between involvement in decision-making and support of tourism.

Key words: Tourism, residents’ participation, Saiwa, Kenya.

International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension ISSN 2329-9797 Vol. 7 (5), pp. 001-011, May, 2019. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The role of remittances in financial development in Lesotho: Evidence from alternative measures of financial development

Sephooko I. Motelle

University of Cape Town, Graduate School of Business. South Africa. E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected] Tel: (+266) 2231 4281. Fax: (+266) 22310051.

Accepted 04 March, 2019

Abstract

This article represents a modest attempt to empirically establish the effect of remittances on financial development in Lesotho. Remittances tend to have a long run effect on financial development; however, they do not cause financial development. In the short run this effect evaporates. Trade openness and inflation have significant effects on financial development both in the short and long run. The former has a negative long run effect and a positive short run effect, while the latter has a negative effect in the short and long run. Financial liberalisation and the size of the economy have only long run effects on financial development. The Granger causality test reveals that financial development Granger-causes remittances. Hence, looking at the role of remittances in Lesotho, the development of the financial sector can help increase the propensity to remit. This is an important lesson for the authorities, because a number of impediments to financial development relate to the creation of a conducive or enabling environment in which activities of financial intermediaries, particularly credit extension can flourish.

Key words: Remittance in financial development, Lesotho.

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of formal credit on the performance of the poultry industry: The case of urban and peri-urban Kumasi in the Ashanti Region

Fred Nimoh¹, Addo Kwasi¹ and Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum²*

¹Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension, KNU. ST-Kumasi, Ghana.

²Department of Agricultural Extension, University of Ghana, Legon-Accra, Ghana.

Accepted 14 January, 2019

Abstract

Farm net income was used as a measure to investigate the effect of formal credit on the performance of the poultry industry. Forty credit and non-credit users each were selected purposively for the study. Regression model was employed for the analysis. Results showed that there was a significant difference (t-value of 0.012 at 5%) between the net income of large poultry farmers who used credit and those who did not. This means that large-scale poultry farmers are likely to perform better than small-scale farmers when credit is made available to both groups. Therefore it is recommended that formal financial institutions should focus on giving loans to large-scale poultry farmers while not neglecting the needs of small-scale farmers.

Key words: Credit, poultry industry, peri-urban, urban, Kumasi.