Influence Of State-Ngo Partnership On Implementation Of Agricultural Development Policy In West Pokot Sub County, Kenya

Abstract

To achieve agricultural development in Kenya, the state developed the Agricultural development policy aimed at increasing productivity and incomes especially for smallholders, enhancing food security and equity, emphasizing irrigation to introduce stability in agricultural output, commercialization, and intensification of production, appropriate and participatory policy formulation, and environmental sustainability. All these formed the basis for State-NGO partnership in the implementation of agricultural development policy. However despite the state support in the implementation of agricultural development policy, farmers in West Pokot Sub County still lack knowledge on how to commercialize and modernize agricultural production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of State-NGOs partnership in the implementation of agricultural development policy in West Pokot Sub County. The specific objectives were to assess the influence of State-NGOs partnership in the provision of farm inputs for agricultural development policy in West Pokot Sub County, to determine the effect of State-NGOs partnership in training farmers on agricultural development policy in West Pokot Sub County, to establish the effect of State-NGOs partnership in the provision of extension services on agricultural development policy in West Pokot Sub County, and lastly, to determine the effect of State-NGO partnership in financing on agricultural development policy in West Pokot Sub County. In an attempt to explain the implementation of agricultural development policy, the researcher focused on three theories; the strategic alliance theory, functionalism theory, and collaboration theory. The target population of the study was NGO staff, Household, and staff from relevant government ministries. Data were collected using questionnaires, and interview schedules and were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. From a population of 1160, a total sample size of 131 respondents were sampled to participate in the study. Quantitative data collected were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A multiple linear regression model with four predictors was used to predict the implementation of agricultural development policy in West Pokot Sub County. From the model R2=, .586 showed that the four predictor variables; farm input, training, extension service, and financial accounted for 58.6% variation in the implementation of agricultural development policy. The four predictor variables had a significant relationship with the implementation of the agricultural development policy. The study made four recommendations. State-NGO partnership in the provision of farm inputs should extent from providing inputs for subsistence farming to market crops such as horticultural crops to enhance the economic status of the households, farmers within the community should be capacitated to establish model farms so that the farmers can learn from them on a practical basis, the State and NGOs should implement a policy where the local farmers can be regularly be trained and their services engaged to offer extension services to the farmers in their locality and the credit facilities should be extended to value addition enterprises for the farmers to maximize on their returns and to guard against loses.