Positive Deviance In The Adoption Of Agroforestry Technologies Within Lower Nyando Basin, Kenya

ABSTRACT

This study was set to examine positive deviance in the adoption of agroforestry technologies by some farmers in Kadibo Division, lower Nyando river basin in Western Kenya. The study was necessitated on understanding that despite widespread effort by extension agents to diffuse agroforestry practices in Kadibo Division, only a few farmers have been able to acquire and sustain the practices. Given this background, the study sought to assess approaches to successful adoption of agroforestry technologies by lowresource farmers who are constrained by environmental factors, which traditionally has impeded uptake of the practices within the division. A stratified sample of 92 agroforestry practicing farmers was interviewed at household level besides an interview of 9 key informants. In the study, a mixture of quantitative and qualitative research approaches was used. The quantitative information was mainly obtained using a semistructured questionnaire and an observation checklist, whilst formal interviews, focused group discussions and extended case studies were used to obtain the qualitative information. The quantitative data was subjected to descriptive analysis such as percentages, frequencies and mean on one hand, and linear logistic regression analysis. Whilst narrative-log was mainly used in analysis of the complementary qualitative data. Findings from this study reveal that at least 9 typical agroforestry technologies have been disseminated to local farmers by governmental and non-governmental actors within Kadibo Division. The common technologies observed include: woodlots and shade tree, which was adopted by 22% and 20% of the farmers, respectively. It was further revealed that non governmental organizations and lead farmers are crucial players in influencing 43% and 32% of farmers‟ decision to acquire the various agroforestry technologies, respectively. The findings further revealed that some of the assessed farmers do engage in both short-term agroforestry crop production and long-term crop production practices in a complementary way as a strategy to minimize the high initial cost needed to acquire and sustain the practices. In this arrangement, the resource poor farmers demonstrated how income earned from short-term maturing crops is continuously invested into long-term agroforestry ventures. On the other hand, at 5% significant level, a linear logistic regression revealed that ability to sell agroforestry produce, p=0.018; increased number of marketable farm produce, p=0.028; and increased quality and variety of produce, p=0.007 and p=0.003, respectively are key driving factors to adoption of agroforestry technologies. The study results have showcased the success stories of farmers who have prevailed upon socio-economic and biophysical constraints to engage in the right thing. The key recommendations for out scaling of agroforestry practices in the study area and beyond include: intensification of flood water management strategies to enhance survival of agroforestry trees in adverse times; improve co-ordination and consultations by key institutions at local level to boost farmers‟ adoption of agroforestry trees; and intensification of farmers information sharing.