No abstract

Food security is the major outcome of irrigation development activities. However, this cannot be achieved without sustainable water resources management. With the increasing budgetary constraints in many developing countries, governments have recognized the need to delegate irrigation scheme management to Irrigation Water Users' Associations (IWUA's) as much as possible. Despite the majority of these associations being operational, the major challenge has been poor performance due to inadequate farmer participation. This study examines the factors which influence farmers' willingness to pay for irrigation water in a smallholder irrigation scheme in Kerio Valley Basin, Kenya. Using a multi-stage sampling method, a representative sample of 216 smallholder farmers from the Basin were interviewed. Results show that education level, access to training on irrigation, participation in construction of the irrigation system, crop income from irrigation and membership in IWUA significantly and positively influence farmers' decisions to pay for irrigation water. Distance to the water source reduces the willingness to pay for irrigation water. Differential pricing based on income levels of farmers, rather than uniform pricing is recommended. We further recommend formulation of policies to train farmers in water management and to support farmer participation in IWUA's.

No abstract

Pearl millet is the fourth most important cereal after maize, rice and sorghum in terms of cultivation and production in the tropics, yet the least traded of all cereals in Kenya. New pearl millet varieties (KAT/PM1, KAT/PM2 and KAT/PM3) were introduced in response to low yield and birds' menace that was wiping out the traditional pearl millet varieties in Kenya. Despite this, limited information exists on consumers' willingness to pay and the determinants of willingness to pay estimates for these newly introduced varieties products. This study was undertaken to analyze consumers' willingness to pay and the determinants of willingness to pay estimates for these pearl millet products. Results showed that most consumers (70%) were willing to pay a premium price with the mean willingess to pay off 42% over finger millet market price. Age, number of children below 12 years in a household, gender of household head, income and awareness levels were the important factors that positively influenced consumers' willingness to pay premium prices.

The study determined factors affecting income-poverty among French bean farmers in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Results show that 72.6% of French bean farmers were poor. Relative to the poor households, non-poor had the highest net French bean income per acre (KES. 24,133), total net crop income (KES. 150,608), total net livestock income (KES. 21,674), and off-farm income (KES. 198,070). Aversion to risks (p=0.051 and β=-2.802), household size (p=0.000 and β=-5.032), daily household expenditure per adult equivalent (p=0.001 and β=2.016), net annual household income (p=0.000 and β=7.733), access to credit (p=0.086 and β=1.187), household annual asset value (p=0.051 and β=-0.482) and age of household head (p=0.066 and β=-2.009) statistically and significantly influenced poverty status of French bean farmers. The results suggest that crop insurance, farm diversification and expansion of acreage under Global-GAP certified French bean are necessary strategies for French bean farmers to alleviate household poverty.