| dc.description.abstract | GENERAL ABSTRACT
The dairy industry is important for its contribution to the living standard of people,
industries, foreign exchange and 4% of the total GDP in Kenya. Productivity of 7.8
liters/cow/day is low and attributed to poor feeding and contribution to high emission of
greenhouse gases (GHGs). Fodder scarcity poses a challenge to the achievement of high
productivity, while mitigation of fodder scarcity through fodder conservation remains
low. Despite common challenges, farms perform differently, in different farm locations
with some farms, also called positive deviants (PDs) conserving adequate fodder. In the
highlands and midlands of eastern Kenya, information on fodder conservation among
smallholder dairy farming systems is limited. The adoption levels and the intensity of
fodder conservation technologies including silage and hay, factors affecting the adoption
and use of such technologies in (peri-) urban locations and strategies used by PDs in
fodder conservation are unknown. Therefore, the study sought to assess fodder
conservation technologies among smallholder dairy farming systems in the highlands and
midlands of Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. Specifically: to determine factors affecting
the adoption intensity of fodder conservation. To determine factors of fodder conservation
technologies adoption in urban and peri-urban areas. To determine strategies that
distinguish PDs from peers (non-PDs) in fodder conservation. A cross-sectional survey
was conducted on smallholder dairy farms producing and conserving fodder in Tharaka
Nithi County. Multistage sampling procedures were used: purposive sampling of the Sub-
counties and locations, random selection of villages and proportional selection of 242
farms through snowball chain referral. The questionnaire was used to collect information,
which included: household socio-demographics, husbandry practices, farm
characteristics and fodder conservation characteristics. Two towns were chosen
purposively to represent urban locations i.e. Chuka (UL, n=68) and peri-urban locations
Chogoria (PUL, n=93) in Chuka and Maara Sub-Counties respectively (Total n=161), due
to the relatively high number of urban dwellers. Additionally, the PDs (n=24) conserved
fodder adequate to last the dry season and had a milk yield of ≥15 kg/cow/day. While
non-PDs (n=97) do not qualify for both criterion as farms qualifying for one criteria were
discarded. Multiple regression analysis was applied to explain the quantity of fodder
conserved. The Multivariate Regression (MVR) model was used to identify and estimate
simultaneously the determinants of fodder conservation technologies adoption. Logit
regression was used to examine variables that influence the probability of PDs. The study
found that most farms were headed by older males who had basic education. Fodder was
scarce during the dry season in most farms. Fodder conserved included; silage was
conserved in the least number of farms only 26%, but the highest in the quantity of fodder
conserved (13 tons); hay was conserved in 40% of the farms, but the quantity conserved
was the least (2 tons); crop residue storage was the major conserved fodder by 85% of the
farms and the quantity conserved was 5 tons. Quantities of fodder conserved were
affected by land size, herd size, duration planned to use conserved fodder, main fodder
source during scarcity and the fodder conservation technologies used (silage and hay).
Quantities of silage and hay conserved were higher in urban location (UL) than in peri-
urban locations (PUL) farms. Crop residue storage was conserved more in non-PD farms,
especially in PUL farms. Fodder conserved in UL and PUL was influenced by farm
location, land size, herd size, total milk yield per farm, sex, source of fodder during feed
scarcity, extension services, period the current stock is expected to last, use of concentrate
feeds and breed kept. Access to extension services, milk yield, land size, land under
xivfodder, period to use conserved fodder, total herd size, and different combinations of
fodder conservation technologies differ between PDs and non-PDs. PDs in fodder
conservation are favored by a high level of education, access to extension services, large
land, herd size and high milk yield. The study shows knowledge production resources and
technology used as important in fodder conservation. Recommended mitigation measures
target more education on fodder conservation technologies as well as increasing the
adoption of improved fodder production. Knowledge advancement of farmers and
policymakers through education and extension increases milk production. Therefore,
policymakers can focus on creating enabling policies that promote the adoption of
improved technologies as used by PDs to support fodder production and conservation to
improve productivity and inform the direction of future research. | en_US |
