Presentation made by VICTORIA MBIGIDDE at the Biennial Conference 2012

1. EFFECT OF INFORMATION PATHWAYS
ON SMALL-HOLDER TEA PRODUCTION
IN WESTERN KENYA
VICTORIA MBIGIDDE

2. Introduction
• Tea is one of the most important cash crops in
Kenya. It contributes about 10% of the GDP.
• 3m employees, 2nd foreign exchange earner.
• Mainly grown by small-holder farmers, own
80% land under tea, produce over 60% made
tea in the country.
• TRFK generates information to help farmers
increase crop yields, but use of this information
has been limited, as seen from the low crop
yields.

3. Statement of the problem
• The yield of tea among small-holder farmers in
Kenya continues to be low despite TRFK
recommendations on innovations aimed at
enhanced production.
• Studies have mainly focused on production-based
innovations, but access to information is an
important factor influencing production.
• Even so, limited work has been done to quantify
and document the effect and efficiency of
information dissemination to impact yield among
small-holder farmers.

4. Objectives
• Broad objective:
– To contribute to a better understanding of how different
forms of information dissemination can contribute to
increased tea production among small-holder farmers.
• Specific objectives:
– Identify sources of information used by small-holder tea
farmers in western Kenya.
– Determine the information sources and socio-economic
factors that influence the choice and use of a particular
pathway/channel.
– Determine the extent to which different information
dissemination pathways impact tea production among
small-holder tea famers.

5. Research questions
• What types and sources of information
are used by small-holder tea farmers in
western Kenya?
• What are the socio-economic factors that
influence the choice and use of the type of
information?
• To what extent does information
dissemination affect tea production
among small-holder tea farmers?

6. KENYA WESTERN KENYA
MT.ELGON
M E O
T. LG N
B SA
UI
B N OA
U G M
BUNGOMA
K K ME A
A A G
V IG
H A
I
BUSIA
KAKAMEGA
VIHIGA
#
STUDY AREA Cheptik Muhudu
Mugumati
#
# #
Makuzhi # EAST
TIRIKI
Ishiru
Kaptiki
#
#
Bugina # IkoberoBombo
#
Lusui Busali # #
# #
Busweta Jeptulu
Lutego # # #
Wangulu #
Chavakali #
#
#MUDETE Kaimosi
Gaigedi
Maragoli SABATIA
Kibala
#
# Virembe
# # # Musudzu
SABATIA Kiritu # #
#
# Gahurubwa Mungavo
Ebusiratsi Mbale Eruswi #
I
IS
# # Shinyalu
# #
M
EMUHAYAMagada Mutambi Hamisi # # Kapsoi
# Khayega
A
# # #
H
Jumamoi
EMUHAYA Majengo # #
#
#
Gobei
#
Munzatsi Mudete Musasa # Shamakhokho
#
VIHIGA
Vihiga
#
TIRIKI WEST
# Lwombei
LUANDA VIHIGA # LEGEND
LuandaWekhomo
#
# # Towns
Gimarakwa Muhaya
# #
Japrok # Mudete
Gambogi Railway
#
N Rivers
Roads
Divisions
Constituencies
EMUHAYA
HAMISI
SABATIA
VIHIGA
3 0 3 6 Kilometers
Source:KNBS

7. Sampling design and data
collection procedures
• Multi stage sampling
• Three districts (Vihiga, Sabatia & Emuhaya)
varying in tea production.
• Simple random sampling technique = 362
farmers
• Primary data was gathered through an
interview-led questionnaire.

8. Data Analysis
• Descriptive statistics using SPSS package was
used for analysis to satisfy objectives 1&2.
• The logit model was estimated to assess the
relation between use of different
dissemination pathways and the farmer’s
decisions.
• A Cobb Douglas production function was
used in estimating the overall effect of
agricultural information on small scale tea
production in the study area for objective 3.

9. Analysis & results:
socio-economic characteristics

10. Analysis & results:
mean age, farm size, farming experience
& HH size

11. Results:
Sources of information on tea production

12. Results:
Type of information disseminated to farmers

13. Results:
Factors given by farmers for low tea production

14. Conclusions
• Although a number of channels were used to
disseminate information to farmers, only a few
were effective.
• Factories, fellow farmers, and media respectively
were predominant channels of information.
• Information on crop management and input
supply was more available compared to
information on marketing and record keeping.
• Availability and utilization of fertilizer significantly
influenced level of production.

15. Recommendations
• Use a participatory approach to disseminated
technologies.
• Increase extension officers/staff.
• Tap into media, mobile phones and other channels
more intensively.
• Need for efficient fertilizer use among smallholder
farmers so as to boost small-holder tea sector.

16. Thank you