SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING ADOPTION OF CALLIANDRA AND LEUCEANA SHRUBS AS FEED SUPPLEMENTS AMONG THE SMALL HOLDER DAIRY FARMERS IN KISII CENTRAL SUB-COUNTY, KENYA.

Abstract

Calliandra (Calliandra calothyrsus) and Leuceana species are the mostly widely promoted and adopted exotic fodder shrubs in Kenya and are the most popular species in Kisii Central Sub-County. However, despite their multiple benefits and economic viability, the adoption of these fodder species for use as dairy feed supplements among the small holder dairy farmers in Kisii Central Sub-County has been low. The specific objectives of this study were to compare the socio-economic characteristics of adopters and non-adopters of Calliandra and Leuceana species in Kisii Central Sub-County, determine socio- economic factors that influence their adoption and to make policy recommendations on strategies to enhance their adoption. The study was based on the main hypothesis that adoption of Calliandra and Leuceana shrubs as feed supplements was not influenced by farmer’s socio-economic characteristics. The research design was descriptive survey and household interviews and questionnaires were the main data collection tools. The study used a sample of 116 smallholder dairy farmer’s selected using stratified random sampling from four randomly selected villages from Kisii Central Sub-County, in Kenya. The sample was stratified by gender strata to ensure proportionate representation of female headed households among the adopters and non- adopters. The choice by the individual farmer to adopt was assumed to be “either-or” in nature (dummy dependent variable), hence the use of a statistical model of discrete choice, called the Logit model. To produce unbiased parameter estimates, maximum likelihood estimation method was applied. The empirical results showed the farmers’ decision to adopt were positively and significantly affected by Sex of the Household Head, Family Size, Extension Contact, and Dairy Breed Quality. On the other hand, effect of Age of the Household Head and Presence of other Income Generating Enterprises within the Farm were negative but not significant. The overall mean probability of adoption was 0.31 (31%) whereas the mean probability of an adopter was 0.76 (76%).The mean probability ofa non- adopter was 0.1 (10.8%). A singe policy change leading to increased extension contact with the dairy farmers had the greatest impact of increasing the adoption rate to 44.6%, while improving the dairy quality had the smallest impact of increasing the adoption rate to 38.2% among the significant determinants. Combining several policies yielded better impacts due to interactive effects. It was therefore recommended that the government and other extension providers should consider formulating policy strategies which enhanced livestock extension services intensification. A policy on affirmative action targeting female headed households should also be considered alongside affordable and accessible artificial insemination services to improve dairy breed quality. The suggested policy interventions could provide viable and long term solutions to the underlying constraints inhibiting this technology adoption among the smallholder dairy farmers in Kisii Central Sub-County.