Farmers' Sources and Varieties of Cassava Planting Materials in Coastal Kenya

Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) grows in diverse agro-ecological zones. In Kenya, it is widely cultivated in Western and Coastal regions. It is mainly grown for food and nutrition security and excess roots are sold to generate income for the farm households. Its productivity per unit of the land area is high compared to maize and wheat which are staple crops in the country. However, scarcity of cassava planting materials and pests and diseases limit production in these regions. This study aimed at revealing the sources and varieties of cassava planting materials used by farmers and other farmers' practices in coastal Kenya. Four focus group discussions (FGD) and a survey were conducted in 2018, using a semi-structured questionnaire targeting 250 farmers. The data collected on the sources of planting materials, preferred varieties and the practices employed by the farmers in cassava production, was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Majority of farmers (83%) interviewed indicated that they recycled planting materials from the previous crop while some 67% respondents obtained the planting material from their neighbors. Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization's (KALRO) and the local markets were reported as sources of planting materials by 11 and 5% farmer respondents, respectively. The only formal seed source reported was KALRO. The rest, own seed, neighbors, and the local markets, were informal seed sources. Piecemeal harvesting practiced by 98% of the farmers favored planting material recycling. Farmers dedicated a small proportion of their land (mean 0.2 ha) to cassava production as reported by 60 and 72.8% of farmers from Taita Taveta and Kilifi, respectively. Slightly above half (56%) of the farmers in Kilifi dedicated slightly more land to cassava, planting between 100 and 4,000 cuttings (2.5% of an acre up to a full acre) compared to 87% farmers from Taita Taveta who planted 100 cuttings or less (which is about 2.5% of an acre or less). A majority (81.1%) of farmers in Taita Taveta planted local cassava varieties compared to Kilifi's 57.8%. Slightly above half of the farmer respondents reported Kibandameno as the preferred variety followed by Tajirika as the second preferred variety as reported by 18% farmers. Kibandameno was preferred for its sweet taste by 75.6% farmers while Tajirika was preferred by 52.4% farmers because of the high yielding capacity. Nearly all farmer respondents, in Taita Taveta County obtained the planting material from informal seed sources, except a negligible number, who reported buying their planting material from KALRO, a formal seed source, far from their locality. Farmers sourcing cuttings from a formal seed source such as those from Kilifi County were more likely to use a tractor for land preparation compared to those who sourced planting materials informally who more likely had scarce knowledge on cassava production and the value of cassava. Therefore, interventions to establish a sustainable healthy cassava planting materials seed system are needed to address the systemic constraint and help develop a viable cassava value chain.

Survey of cassava brown streak disease and association of factors influencing its epidemics in smallholder cassava cropping systems of coastal Kenya

“…Most of the farmers in the area under study had farm sizes of ranging from 2 to 5 ha, indicating that majority of the respondents were small-scale farmers. The area under cassava production on average was ranging from 0.5 to 1 ha as reported by 39.2% of respondents and this in agreement with previous reports by Chikoti et al (2016) and Kidasi et al (2021). Therefore, for farmers to realize the benefits of high cassava productivity and utilization potential, there is need to promote large-scale cultivation of cassava in many cassava-growing regions (Shirima et al, 2019).…”

Risk factors associated with cassava brown streak disease dissemination through seed pathways in Eastern D.R. Congo

“…However, we could observe that, for example, a consistent number of fields in the cluster 1 were located a bit far from main roads/rails than fields from cluster 2. Such distant location pattern of cassava fields could narrow the possibilities in the sourcing of cuttings since the transportation of vegetative material over long distances can be a serious limit for the farmer as seen in the literature (El-sharkawy, 2004;Mdenye et al, 2016;Kidasi et al, 2021).…”

Expansion and impact of cassava brown streak and cassava mosaic diseases in Africa: A review

“…A similar study in Rwanda indicated that majority (76.9%) of the farmers obtain cuttings for free from either their own fields or from neighbors (Nyirakanani et al, 2021). In Kenya, majority of farmers (83%) recycled planting materials from the previous crop while some 67% obtained the planting material from their neighbors (Kidasi et al, 2021). In the absence of a formal seed system, planting material traded or supplied often suffers from a lack of quality control, farmers are more likely to plant virus-infected cuttings, which can lead to low yield.…”

“…Cassava seed systems in Africa are largely farmer driven with low seed quality controls. Re-use of the farmer's own seed supply remains the most common source of seed (Kidasi et al, 2021;Szyniszewska et al, 2021).…”