Factors influencing sorghum production by smallholder farmers in Waia division, Makueni County, Kenya

1st JOOUST Scientific Conference

Smallholder farmers in arid and semi-arid lands in Kenya are frequently affected by drought and famine which lead to starvation and malnutrition especially of children, women, the aged and disabled. Maize being the most preferred stable crop has low yields and of low quality due to drought. This has led to abject poverty among smallholder farmers. Therefore food security measures are urgently needed especially the choice of crop to salvage the situation lest smallholder farmers in these regions suffer serious food shortage. This study was carried out in Waia Division, Mbooni East District, Makueni County. The specific objectives of the study were; to find out the influence of socio-economic factors on sorghum production, to investigate the government policy influence on sorghum and to determine the influence of climatic factors on sorghum production. Descriptive research design was used in this study while descriptive survey method was used to collect data using questionnaires which were administered to smallholder farmers. Data collection was done on April/May 2013 in the four sub-locations of Waia division. A sample of three hundred and forty four smallholder farmers were selected using stratified proportionate random sampling and were interviewed. Descriptive statistics namely frequencies, percentages, cumulative percentages were used to analyze the data using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 16. Null Hypothesis; socioeconomic factors do not influence sorghum production was tested using the chi-square method. The study observed that socio-economic factors (age, gender, land size, level of education, level of income, methods of sorghum production and land system) significantly influenced sorghum production. Climate change and government policy significantly influenced sorghum production. The study concluded that there is a great potential of sorghum production in Makueni. The study recommended that the smallholder farmers needed support from financial advisory services, sorghum production extension services and marketing by government, non- governmental organizations and private investors.

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