Faculty of Agriculture

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    Adoption of banana value addition and its effect on profitability of small-scale agri-enterprises in Kisii County, Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2024-09) Ntabo, Agnes Nyabwari
    Value addition in the banana value chain has become an important opportunity especially the time of high postharvest losses. The strategy prolongs and improves the shelf life and quality of banana fruit hence increasing agripreneurs’ profits. Despite this documented benefits, adoption of banana value addition has remained low globally. This study sought to determine the adoption of banana value addition and evaluate its effects on profitability in Kisii County, Kenya. The specific objectives were: (i) To characterize adopters and non-adopters of value addition among small-scale banana agripreneurs in Kisii County (ii) To examine the factors influencing adoption of banana value addition among small-scale agripreneurs in Kisii County (iii) To evaluate the effect of adoption of banana value addition on profitability among small-scale banana agri-enterprises in Kisii County. The study used pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire to collect cross-sectional primary data from 201 agripreneurs selected using mult-stage sampling technique in Kisii County, Kenya. Descriptive analysis, Cragg’s double hurdle and propensity score matching approach was used to analyse objective one, two and three respectively. Descriptive statistics indicated that flour milling was the most adopted value addition activity followed by slicing and drying, sorting and grading and finally crisps making. Chi-square and t-test results revealed that significant differences between adopters and non-adopters were observed in extension contacts, trainings received, type of road, primary occupation, age, group membership, distance to the output market, output produced, and farm size. Moreover, double hurdle model summarized that output produced, primary occupation, use of murram roads, number of trainings and extension visists, distance to output market, and group membership had a significant effect on decision to adopt banana value addition. While access to credit, use of tarmac roads, output produced, farming experience, number of extension visits, and marital status had a significant effect on extent of adoption of banana value addition. Finally, findings revealed that adoption of banana value addition has a positive significant effect on profitability. Adopters increased their profits by KES 45,510.72 per acre. There is need for the public and private agricultural extension organizations to provide more trainings and extension services to agripreneurs. The County government and development organizations should sensitize agripreneurs to form groups and cooperatives to enhance working collectively in production, processing and marketing of bananas and its value-added products. The County government should invest more funds on developing rural roads to improve access of markets among agripreneurs. All these enhance adoption of banana value addition
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    An analysis of urban household food demand in Nairobi, Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2008-06) Musyoka, Philliph Michael
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    An analysis of audit quality attributes and client satisfaction for companies quoted at the Nairobi securities exchange
    (Egerton University, 2014-10) Mbakaya, Joab Anyika
    With the collapse of Enron involving the misconduct of one of the Big 4, Arthur Andersen & Co. in the US and the CMC and Uchumi scandals in Kenya involving the big audit firms Delloitte and PwC, the argument for audits for big audit firms as synonymous with quality audit has become questionable. Despite several studies having been done on audit quality, none of them has touched on the analysis of audit quality attributes in relation to client satisfaction for the listed companies on the Nairobi Securities Exchange. The general objective of the study was to analyze audit quality attributes and client satisfaction for companies listed at the Nairobi Securities Exchange and the study will be significant to the management of the listed companies and the audit firms alongside the scholars who may want to pursue the subject further. The study comprised of all the listed companies on the Nairobi Securities Exchange as at 31st December 2013, they were 60 companies in number. The study reviewed literature on audit qualities which included audit reliability, audit tangibility, auditors assurance, auditors responsiveness and auditors empathy, also auditors experience and auditors independence were reviewed. Client satisfaction, empirical studies and theoretical review were also covered, the literature review finalized with the conceptual framework. The study employed descriptive study design and entailed the 60 listed companies as the population, which was taken as a census because of the small number. Primary data was collected by use of a structured questionnaire by use of drop and pick later. The collected data was analyzed first by use of descriptive statistics; correlation analysis was done to establish the relationship between the dependent and independent variables and finally a regression analysis was performed on the model to test the hypotheses. A total of 60 questionnaires were sent out of which 49 were respondent to, 41 were satisfactorily filled and considered for analysis, this formed 84 percent response rate. The study found that only two out of five audit quality attributes (i.e., Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy, Tangibles, and Reliability) were statistically significant related to client satisfaction. Thus the two attributes of tangibility and responsiveness has a significant impact on the client satisfaction.
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    An analysis of factors influencing choice of 14-seater Public Service Vehicles and Alternative modes of Public Service Transport in Nairobi City
    (Egerton University, 2013-10) Koimur, Isaac C
    In the year 20 I 0, the Kenya government announced that 14-seater vans, commonly referred to as “matatus” . were to be phased out so as to reduce traffic congestion on the roads and also to ensure efficient commuter movement. Travelers on Kenyan roads have not experienced public transport system without 14-seater PSVs. It is not known whether the perception of commuters about the efficiency of 14-seater vehicles in the city of Nairobi is higher than for the alternative PSV modes. The study's general objective was to establish factors that determine the commuters' choice of 14-seater PSVs over the other alternative PSV modes in Nairobi city in terms of travel time, fare charged, distance walked, number of alternative routes and time taken to board a vehicle to full capacity. Survey research design was used. The population was low­ cadre employees who commute and work at the headquarters of government ministries in Nairobi. Random sampling method is used to select the ministries. Departments in the ministries were also identified through random sampling. Desired data was collected through the administration of a questionnaire whose validity and reliability was ascertained using a pilot study in Nakuru town. The data was processed and analyzed using x2-test, analysis of variance, linear regression model with respect to time and fare charged. The insights gained in the research are of great importance to policy makers in government and non-governmental agencies dealing with public passenger transport. The study established that travel time from house to workplace had influence on choice of 14-seater PSV over the other alternative PSV modes. Second, the existence of alternative routes had influence on commuter choice of 14-seater PSV over the other alternative PSV modes. Third, fare charged had effect on commuter choice of 14-seater PSV over the ther alternative PSV modes. Fourth, the fare charges during the off-peak hours influenced the commuters' choice of the PSV vehicle they would wish to use. Fifth, the time taken to walk by a commuter had no influence on choice of 14-seater PSV over the other alternative PSV modes. To phase out 14-seater PSVs, the government can introduce operational regulations on the use of 14-seater PSVs that make the said PSVs unattractive to both investors and commuters
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    Antimicrobial Use and Pathogens Sensitivity among Smallholder Dairy Herds around Nakuru Peri-Urban Areas, Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2024-09) Njie, Mariama
    Inappropriate Antimicrobial Use (AMU) leads to antimicrobial residues and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) development. The risk can be high in peri-urban smallholder dairy herds, where with intensification, mastitis infections become prevalent, inducing frequent AMU, but sometimes inappropriately. This study (i) assessed farmers‟ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices (KAPs) about AMU and AMR, (ii) quantified use frequency and dosage of veterinary antimicrobial use, and (iii) tested for antimicrobial sensitivity levels of pathogenic bacteria species causing mastitis. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four peri-urban wards of Nakuru city, Kenya where change from free-grazing to semi-zero-grazing and to zero-grazing dairy management represent increasing intensification. Data on KAPs was obtained from 124 farmers and a sample of 210 lactating cows positive for mastitis were examined for use frequency and dosage of antimicrobial drug, then milk samples bacteriologically cultured to test for antimicrobial sensitivity. The associations between KAPs and dairy intensification and antimicrobial sensitivity of different pathogenic bacteria species were tested using Chi-square test statistics. The drug use frequency and dosage were quantified using general linear models. Among the sample farmers, at least six in ten had intensified dairy management, marketed milk through informal outlets and were using antimicrobial drugs. Compliance with the withdrawal period, training on prudent antimicrobial use, positive attitudes and good practices in AMU increased (p>0.05) with increasing dairy intensification. Disease incidences decreased with intensification from free grazing (42.9) to semi grazing (29.4) and to zero grazing (25.8) percent. Farmers more frequently used antimicrobial drugs to treat mastitis (47.1) than (p<0.05) to treat East Coast fever (14.3), parasitic infections (11.8), or other diseases (26.8) percent. Only a few antimicrobials used were identified: gentamicin (13.9), tetracycline (11.5), penicillin G (4.9), and sulfamethoxazole (3.3) percent. The average use frequency of AMU was 2.2 times per year at a dose of 20mg/kg body weight and 8.405mg/cow/year. From the positive milk samples, Staphylococcus aureus (100), Escherichia coli (14.7), Clostridum (16.2), Corynebacterium (14.) and Entetrococcus (4.4) percent were isolated. Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli showed high resistance to ampicillin (97.4), kanamycin (70.8), and penicillin G (91.7), and high susceptibility to ciprofloxacin (96.8), gentamicin (98.7), sulfamethoxazole (71.8), and streptomycin (79.5) percent. In conclusion, improving dairy management can lead to more responsible antibiotic use in livestock. The study findings indicate that milk from peri-urban cows may serve as a reservoir for multi-drug-resistant.
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    The applicability of textual disclosures and selected bankruptcy prediction models in assessing the going concern risk of listed firms in Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2017-04) Macharia, Monicah Njambi
    Going concern risk disclosures by companies in financial reports as required by the IFRS helps investors and financial analysts to establish if going concern is in jeopardy. The management complies with IFRS but still companied end up being delisted due to going concern issues. This study was guided by three objectives: to establish if there are textual disclosures on going concern risk by listed firms in Kenya, to determine the extent of prediction of going concern risk using the selected bankruptcy predicting models on listed firms in Kenya and to establish whether the textual disclosures and selected bankruptcy predicting models are statistically significant in assessing the going concern risk of listed firms in Kenya. The population of the study comprised of firms listed at the NSE from 2000 to 2015. Proportionate sampling was adopted where six firms that were either delisted or placed under statutory management were analysed alongside the corresponding thirteen going concern firms from the same sectors. The annual financial reports collected from the Capital Market Authority (CMA) resource centre were analyzed five years prior to going concern risk. Data was presented in tables and statements. In a sample of 13 going concern firms and 6 non going concern firms, the study established that there were textual disclosures for the entire period of analysis. On the extent of prediction of going concern risk using the selected bankruptcy predicting models, the study found that the means of the going concern firms in all the sectors were above the cut off scores at 1.10 for Altman revised four variable model, above 0.862 for Springate model and above 0 for Fulmer model. Sector wise the results showed that the three selected bankruptcy prediction models can, to a significant extent assess going concern risk in the manufacturing, commercial and telecommunication sectors. Results from the regression matrix for both samples, showed a positive relationship between the selected bankruptcy predicting models in assessing the going concern risk. Further, using the T test results failed to accept the null hypothesis at 5% significant level as the p values were all below 0.05, implying that the selected bankruptcy predicting models were not significant in assessing the going concern risk. Finally, results from the T test, provided a p value of 0.902 in a going concern sample and 0.810 in a non going concern sample and showed that textual disclosures are not statistically significant in assessing going concern. The study failed to reject the null hypothesis that textual disclosures were not significant in assessing the going concern risk. This study recommends that textual disclosures be used alongside selected bankruptcy prediction models in financial management decisions.
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    Assessing influence of rainfall and temperature variability on productionperformance of sahiwal cattle in semi-arid region of Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2023-09) Githinji, Macdonald Gichuru
    For over 50 years, Sahiwal cattle breed at the National Stud Herd (NSH) has been bred on rain-fed pastures in a semi-arid ecosystem of Kenya. NSH is located in a hotspot of increasing climate change and variability where Sahiwal cattle herd grazed on rain fed pastures has had long exposure spanning over 50 years. It is hypothesized that Sahiwal has been exposed to large intra and inter annual variations in precipitation and temperatures, with significant influence on their survival rates and milk production. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to characterize the extent of variability in monthly rainfall and temperatures, and to determine their influence on survival rates and on milk production of Sahiwal cattle managed at the Naivasha NSH. Records of monthly herd inventory, deaths and milk yields, monthly minimum (Tmin), maximum (Tmax) and mean (Tmean) temperatures and rainfall for a period of 31 years were obtained from the Naivasha NSH. Variability trends in monthly rainfall and temperature were characterized using the coefficient of variation (CV), standardized anomalies, Precipitation Concentration Index (PCI) and moving averages. The trends were determined using Mann-Kendall (MK) trend test while the slope was computed from Sen’s Slope test. The influence of rainfall and temperatures variations on cattle survival rates was determined using logistic regression while the influence on milk yield was determined using multiple regression analysis. Rainfall variability (CV) was larger in short seasons (CV 59.2%) than in long seasons (CV 48.2%) with a high rainfall concentration (PCI) observed in 34% of the years. The trend for mean annual, long and short season rain, Tmin, Tmax and Tmean were -36.5mm, -25.5 mm + 69 mm, 0.017oC, -0.156oC and -0.09oC per decade, respectively. The range of standardized anomalies for annual rainfall and Tmean were -1.58 to +1.63 and -21.53 to 2.54. The Sen’s slope for mean monthly rainfall, Tmin, Tmax and Tmean ranged from -1.36 to 0.76, -0.06 to 0.05, -0.07 to 0.07 and -0.05 to 0.05, respectively.Effects of temperature variability was insignificant on cattle survival, but rainfall variability had a discernable significant trend on the probability of an animal surviving. For every 1oC increase in Tmin and Tmax, monthly milk yield decreased by 1.58kg and 1.17kg, respectively while for every 1 mm increase in monthly rainfall, monthly milk yield increased by 0.07kg. It is concluded that Naivasha NSH has experienced significant intra and inter annual variations in precipitation and temperatures, with significant influence on survival rates and milk production of Sahiwal cattle. It is advisable to implement adaptation strategies that will respond to effects of variability in precipitation and temperature on cattle survival and milk production. These include adjustments in animal husbandry, grazing management feed conservation to improve pasture quality and quantity all seasons.
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    Assessing institutional factors contributing to loan defaulting in microfinance institutions in Kenya
    (Egerton University, 2014-08) Gatimu, Eric Maina
    The success of individual MFIs in credit risk management is largely reflected in the proportion of delinquency’s loans to gross lending. Factors such as credit policies, loan recovery procedures, and loan appraisal process are viewed as critical drivers of institutional factors leading to loan default; each of these factors significantly affects loan default performance in MFIs in Kenya. The study used primary data. The study target population compromise 48 MFIs registered by Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kenya (AMFIK). A descriptive survey design was used to carry out a census of 48 microfinance institution in Kenya, this is because of the small size population .The data was collected through a structured questionnaire and administered to MFIs loan officers for response. Multiple regression analysis was used to establish relationship between loan delinquency and credit policies, loan recovery procedures, and initial loan appraisal in MFIs in Kenya. A total of 48 questionnaires were administered of which 45 were adequately respondent to and considered for analysis, this formed 94% response rate. The findings indicated that all the three factors tested had a significant impact on the loan default rate, thus the micro-finance institutions have a cause to worry if they have to reduce the loan default rates by considering the three factors under the study It is recommended that the management of micro-finance institutions should take keen interest in the three institutional factors if they have to reduce their loan default portfolio in microfinance institutions. It is suggested that a similar study be undertaken targeting the banking sector to establish the factors that contribute to loan default in the banking sector in Kenya.
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    An assessment into the factors affecting the adoption of e-learning in public secondary schools in Makadara Subcounty, Nairobi County
    (Egerton University, 2014-08) Makori, Linet Nyambeki
    The main purpose of the study was to assess the factors affecting adoption of E-learning in public secondary schools in Makadara sub-county, Nairobi County. The specific objectives of the study were to establish the influence of ICT infrastructure and Elearning curricula and design on the adoption of E-learning in public schools in Makadara sub-county, Nairobi County. It was also aimed at examining the effect of teacher’s readiness and teachers’ ICT skills on the adoption of E-learning in public schools in Makadara sub-county, Nairobi County. The study adopted a survey research design. The study targeted all the head teachers, teachers and deputy head teachers of all public secondary schools in Makadara Sub-county (195 respondents) but sampled 98 of them for this study. Data collected from primary sources was analyzed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 22.0). Correlation analysis, Regression analysis as well as descriptive statistics were used to analyze the study variables. The research study established that most schools have low investment in ICT infrastructure due to high costs of computer hardware, software and related accessories. The adoption of E-learning implementations has resulted in the need for development of new skills and competencies among teachers as most teachers who have been teaching in traditional manners are not technologically literate and sometimes may even resist because of the worry about losing their jobs if E-learning is implemented, because of their inadequate skills. The factors affecting the adoption of E-learning significantly influenced the adoption of E-learning and external factors such as the government policies, financial policies and human development hence the hypotheses were rejected.