Effectiveness Of Project Extension Approach In Dissemination And Adoption Of Selected Maize Production Technologies Among Smallscale Farmers In Seme Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya.

Abstract

Dissemination and use of improved agricultural technologies is an important factor towards attaining improved agricultural production. The purpose of the study was to determine effectiveness of project extension approach in dissemination and adoption, knowledge and skills acquisition, levels of maize production as alternative to conventional extension approach and influence of selected socio-economic factors on adoption among small-scale maize farmers in Seme Sub-County, Kisumu County. Survey research method was used with Ex post facto study design and purposive random sampling technique where 180 small scale maize farmers were sampled and interviewed using structured questionnaire. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used where, descriptive statistics was used to compute percentages, means and standard deviations whereas inferential statistics was used in computing t-test, analysis of variances (ANOVA) and multiple regression analysis. Hypotheses were tested at α 0.05, and data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). Results indicates statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between the approaches regarding adoption of selected maize production technologies, knowledge and skills acquisition and level of maize production. An average of 83.20 percent (R2 = 0.8320) of the variation in the adoption of selected maize production technologies was explained by some of the selected socio-economic factors. Based on this study, it was concluded that project extension approach is more effective in the dissemination and adoption of selected maize production technologies, knowledge and skills acquisition, and high maize yields as compared to beneficiaries of conventional extension approach. Household income, household size and education levels influence adoption of selected maize production technologies while age, gender and farm size do not. The recommendation drawn this study was therefore, to support dissemination of selected maize production technologies through project extension approach for adoption in many areas in the region by both private sectors, National and County Governments.