Faculty of Agriculture

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://172.16.31.117:4000/handle/123456789/38

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Browsing Faculty of Agriculture by Author "Akoko, Obuon Peter"

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    Evaluating Smallholder Farmers’ Willingness to Pay For Improved Maize Dryers in Njoro Sub-County, Nakuru County, Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2024-09) Akoko, Obuon Peter
    Maize, the most common staple food in many parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, is usually preserved through the traditional drying method. However, the conventional approach exposes maize to severe losses and quality deterioration; therefore, improved methods should be considered as an alternative to dry maize. Studies have found enhanced dryers are a more efficient and sustainable way to preserve agricultural products; however, developing countries, including Kenya, have yet to adopt these technologies. This study sought to evaluate the economic viability and smallholder maize farmers’ willingness to pay for improved maize dryers in Njoro Sub-County. The specific objectives included characterizing smallholder maize farmers based on their desire to use improved dryers, which was analyzed with descriptive statistics, determining smallholder farmers’ willingness to pay for enhanced maize dryers, which was analyzed using the double-bounded model and establishing factors influencing smallholder farmers’ willingness to pay for improved maize dryers in Njoro Sub-County which were analyzed using the Tobit model. A multistage sampling method was used to select a sample of 306 small-scale maize farmers. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire Through a Cross-sectional survey. From the results, the factors that were associated with willingness to use the improved maize dryer were advanced education, more years of farming experience, larger land size, cooperative membership, access to more extension services and access to commercial market channels, and those that were associated with unwillingness to use the improved maize dryer were advanced age, larger household sizes and access to more post-harvest training. The findings emphasize the importance of considering education, farming experience, land size, cooperative membership, access to extension services, and commercial market channels when marketing improved maize dryers. The ideal adopters are farmers with advanced education, years of farming experience, larger land size, cooperative membership, and access to relevant services. To enhance the adoption of improved maize dryers, stakeholders should support farmers in expanding production land, joining cooperatives, accessing extension services, and connecting with commercial maize markets. Additionally, awareness programs targeting older farmers with large households and those lacking post-harvest training may help address factors associated with unwillingness to use improved maize dryers. In conclusion, adoption and willingness to pay for enhanced maize dryers within Njoro Sub-County is influenced by several factors, such as educational level, farming experience, and land size of the smallholder farmers.