IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ags/ijaeri/344369.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Farmer’S Knowledge And Perception Of Integrating Phosphorus Fertilizer And Mulches In Cowpea Production

Author

Listed:
  • Chepngeno, Dorcas
  • Gathungu, Geofrey Kingori
  • Nderitu, Peris Wangari

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) [Walp] is increasingly sought for its high nutritional content, climate resilience, and ecological function in improving soil fertility. Cowpea production is hindered by an array of biotic and abiotic factors, such as pests, drought, low soil fertility, notably phosphorous (P), and farmers’ limited knowledge of the importance of mulching and phosphorous application. A survey was done between September 2022-April 2023 to determine the available cowpea management techniques and assess farmer’s knowledge and perception of integrating mulches and phosphorous fertiliser cowpea production in Karingani Ward, Chuka Sub-County, Tharaka-Nithi County. Data collected was analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS) software version 21.0. Frequencies and percentages present descriptive statistics, while the Binary logistic model measured the relationship between the categorical target variable and the independent variables. The study findings showed that cowpea farming is dominated by males (60%) of aged 40-60 (53%), and most 50% attained the primary level of education. Most farmers 83% are small farm-holders relying on rainfed farming, of which long rain occurs between March and June, and short rain is received from August and December with 91% response rate. The cowpea variety M66was the most preferred indicated by 60% response rate for sale and consumption and most farmers 85% obtained planting seeds from the previous harvest. Drought, low soil fertility, and some pests were found as the key cowpea production constraints. Further, most farmers59% applied NPK during planting and they conquered that phosphorous fertilizer is an essential macronutrient in cowpea production. However, it was found that most 71% apply inappropriate amounts of fertilizers as they depend on visual estimation. The findings are crucial for developing ways to increase cowpea yield among smallholder growers, particularly in Tharakanithi County, where subsistence farming is common. Increased cowpea production through proper use of inputs such as P fertilizers and mulching could potentially assist Kenya reduce its enormous imports of cowpea grain from neighboring nations. The study also found that P-containing fertilizers integrated with plastic mulch are critical production inputs for increasing cowpea output in the region and in places with similar traditional farming practices. The study will benefit breeders, development partners, extension personnel, and other stakeholders in cowpea value chains. The study recommends that both genders and youths to actively participate in cowpea farming and farmers should be provided with extension services to boost their farming knowledge.

Suggested Citation

  • Chepngeno, Dorcas & Gathungu, Geofrey Kingori & Nderitu, Peris Wangari, 2024. "Farmer’S Knowledge And Perception Of Integrating Phosphorus Fertilizer And Mulches In Cowpea Production," International Journal of Agriculture and Environmental Research, Malwa International Journals Publication, vol. 10(02), April.
  • Handle: RePEc:ags:ijaeri:344369
    DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.344369
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/344369/files/ijaer_10__13.pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.22004/ag.econ.344369?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nyagaka, Daniel & Obare, Gideon A. & Nguyo, Wilson, 2009. "Economic Efficiency of Smallholder Irish Potato Producers in Kenya: A Case of Nyandarua North District," 2009 Conference, August 16-22, 2009, Beijing, China 49917, International Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. R. A. Sugden & T. M. F. Smith & R. P. Jones, 2000. "Cochran's rule for simple random sampling," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series B, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 62(4), pages 787-793.
    3. Baidoo, P. K. & Mochiah, M. B. & Apusiga, K., 2012. "Onion as a Pest Control Intercrop in Organic Cabbage (Brassica oleracea) Production System in Ghana," Sustainable Agriculture Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 1(1).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ferraz, V.R.S. & Moura, F.A.S., 2012. "Small area estimation using skew normal models," Computational Statistics & Data Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 56(10), pages 2864-2874.
    2. André Felipe Azevedo Neves & Denise Britz do Nascimento Silva & Fernando Antônio da Silva Moura, 2020. "Skew normal small area time models for the Brazilian annual service sector survey," Statistics in Transition New Series, Polish Statistical Association, vol. 21(4), pages 84-102, August.
    3. Adams, Abdulai & Jumpah, Emmanuel Tetteh & Caesar, Livingstone Divine, 2021. "The nexuses between technology adoption and socioeconomic changes among farmers in Ghana," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    4. Mostafa Mollaei & Seyed Ali Asghar Fathi & Gadir Nouri-Ganbalani & Mehdi Hassanpour & Ali Golizadeh, 2021. "Effects of strip intercropping of canola with faba bean, field pea, garlic, or wheat on control of cabbage aphid and crop yield," Plant Protection Science, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 57(1), pages 59-65.
    5. Humphrey, Emuria W., 2017. "Factors Affecting Farm-Level Efficiency In Irrigation Schemes: A Case Of Turkana South Sub-County," Research Theses 276433, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    6. Enrico Fabrizi & Maria Ferrante & Carlo Trivisano, 2013. "Small area estimation of labor productivity for the Italian manufacturing SME cross-classified by region, industry and size," ERSA conference papers ersa13p894, European Regional Science Association.
    7. Fernando A. S. Moura & André Felipe Neves & Denise Britz do N. Silva, 2017. "Small area models for skewed Brazilian business survey data," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 180(4), pages 1039-1055, October.
    8. Sibiko, Kenneth Waluse, 2012. "Determinants of Common Bean Productivity and Efficiency: A Case of Smallholder Farmers in Eastern Uganda," Research Theses 134500, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    9. Azevedo Neves André Felipe & Nascimento Silva Denise Britz do & Silva Moura Fernando Antônio da, 2020. "Skew normal small area time models for the Brazilian annual service sector survey," Statistics in Transition New Series, Statistics Poland, vol. 21(4), pages 84-102, August.
    10. Maina, Florence Wanjiru & Mburu, John & Gitau, George Karuoya & Van Leeuwen, John, 2018. "Assessing The Economic Efficiency Of Milk Production Among Small-Scale Dairy Farmers In Mukurweini Sub-County, Nyeri County, Kenya," Dissertations and Theses 280032, University of Nairobi, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    11. Nguyen Hung Anh & Wolfgang Bokelmann & Do Thi Nga & Nguyen Van Minh, 2019. "Toward Sustainability or Efficiency: The Case of Smallholder Coffee Farmers in Vietnam," Economies, MDPI, vol. 7(3), pages 1-25, July.
    12. Dai, Wen & Robinson, John, 2001. "Empirical saddlepoint approximations of the Studentized mean under simple random sampling," Statistics & Probability Letters, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 331-337, June.
    13. KM Atikur Rahman & Md. Abu Naim Shorkar, 2021. "Analyzing Association Between Public Green Space and Self-Esteem Linked to Social Acceptance for Elderly Population in Dhaka," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, October.
    14. Kinya K. Kigatiira & Hellen K. Mberia & Kyalo wa Ngula, 2018. "The Effect of Communication Channels used between Extension Officers and Farmers on the Adoption of Irish Potato Farming," International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, Human Resource Management Academic Research Society, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, vol. 8(4), pages 377-391, April.
    15. Mehereen Akhter & Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin & Nazifa Rafa & Sanjida Marium Hridi & Chad Staddon & Wayne Powell, 2020. "Drinking Water Security Challenges in Rohingya Refugee Camps of Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Agribusiness; Agricultural and Food Policy;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ags:ijaeri:344369. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: AgEcon Search (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://ijaer.in/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.