Abstract:
The importance of bananas cannot be underestimated worldwide. The main study objective was to assess the adoption and commercialization of tissue culture bananas in the riverine areas of the semi-arid areas of Lower Eastern region of Kenya. The specific objectives included determining respondents socio-economic, environmental and policy factors affecting adoption of tissue culture bananas in the region. This study was necessary due to the fact that there were many production gaps that exist which have limited adoption of the tissue culture bananas in the study region whose population is over three million and which occupies about 20,000 square kilometers. The data collected was analyzed using the SPSS version 17 as well as the internet based chi- square calculator. The study results found that environmental factor like soil and water conservation led to low rate of adoption. It also showed that 68 % of the respondents had soil and water conservation structures on their farms this being found significant in influencing the adoption of Tc bananas in the study area (p < 0.05) at (p = 0.0021). Others were maturity age in months (p = 0.021); availability of fence (p = 0.0011); importance of fencing (0.0013). Further still, from the logistic regression results on the socio-economic related factors the following factors were found significant (at p < 0.05) in influencing the adoption of tissue culture bananas in the study areas: gender (p = 0.0150); education (p = 0.0380); total land size (p = 0.0110); experience (p = 0.0168); tissue culture bananas knowledge (p = 0.0100) and tissue culture bananas Market (p = 0.0030). The chi-square Pearson’s coefficient statistics results on policy related factors found to be significant at p < 0.05 included: gender of the respondents growing tissue culture bananas (p = 0.008342); livestock ownership as it affects adoption (p = 0.043105); training on tissue culture (p = 0.00001); education as it affects adoption (p = 0.003153); availability of extension services (public or private) (p = 0.00001) and group affiliations or membership (p = 0.020642). Farmers with access to market easily adopted tissue culture bananas. The study concluded that adoption was low at 22.68 % and was influenced by respondents’ socio-economic factors such as gender, education, and tissue culture bananas knowledge, acreage of land under tissue culture bananas, marketing and extension services. The results also revealed that adoption was significantly influenced by the respondents’ access to extension services in the study area. Markets significantly influenced the adoption of tissue culture bananas. Policy related factors like extension services delivery, education and training, sourcing and affordability of plantlets, knowledge and experience on tissue culture bananas and high cost of inputs were significant. The study concluded that these factors could be the reason for low adoption of Tc bananas farming and thus the study recommended the government to ensure availability of the same by establishing community nurseries, training them on how to propagate and manage nurseries. The study recommended amongst others, the provision of credit and subsidy, extension services and training of farmers on banana production aimed at increasing adoption of tissue culture bananas. To improve tissue culture bananas availability hence adoption in the study area, establishment of certified sources like nurseries in the wards is also recommended. This will mean availing tissue culture bananas plantlets closer to farmers.