The relationship between specific research-extension-farmer linkage factors and adoption of technologies of on-farm trials: a case of Kari-Kisii regional research centre

Abstract

On-famr research trial approach, as used by the regional research centres in Kenya has not achieved much in terms of adoption and improving agricultural productivity. This may be attributed to lack of a comprehensive approach for disseminating findings, arising from weak research-extension-farmer linkages. The study examined the relationship between specific linkage factors and adoption of agricultural technologies of on-farm trials conducted in KARI-Kisii mandate area. The linkage factors examined include: Level of participation of the groups in the on- farm trials; relevance of the technologies being disseminated to the farmers; roles played by each group in the on-farm trials; the presence of pre-formed attitudes, and level of satisfaction of farmers, researchers, and extension agents with their respective institutions. The study used an Ex- post facto research design with a survey methodology. It was designed to collect data from the researchers, farmers, and govemment extension agents in the KARI-Kisii mandate area. Stratified random sampling technique was used to identify 42 farmers out of all the farmers in the mandate region, 45 extension agents out of all the extension agents working within the mandate region and all the 17 technical research scientists working in KARI-Kisii, making a total of 104 respondents. Collection of data was done using three sets of questionnaires directly administered to farmers, extension agents and researchers respectively. Data analysis was carried out using both inferential statistics to test the hypotheses, and descriptive statistics to describe and summarise the results. The study found out that, level of participation, presence of preformed attitudes, level of satisfaction, knowledge of the roles in on-fann trials as well as relevance of technologies were significantly related to the level of adoption of technologies of on-farm research trials. It was concluded that linkage factors affect the level of adoption of technologies of on-farrn trials. It was recommended that the barriers impeding farmer-extension-research interaction should be eliminated to make the on-fami research trials more effective. The study is expected to be significant to the policy makers, research, extension and farmers in improving sustainable agriculture and rural development. The study emphasises the need to improve fanners-research- extension linkage so as to improve adoption of technologies developed through on-farm research trials hence improving agricultural productivity.