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Determinants of Simultaneous Use of Soil Fertility Information Sources among Smallholder Farmers in the Central Highlands of Kenya

Author

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  • Pamellah A. Asule

    (Department of Water and Agricultural Resource Management, University of Embu, Embu P.O. Box 6-60100, Kenya)

  • Collins Musafiri

    (Cortile Scientific Limited, Nairobi P.O. Box 34991-00100, Kenya)

  • George Nyabuga

    (Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 30197-00100, Kenya)

  • Wambui Kiai

    (Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Nairobi, Nairobi P.O. Box 30197-00100, Kenya)

  • Felix K. Ngetich

    (Cortile Scientific Limited, Nairobi P.O. Box 34991-00100, Kenya
    School of Agricultural and Food Sciences, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Bondo P.O. Box 210-40601, Kenya)

  • Christoph Spurk

    (Institute of Applied Media Studies, Zurich University of Applied Sciences, 8400 Winterthur, Switzerland)

Abstract

Soil fertility decline is a significant drawback to food and nutritional security in sub-Saharan Africa. However, information and knowledge barriers seriously impede the adoption, effective use, and scaling up of soil fertility management innovations, especially by smallholder farmers who produce the bulk of the region’s food needs. Apart from the knowledge that smallholder farmers seek soil fertility information from diverse sources, which they apply simultaneously, there is limited knowledge of farmers’ information-seeking behaviour regarding which sources are used simultaneously and the factors influencing these choices. We employed a cross-sectional survey study design to determine the simultaneous use of soil fertility information sources of 400 smallholder farming households in the Central Highlands of Kenya. We analysed the data using descriptive statistics, principal component analysis (PCA), and a multivariate probit model. The PCA distinguished seven categories of information sources farmers use: local interpersonal, cosmopolite interpersonal, aggregative, print/demonstration, broadcast media, community-based, and progressive learning sources. The intensity of use revealed that most of the smallholders used soil fertility information sources simultaneously and primarily as complements. The determinants of simultaneous use of soil fertility information sources were farmer location, marital status, main occupation, age, farming experience, exposure to agricultural training, group membership, arable land and livestock units owned, soil fertility status, soil fertility change, and soil testing. This study’s findings have implications for information dissemination strategies involving using multiple complementary sources of knowledge for improved soil health and productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Pamellah A. Asule & Collins Musafiri & George Nyabuga & Wambui Kiai & Felix K. Ngetich & Christoph Spurk, 2023. "Determinants of Simultaneous Use of Soil Fertility Information Sources among Smallholder Farmers in the Central Highlands of Kenya," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-23, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:13:y:2023:i:9:p:1729-:d:1230027
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