Analysis of factors affecting the adoption of commercial finger millet enterprises among small scale farmers in keiyo district

Abstract

This study was set to assess the mode of finger millet production in Keiyo District, in order to suggest on more efficient, effective and feasible management practices that could enhance the commercialized finger millet production in the study area. Finger millet production, according to the few researches that had been conducted in the study area suggested that very little had been done regarding the crop in the context of extension services, researches, and production techniques at large, thus constraining its production and development as an income generating enterprise for most residents in the area. The objective of the study was to determine the factors constraining the adoption of commercialized finger millet enterprise in the study area. The study was hypothesized that socio economic factors do not impact on the adoption of commercial finger millet production and that there was no relationship existing between adoption of commercial production of finger millet and land size as an economic factor. Primary data was collected from the study area and was supplemented by secondary data which was obtained from research reports, government reports, and website among other sources. Structured questionnaires were administered to collect primary data from the finger millet farmers. Descriptive data analysis was used to describe qualitative data while quantitative data was analyzed using inferential statistics using Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS) program. The findings from this study point out to several policy recommendations including; increasing the number of extension workers, coming up with birth control measures to reduce household size and reducing the cost of other inputs such as fertilizers. Finally the Government should sponsor researches on finger millet to reduce the research gap between finger millet and other crops like maize and wheat.