Climate Change Challenges and Knowledge Gaps in Smallholder Potato Production: The Case of Mauche Ward in Nakuru County, Kenya
Journal Title: International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research (IJASR) - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 4
Abstract
This paper explores the climate change challenges, adaptation strategies and knowledge gaps in smallholder potato production in Mauche Ward of Nakuru County, Kenya. Understanding climate change challenges is important in the efforts to build resilience and enhance adaptation among smallholder farmers. Simple random sampling was used to select 150 smallholder potato farmers to participate in a household survey and data analyzed using SPSS. To triangulate the findings, purposive sampling was used to select 76 potato value chain (VC) stakeholders to participate in a brainstorming session in a workshop. Results showed that ncreasing rainfall is reported but the onset is unpredictable.Excess water runoff damages the road network and transportation of potatoes to the market is expensive. Increasing rainfall also causes severe soil erosion on the farms hence reduced soil fertility as well as rampant incidence of potato pests and diseases which calls for further investment on pesticides and fungicides. Results further indicate that flood increase affects quality of water sources which has a negative impact on human health and expected returns to agriculture. However, the household survey respondents lacked a clear perception of the indicators of climate change. They exhibited inability to obtain climate change information from available sources. There was evidence of lack of training and unclear knowledge acquisition on climate change given that a majority of therespondents (50.7 %) reported not having received any training. The study recommends involvement of farmers in collective learning processes to develop and integrate crop, soil and water management intensification strategies. This ensures sustainability of climate change adaptation efforts in smallholder potato production. Any efforts to address climate change challenges in smallholder potato production must be complemented by investments in rural transportation infrastructure and storage facilities.
Authors and Affiliations
Rael Jepkemei Taiy, Christopher Onyango, Agnes Nkurumwa
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP239019
- DOI -
- Views 103
- Downloads 0
Review on Oil Extraction Techniques
Edible oils serve as a major source of meal in diet. The need per person per day is 30 g oil to meet the minimal dietary requirements, whereas, at present, the availability is only 11 g per person per day. India is the l...
Effect of Pelletization with Bentonite on Emergence of Carrot Seeds
Many vegetable seeds are small, light and irregular in shape and therefore, it is difficult to plant them precisely. Sowing these problematic seeds with protective layers of coatings may be the solution to ensure its saf...
An Assessment of Dynamics on Cropping Pattern and Crop Diversification in Akola District of Maharashtra
The present study was based on secondary data collected from various government publications and pertains to a period of 43 years, i.e. from 1970-71 to 2013-14. This study has examined the growth rates of area, productio...
An Utilization Behaviour of Learners of Diploma in Agri-Inputs Course through Open and Distance Learning Mode
The study showed that 59.20 per cent of the respondents were found at medium level of utilization behaviour followed by 26.10 and 14.70 percentages at high and low levels of utilization behaviour. Educational status, Pro...
Development of Dextrose Base Formulation of Bacillus Subtilis and Its Evaluation as A Biocontrol Agent against Fusarium Oxysporum F.Sp.Ricini
In the present study; B. subtilis NSPLKMB01 has been isolated from local soil of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, India, identified as a B. subtilis strain NAIMCC-B-02000, by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and developed formulat...