Selected factors influencing cotton production among smallholder farmers in Bura irrigation and settlement scheme, Kenya

Abstract

Kenyan smallholder cotton production has remained low despite the spirited effort by the government and the private sector to revive the sector. Several factors combined seem to be responsible for this perpetual low production. Among the factors are constraints ranging from, inadequate extension services, limited access to information on production and poor marketing systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate how these selected factors (cluster group extension approach, information sources and seed cotton marketing) influence cotton production among smallholder farmers in Bura Irrigation and Settlement Scheme. The study utilized descriptive survey research design to collect primary data from farm households on the influence of selected factors on cotton production, while secondary data was collected from Cotton Development Authority and National Irrigation Board offices in Bura Irrigation and Settlement Scheme. The study population was all smallholder cotton farmers in Bura Irrigation Scheme. Proportionate simple random sampling method was used to select 120 farmers from 1022 cotton farmers in 11 villages within the scheme, who were included in the study. A validated questionnaire was used to collect data. The questionnaire attained reliability Coefficient of α = 0.80 at confidence level of 0.05 after it was pilot tested among 30 farmers in Galole Sub County. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data to determine association and relationships using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0. The findings showed that most of the households are headed by women (54%), majority are of middle age (36-55) and a significant 27.5% lacking basic education. Most farmers (55.8% of the respondents) preferred cluster group extension approach while 71.7% obtain production information from other farmers within the Scheme. On marketing of seed cotton 60.8% of the respondents recommended the establishment of a ginnery within the Scheme as the selling price of seed cotton showed a direct relationship with the production levels. The study recommended that efforts should be made to establish the reasons behind the unacceptable low levels of education among farmers within the scheme and brokers should be regulated to avoid malpractices associated with their activities in the Scheme.