Farmers’ Response To Catchment Management Technologies: A Case Of Tende And Kibuon Catchments In South West, Kenya

Abstract

Globally catchment degradation has become the most serious form of natural resource degradation which impacts negatively on environment, food security and nutrition. Integrated Land and Water Management Project in Kibuon and Tende (ILWMKTP) was implemented in the study area from 2009 to 2014 and focused on improvement of land productivity and water quantity by using soil and water conservation technologies. The study determined farmers’ response on catchment management technologies disseminated during project implementation. This research was crucial since it established the level of technology uptake in the catchments. The study was conducted in Homa Bay, Nyamira and Kisii Counties which were selected purposively since they implemented ILWMKTP project. This study was an ex post facto research design that adopted cross sectional survey approach and combined qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures to gather data from farmers and staff who implemented the programme. Farmers in the catchments practice mixed farming by rearing livestock and growing of maize, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Target and accessible populations were 9,475 and 370 farmers respectively selected proportionately through simple random sampling procedures. Interview schedule, a questionnaire and a research test were used in data collection. The research test developed was used to collect data on farmers’ attitude towards catchment management technologies. Data collected was analyzed using SPSS through which descriptive and inferential statistics were used. There was a significant difference in the level of erosion before and after project implementation for example T-test on rill erosion before (M =4.37, SD = 0.654) and after (M = 3.511, SD = 1.151) t (369) = 12.442, p = 0.000. Farmers had different levels of knowledge, skills and attitude on technologies for example knowledge on use of cover crops, Kibuon K2 reported more (3.74 mean) compared to Mogusii T3 which had a mean of 3.15. Kibuon K1 reported a higher mean (2.93) on technology uptake compared to Isanta T2 which had a mean of 2.23. Data aggregation on use of integrated project extension approach in dissemination indicated more use of technologies not used before project implementation for example terraces had 1539 scores before and 1051 scores after. The research findings indicated more degradation before project implementation in the two catchments. Farmers had different levels of knowledge, skills and attitude on catchment management technologies. They constructed different numbers of technologies based on their knowledge, skills and attitude. Implementation of integrated project extension approach in disseminating different catchment management technologies was at different levels of implementation. Farmers needed more sensitization on catchment degradation to accept it as a critical problem. There was need for continuous farmers’ trainings to enhance technology uptake in the catchments.