The study has used a descriptive survey design. The study was carried out in Meru County. The study area was limited to the lower part of Meru County whose climatic condition is suitable for mangoes production. This study adopted a likelihoodselection method for getting the respondents. Out of 13,442 farmers, traders and exporters, 447 farmers, 12 traders and 2 exporters were randomly selected for interview. Secondary data used in the study was collected from the Ministry of Agriculture Offices. To ensure validity and reliabity questionnaires were pretested and the researcher supervised data collection. Quantitative data obtained from the field was analyzed using descriptive and inferential techniques. The descriptive techniques adopted were means and frequencies while the inferential technique used were regression and correlation to establish relationship between variables in the study and inferences made. Frequency tables and charts were used to present the findings.The study found out that lack of training was an hindrance in innovation adoption.The more the training the more the adoption of innovation.Chi-square results show that training has a significant association with innovation in Mango value chain as shown by a value of 39.139 at (p≤0.05).The researcher concludes that lack of organizations/institutions support has also undermined innovation adoption in mango supply chain. There is need to establish good linkages between farmers and research development systems which offer training on new technologies or innovations as well as assisting farmers in accessing markets for their products.

Soapstone quarrying and carving has taken place at the Tabaka region of Gucha South Sub-County for many decades. The activities associated with soapstone quarrying include clearing of vegetation, removal of top soil, earth moving, excavation of the stones and chopping off the unwanted parts of the soapstone. These activities have caused serious environmental impacts in the quarrying areas. This study focused on the effects of vegetation destruction as a result of soapstone quarrying on the socio-economic well-being of households within the quarrying areas of Gucha South Sub-County, Kenya. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of vegetation destruction (loss of cover and biodiversity erosion) by quarrying on the socio-economic well-being of households within the quarry areas. A cross-sectional survey research design was adopted. Purposive sampling procedure was utilized where 102 households were purposively selected based on their nearness to the soapstone quarries. Data collection was done using a questionnaire, recording observations and taking photographs. Descriptive (Frequency distribution, percentages, means, median and mode) and Inferential (Regression, Chi-square and ANOVA) statistics were used to analyze the data. The findings of this study indicate that vegetation destruction as a result of soapstone quarrying activities has negative effects on the socio-economic wellbeing of the households found within the soapstone quarrying areas. Thus, there is need to regulate the soapstone quarrying activities. There is also an urgent need for an Environmental Impact Assessment and audit to be carried out to determine the state of the environment in the soapstone quarrying areas.

The study used a descriptivesurvey design. The study was carried out in Meru County, Kenya. Population of the study comprised of 13,574 farmers, traders and exporters, 404 farmers, 12 traders and 2 exporters. Both secondary and primary data was collected. Primary data was collected from the respondents using a structured questionnaire with both open and close ended questions. Both qualitative and quantitative data were used in the analysis. Quantitative data obtained from the field was analyzed using descriptive and inferential techniques. The descriptive techniques used means and frequencies while the inferential technique used were regression and correlation to establish relationship between variables in the study and inferences made. Frequency tables and charts were used to present the findings. The study found out that entrepreneurial skills played a role on the innovations adoption along the mango value chain. However, a linear association does not exist as between entrepreneurship skills and innovation in mango. The researcher concludes that with such a steady growth in yields and development in mango farming in Meru County, Kenyan mango supply chain appears to be promising. In the adoption of new innovations and there is need to train the growers on entrepreneurship. Education tours should be organized for the value chain members to countries such as India and Brazil so that they learn what their contemporaries in these countries are doing and adopt more skills

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