Use of soil amendments, including organic materials and mineral fertilizers, is highly recommended for the replenishment of soil nutrients, improved soil health and more efficient use of fertilizers in sub-Saharan Africa. Along with other constraints, underdeveloped markets are often cited as a reason for limited uptake of recommended practices. Recognizing the potential interrelationship among practices, we estimate seemingly-unrelated, multivariate probit models to identify the factors that determine use of inorganic fertilizer, other soil amendments, and practices to control erosion by smallholder farmers in Kenya. We then estimate demand for the most common soil nutrients (N and P). We find that, consistent with theory, farmers are price-responsive and remoteness depresses demand for mineral fertilizers. Knowledge and plot tenure have a strong influence on use of soil fertility management practices. Sex of household head affects use of soil fertility management practices only in maize production, and particularly in use of N and P. Decisions to use different categories of soil fertility management practices are correlated.

This article explores the informal seed business, focusing on the yellow bean in Tanzania. The yellow bean is a major bean type traded, yet little is known about the seed supply that fuels it. The survey research in 2019 encompassed larger grain traders, informal seed traders, and retailers, covered major production, distribution and sale hubs, and was complemented by GIS mapping of seed and grain flows and DNA fingerprinting of yellow bean samples. Results showed that traders buy and sell grain and informal seed: it is not one business or the other, but both. Informal seed is an important moneymaker, representing between 15 and 40% of trader business in non-sowing and sowing periods, respectively. In the year monitored, 100% of the yellow bean seed was drawn from the informal sector, amounting to $US 4.35 million just among those sampled. Nevertheless, the informal and formal sectors are clearly linked, as over 60% of the beans sampled derived from modern varieties. Informal traders prove key for: sustaining the grain business, serving the core of the seed business, and moving varieties at scale. More explicit efforts are needed to link the informal sector to formal research and development partners in order to achieve even broader impacts.

Background: Gender-related constraints reflect gender inequalities in access to resources and development opportunities. Access to productive assets is a major issue in the gender empowerment discourse. Despite the significant roles women play in agriculture and food security in many developing countries, they continue to have a poorer command over a range of productive resources, including education, land, information and financial resources compared to their men counterparts. The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of access and control of productive resources on bean production. Results: Data collected from 412 households in the major bean corridors of Kenya (Homa Bay, Machakos, Bomet and Narok counties) were used to explain the importance of access to productive resources and income use in determining the quantity of beans produced by households. We found that the sex of the respondent was significantly correlated with bean production, with female-headed households producing less beans than the male-headed ones (p = 0.0.08). With regard to access and control of productive resources, households with more agricultural incomes and those who put a larger proportion of their land to agriculture produced more beans (p = 0.008; p = 0.000, respectively). Access and use of fertilized and hired labour was also highly significant. When assessing decision making on the use of income from bean sales was considered, households where the female spouse made decisions produced less beans compared to those that had the male household head being the main decision maker (p = 0.011). Conclusions: We concluded that access and control of productive assets are important in determining the quantity of beans produced at household level. There is a need therefore to come up with interventions which will benefit all the households but are targeted to the needs of the male-and female-headed households.

This study analysed socio-economic determinants for inputs use in major bean corridors in Kenya. It comprised 417 respondents sampled from four major bean corridors. A structured questionnaire was used in data collection. Probit model was used to assess determinants of input use among the bean-farming households. From the results, 74% of respondents were male with a mean age of 48.6 years. The probability of using agricultural inputs increased with education level and income from crop sales. Fertilizer was mainly used in Bomet (73%) and Narok (74%) counties. Eighty-five percent planted recycled seeds. Education level and Income from crops positively influenced inputs use. It was concluded that education level, incomes from sale of crops, livestock and livestock products, and farm income influenced use of inputs. As a recommendation, Capacity building on merits of input use and promotion of public-private partnerships to strengthen input supply system would enhance increased input use by smallholder farmers.

Neonatal sepsis contributes to increased rates of mortality among newborns during their first month of life. Chlorhexidine (CHX) has proven effective in the prevention of neonatal sepsis due to umbilical stump infection after birth. Despite shifting from dry cord care techniques to CHX use, there is still a high prevalence of improper cord care in low-resource settings in Kenya. This study sought to explore barriers and enablers to CHX use in Kwale, Vihiga and Machakos counties in Kenya. We adopted mixed methods cross-sectional survey with 582 women of reproductive age with a young child less than one year as respondents to the quantitative survey. Qualitative data entailed thirty (30) key informant interviews with healthcare workers and national policymakers. Six (6) focus group discussions with mothers, caregivers, community health volunteers (CHVs) and traditional birth attendants were conducted. An observation checklist was used to assess the availability of CHX services and supplies in fourteen (14) health facilities was conducted. Results indicated variation in umbilical cord care practices for newborns across counties. Of 582 caregivers, only 1.3% reported having ever used CHX. Majority mentioned using methylated spirits (41.6%), other antiseptics (23.3%) and salty water (11.3%). Other substances used for cord care included plain water, herbal extracts, cow dung, soil, and breast milk. Despite 100% awareness of CHX among health workers, only a third of caregivers (38.7%) had heard of CHX. About 76.9% of participants preferred the gel formulation and 8.9% did not know where to get the product. Drivers of CHX use included faster cord healing, infection control in hospitals, ease of use, cost implications, ease of access, influence from key decision makers and preferred CHX formulation. Barriers included minimal awareness among caregivers, cultural practices and taboos on cord care, inadequate capacity building of CHVs on CHX, unclear CHX user guidelines for caregivers, prolonged stockouts and inadequate knowledge of CHX in communities. Healthcare workers highlighted poor dissemination of CHX guidelines by the Ministry of Health, unavailability in the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) and Mission for Essential Drugs and Supplies logistic management information system making it difficult to procure. There is a need for advocacy to promote the uptake of CHX in facilities and increase knowledge of communities on CHX as well as manage the supply chain to increase CHX availability