Browsing by Author "Nyakwara, Agnes Zilpher"

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Assessment of gender roles and environmental impacts of oil crop production in Lare, Nakuru,
(Egerton University, 2015-04) Nyakwara, Agnes Zilpher
The oil crops sector had been identified as one of the entry points in the execution of the food reliance and a vehicle for poverty reduction by government of Kenya (MoA, 2008). As a result many studies and development projects aimed at promoting soybean and sunflower in Kenya have been undertaken since the 1990s. While a lot of studies have been based on low adoption of these crops, challenges like gender roles, access to and control of the farmland remain undocumented. To address this gap, this study focused on gender roles and the related potential environmental effects during oil crop production by small holder farmers, in Lare Division, Nakuru County, Kenya. The importance of disaggregating gender roles, access to information by gender and awareness of environmental and gender policies were analyzed. The research adopted an ex-post facto survey research approach. Purposive sampling was used to obtain a sample size of 180 small holder farmers from 330 households within the study area. Data collection instruments included questionnaires for primary, focus group discussions and secondary data were also reviewed. The results indicated that the activities and production of oil crop was a gender crop. Male farmers owned land and accessed information through trainings but were not involved in all activities of soybean and sunflower production. Gender roles adhere to traditional and cultural codes on pesticide application, it was done by male farmers with no protective gears despite having been trained on safe practices. The study established that 58% female and 13% male farmers were aware not of environmental and gender policies. The study concludes that there was exposure to pesticide within the households and water bodies by contamination which interfered with biodiversity and habitat. No female farmers were aware of any policies though 35% of the males were aware. This slow of awareness is likely to lead to poor practices that are likely to increase environmental risks. The study recommends that there is need to promote policies, programmes and projects that improve both men and women's access to and control over productive resources, inputs and services equally at grassroots’ levels. There is a need to study the changes in the gender roles in agriculture in order to understand the cultural setup in different area. The understanding of such changes goes a long way in enhancing better projects planning and implementations.
Gender roles and environmental risk factors associated with fall armyworm mitigation practices on maize in Bomet County, Kenya
(Egerton University, 2024-09) Nyakwara, Agnes Zilpher
Advent and meteoric rise from the fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E Smith) as an invasive pest within Africa possesses grave implications to smallholder agriculturalists with reference to decrease on maize yield loss. The estimated loss ranges between 4.1 million to 17.7 million tons annually, notably equal to US$ 12.8 billion annually. In Kenya, the first FAW invasion detection reported in Bomet County in 2016 prompting the indiscriminate use of synthetic insecticides that could undermine the environmental and food security. Based on gender disparities through food supply network can obstruct the accomplishment of nutrition security with environmental sustainability. Subsequent infestation from FAW within nation, scanty research about gender roles in mitigation of FAW including how their adaptation and coping strategies may affect the environment. Three hundred and eighty four smallholder farmers from Bomet County were purposively enumerated using structured questionnaires, checklists for farmer groups and key informants. The gender roles in mitigation of FAW identified, their impact on the environment evaluated and food production before and after FAW invasion analysed. The analysis of data used descriptive statistics and chi-square. Results showed smallholder farmers‘ use different mitigation strategies, which are a combination of both coping, and adaptation strategies guided by their different socio-economic factors within different headed households during FAW infestation. The result further showed FAW invasion contributes largely to households‘ food decline whereas, FAW management practices that were likely to lead to environmental contamination were related to chemical use with either male or female farmers being concerned with control throughout FAW invasion. This outcome of goodness-of-fit test analysis signify that there were a statistically significant correlation amongst decline of crop yields due to FAW invasion and gender, (2 =43.115, DF=3, p =.000). There is need for research and policy makers to create awareness for farmers on better FAW mitigation strategies mainly on the use of chemicals that are more biodegradable and less polluting to the environment. Increasing awareness creation on FAW practices that are less likely to enhance occupational exposures to pesticides and to family members. Farmers‘ should be encouraged to change their food preferences to alternative food crops insusceptible by fall armyworm.