Factors influencing food security of farmers practicing peri-urban agriculture crop production in

100 Pages·2013·1.31 MB·English

FACTORS INFLUENCING FOOD SECURITY OF FARMERS PRACTICING PERI-
URBAN AGRICULTURE CROP PRODUCTION IN NAIVASHA MUNICIPALITY, KENYA

BY

PAUL KAHIGA MUTERU

A Research Project Report Submitted in Partial Fulfilment for the Requirements of Master of
Arts Degree in Project planning and Management of the University of Nairobi

2013
DECLARATION

This research project report is my original work and has not been presented for a ward of degree in
any other university.

Signature:…………………………….. Date……...………………………
Paul K. Muteru
L50/71567/2011

This research project report has been submitted for examination with my approval as the University
Supervisor.

Signature: ……………………………….. Date……...……………………
Prof. T. Maitho
Department of Public Health, Pharmacology and Toxicology.

ii
DEDICATION
I dedicate this research project report to my wife, Mrs. Ferister W. Githinji, and children, Abigail N.
Kahiga and Stency N. Kahiga. Also, I wish to thank my dear parents Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Muteru
who ensured that I attend nursery school to start my long academic journey when home comfort was
of paramount importance to me at that time.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
This study would not have been possible without the help of some very important people. My thanks
goes to my supervisor, Professor.T. Maitho, for his encouragement, guidance and support from the
initial to the final part of the project, I am thankful to the resident lecturer Mr. Joseph Mungai and
staff of Nakuru Extra Mural centre for their support. I am also grateful to all lecturers in the
department for their dedication during the entire programme.
I cannot afford to pay back the assistance accorded to me by Mr. Joost Zuurbier, Managing Director
of Bilashaka flowers who give me time off for my classes and enabled my dream come true by
allowing me to take my leave during examination periods.
Lastly, my appreciation also goes to my classmates for their cordial support they give me during the
studies.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
2013 .................................................................................................................................................. i
DECLARATION .................................................................................................................................. ii
DEDICATION ................................................................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT .................................................................................................................... iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................... v
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................................. xi
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ................................................................................................ xii
ABSTRACT ..................................................................................................................................... xiii
CHAPTER ONE .................................................................................................................................. 1
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background of the Study ........................................................................................................... 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ......................................................................................................... 2
1.3 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................................. 3
1.4. Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................................ 3
1.5 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 3
1.6 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................................... 3
1.7 Delimitation of the study........................................................................................................... 4
1.8 Limitation of the Study .............................................................................................................. 4
1.9 Basic Assumptions of the Study ................................................................................................ 4
1.10 Definitions of significant terms used in the study................................................................... 4
1.11 Organization of the Study ....................................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER TWO ................................................................................................................................. 7
LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................................... 7
2.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 7
2.2 The concept of UPA ................................................................................................................... 7
2.3 Theories concerning UPA ........................................................................................................ 10
2.3.2 Urban-Rural integration ....................................................................................................... 11
2.3.3Comparative advantage ........................................................................................................ 11
2.4 The benefits of UPA ................................................................................................................. 12
2.4.1 Food Security ........................................................................................................................ 12
2.5 How peri-urban agricultural activities affects poverty reduction through food security…..13
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2.5.1.1 Marketing costs and margins ............................................................................................ 13
2.5.1.2 Market infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 14
2.5.2 How production of agricultural crops affect the poverty reduction through food security 15
2.5.3 How organizational capacity of farmers affect food security .............................................. 17
2.5.4 How coordination of farmers affect food security ............................................................... 18
2.5.4.1 Group formation, structure and legislation ...................................................................... 18
2.5.5 How government policies can be used to enhance food security ....................................... 19
2.5.5.1 Regional and rural development policies .......................................................................... 19
2.5.5.2 Development of intermediate market towns ................................................................... 22
2.6.1 Farming types and agricultural innovation .......................................................................... 24
2.6.2 Putting agriculture into the plan in Kenyan Towns .............................................................. 25
2.6.3 Urban Land Characteristics .................................................................................................. 25
2.6.4 Micro-Gardens in Dakar, Senegal ......................................................................................... 25
2.7 Conceptual Framework ........................................................................................................... 26
2.8 Knowledge gaps ....................................................................................................................... 27
CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................ 30
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................... 30
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 30
3.2 Research Design ...................................................................................................................... 30
3.3 Target Population .................................................................................................................... 30
3.4 Sample Size and Sampling Techniques .................................................................................... 30
3.4.1 Sample Size ........................................................................................................................... 31
3.4.2 Sampling Technique ............................................................................................................. 31
3.5 Data Collection Instruments .................................................................................................... 32
3.5.1 Pilot Testing of the instrument process ............................................................................... 32
3.6 Data Collection Procedure....................................................................................................... 32
3.7 Validity and Reliability of research instruments ..................................................................... 33
3.7.1 Validity .................................................................................................................................. 33
3.7.2 Reliability of research instruments ...................................................................................... 33
3.8 Data Analysis Technique.......................................................................................................... 34
3.9 Ethical Considerations ............................................................................................................. 34
3.10 Operational definition of variables ....................................................................................... 34
CHAPTER FOUR .............................................................................................................................. 36
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DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION ............................................................. 36
4.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 36
4.2 Questionnaire return rate ....................................................................................................... 36
4.3.1 Distribution of respondents by gender ................................................................................ 36
4.3.2 Distribution of respondents by location .............................................................................. 37
4.3.3 Distribution of respondent’s by mode of the farming ......................................................... 38
4.4 Agricultural Productivity .......................................................................................................... 38
4.4.1 Number of crops cultivated by farmers ............................................................................... 38
4.4.2 Acreage of crops cultivated by each farmer ........................................................................ 39
4.4.3 Annual yields per acre .......................................................................................................... 39
4.4.4 Average income from farm produce .................................................................................... 40
4.4.5 Growing media ..................................................................................................................... 41
4.4.6 Method used to water crops ................................................................................................ 41
4.4.7 Type of field used for cultivation ......................................................................................... 41
4.4.8 Application of machinery during cultivation ........................................................................ 42
4.4.9 Rating of challenges facing farmers during the growing period .......................................... 42
4.5 Capacity and training of farmers ............................................................................................. 43
4.5.2 Management training ........................................................................................................... 44
4.5.3 Record keeping by farmers .................................................................................................. 44
4.5.3.1 Type of records kept by farmers ....................................................................................... 45
4.5.4 Visit by extension officers .................................................................................................... 45
4.5.6 NGO support ......................................................................................................................... 46
4.5.7.1 Rating of the various modes of communication utilized by farmers ................................ 47
4.6 Marketing of farm-produce ..................................................................................................... 47
4.6.1.1 Destination of farm produce ............................................................................................. 48
4.6.2 Categories of local buyers .................................................................................................... 48
4.6.2.1 Other kinds of buyers ........................................................................................................ 49
4.6.3 Availability of storage facilities ............................................................................................. 50
4.6.3.1 Type of storage facility ...................................................................................................... 50
4.6.4 Farm produce preservation .................................................................................................. 51
4.6.5 Value addition practices employed by farmers ................................................................... 51
4.6.6 Market access ....................................................................................................................... 52
4.6.6.1 Nature of difficulty experienced by farmers during marketing of farm-produce ............ 52
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4.7 Price determinants .................................................................................................................. 53
4.8.1 Food availability.................................................................................................................... 54
4.8.1.1 Frequency of occurrence of lack of food .......................................................................... 54
4.8.2 Food Sufficiency ................................................................................................................... 55
4.8.2.1 Frequency of occurrence of lack of enough food ............................................................. 55
4.8.3 Food Quality ......................................................................................................................... 55
4.8.3.1 Frequency of occurrence of lack of food variety .............................................................. 56
4.9 Answers to research questions ............................................................................................... 56
4.9.1 How does peri-urban agriculture influence food security of farmers in Naivasha municipality?
....................................................................................................................................................... 56
4.9.2 How does organization capacity influence food security of farmers in Naivasha municipality?
....................................................................................................................................................... 58
4.9.3 How marketing of crops influence food security of farmers in Naivasha municipality? ..... 60
4.9.4 Overall contribution of the independent variables to food security ................................... 62
CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, DISCUSSION, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS63
5.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 63
5.2 Summary of findings ................................................................................................................ 63
5.3 Discussion of findings .............................................................................................................. 65
5.3.1 Influence of peri-urban agriculture production on food security of farmers ...................... 65
5.3.2 Influence of organization capacity of farmers on food security .......................................... 65
5.4 Conclusions of the study ......................................................................................................... 66
5.7 Suggestions for further studies ............................................................................................... 69
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................. 70
APPENDIX 2: RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIRE FOR THE FARMERS IN NAIVASHA MUNICIPALITY ...... 80
6. Do you have difficulties in accessing the market? .................................................................... 85
(c)If yes specify the nature of difficulty……………………………………………………… ............................... 85
7. Do you determine the price to sell your produce? ................................................................... 85

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LIST OF TABLES
Page
Table 3.1: Sample size........................................................................................................................31
Table 3.2: Operational definition of variables…................................................................................35
Table 4.1: Response rate.....................................................................................................................36
Table 4.2: Distribution of respondents by gender...............................................................................37
Tale 4.3: Distribution of respondents by location...............................................................................37
Table 4.4: Distribution of respondents by mode of farming..............................................................38
Table 4.5: Number of crops cultivated by farmers.............................................................................38
Table 4.6: Acreage of crops cultivated by each farmer......................................................................39
Table 4.7: Yield per year in tonnes....................................................................................................40
Table 4.8: Average income from farm produce..................................................................................40
Table 4.9: Growing media..................................................................................................................41
Table 4.10: Method used to water crops.............................................................................................41
Table 4.11: Type of field used for cultivation.....................................................................................42
Table 4.12: Application of machinery during cultivation...................................................................42
Table 4.13: Rating of challenges facing farmers during the growing period......................................43
Table 4.14: Farmers education level....................................................................................................43
Table 4.15: Management training........................................................................................................44
Table 4.16 Record keeping records by farmers...................................................................................44
Table 4.17: Type of record kept by farmers........................................................................................45
Table 4.18: Visits by extension officers..............................................................................................45
Table 4.19: NGO support....................................................................................................................46
Table 4.20: Mode of disseminating information to farmers................................................................46
Table 4.21: Rating of various modes of communication utilized by farmers....................................47
Table 4.22: Buyer specifications.........................................................................................................48
Table 4.23: Destination of farm produce.............................................................................................48
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Table 4.24: Categories of local buyers................................................................................................49
Table 4.25: Other kinds of buyers.......................................................................................................49
Table 4.26: Availability of storage facilities.......................................................................................50
Table 4.27: Type of storage facilities..................................................................................................50
Table 4.28: Preservation of farm produce...........................................................................................51
Table 4.29: Value addition..................................................................................................................51
Table 4.30: Market access...................................................................................................................52
Table 4.31: Nature of marketing difficulties.......................................................................................52
Table 4.32: Pricing of farm produce...................................................................................................53
Table 4.33: Price determinants............................................................................................................53
Table 4.34: Food availability..............................................................................................................54
Table 4.35: Frequency of occurrence of lack of food.........................................................................54
Table 4.36: Food sufficiency...............................................................................................................55
Table 4.37: Frequency of occurrence of lack of enough food............................................................55
Table 4.38: Food quality.....................................................................................................................56
Table 4.39: Frequency of lack of variety of food …………………………………………………..56
Table 4.40: Model summary showing influences of agricultural productivity on food security…...57
Table 4.41: ANOVA showing influences of agricultural productivity on food security…………...57
Table 4.42: Coefficient showing effects of agricultural productivity on food security……………..58
Table 4.43: Model showing effects of farmers organizational capacity on food security…………..59
Table 4.44:ANOVA showing effect of farmers organizational capacity on food security………….59
Table 4.45: Coefficient showing effects of farmer’s organizational capacity on food security……..59
Table 4.46: Model summary showing effect of marketing on food security……………………......60
Table 4.47:ANOVA showing effect of marketing on food security………………………………...61
Table 4.48: Coefficient showing effect of marketing on food security……………………………...61
Table 5.1 : Contribution to the existing body of knowledge………………………………………...68

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