Access to and use of land related agricultural information by farmers in Kiambu County, Kenya

Abstract

Farmers require information to carry out their agricultural activities and improve production and hence their livelihoods. There are many factors that inhibit farmers from accessing information, including shortage of information sources, and absence of information systems and services that are aligned to their needs. The aim of this study was to investigate access to and use of land-related agricultural information by farmers in Kiambu County with a view to suggest possible solutions: to identify farmers’ land-related agricultural information needs; examine how the farmers access and use the information; establish the extent to which their information needs are met; determine the challenges of accessing the information; and suggest possible solutions; The study was informed by Niedzwiezka’s theoretical framework, “New Model of Information Behaviour. Qualitative research approach with some aspects of quantitative techniques was used in embedded Mixed Method. The study sampled 150 subjects randomly selected from a population of 897 farmers from the largest and the smallest segments in a register of 28 cooperatives. Stratified random sampling technique was used with an aim to achieve representativeness. Qualitative data was analyzed using qualitative techniques on identified categories while quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize the findings in terms of frequencies, percentages, and intensities. The study findings were that information sources were deficient, and that available information systems and services were not aligned to the needs of the farmers. Further, information infrastructure in Kiambu County is poor and information technology is largely untapped. The study concludes that access to and use of land related agricultural information was inadequate and therefore farmers’ information needs were not being met sufficiently to enhance their agricultural productivity and hence improve their livelihoods. The study recommends that the information providers should provide information that is tailored to the varying information needs of the farmers: national and county governments should establish policies aimed at bringing information close to the farmers. It is also recommended that farmers need training on access and use of information source available in various information Centres.