Determinants of adoption of improved Amaranth among small scale farmers in Buuri Sub-County, Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

There is paucity of information on Amaranth as a valuable source of food, medicine and income. In the recent past, the cultivation of Amaranth by small scale farmers in Kenya has been promoted by public extension services, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), research organizations and universities. The extent of relationship between the selected factors such as access to extension services, availability of markets for Amaranth products, availability of certified seeds and consumption of Amaranth products on the adoption of Amaranth in Buuri Sub-County has not been adequately studied. The purpose of this study therefore, is to determine and document how the availability of certified seeds, access to extension advice, and availability of markets and consumption of Amaranth products has relationship on the adoption of the Amaranth crop in Buuri Sub-County of Meru County. An expost-facto survey design was employed in this study and targeted common interest groups growing Amaranth among Buuri Sub-County stakeholders. The population sampled comprised of 360 members of all common interest groups in Ruiri and Nchoroiboro locations. A total sample of 110 respondents from the population of 360 small scale farmers was selected from these two locations within Buuri Sub-County using a random sampling approach. Questionnaires were administered to the sampled small scale farmers. Data analysis was carried out using descriptive and inferential statistics. Pearson‟s product moment correlation coefficient analysis was appropriately used to determine the relationship between independent variable and dependent variables for the rejection or acceptance of hypotheses at alpha significant level of 0.05. This study found that availability of certified seeds, availability of market and consumption had positive significant relationship with the adoption of improved Amaranth in the study area. However, access to extension services was found to have no significant relationship to the adoption of improved Amaranth. This study recommends that stakeholders should have access to adequate certified seeds available during planting. Efforts should also be made to provide a competitive market for current farmers for continued Amaranth cultivation. Extension service providers should ensure that they also educate farmers on how to prepare Amaranth to enhance on-farm nutritional diversity. Efforts to make known the various uses of the products should be given priority. This should be geared towards increasing the consumption of Amaranth since it has relationship on the adoption of improved Amaranth.