Effectiveness of Farmer Field School Training in Promoting Adoption of Best Agricultural Practices by Smallholder Coffee Farmers in Kenya
Keywords:
Effectiveness, Farmers, Field School Training, Adoption, Best Agricultural Practices, Coffee.Abstract
In Kenya, there are gaps on the availability of studies of the specific extension approaches and their effectiveness on the adoption of technologies. This study sought to investigate and document the effectiveness of farmer field school training in promoting adoption of best agricultural practices (BAP) by smallholder coffee farmers in Kenya. The target population were the smallholder coffee farmers in Kenya. A descriptive survey research design was used. Data was collected using an interview schedule comprising of both closed and open ended items. The instrument was validated by experts from the Egerton University’s department of Agricultural Education and Extension and the chief executive officers in the study coffee societies. The research instrument was pilot tested to determine its reliability. Using Cronbach's alpha, an index of 0.936 was obtained. Descriptive statistics as well as inferential statistics technique were used to analyze data with the help of Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS)version 22 for windows. Chi-square and correlation analysis were used to determine whether Farmer Field School training had statistically significant effect on enhancing uptake of best agricultural practices amongst smallholder coffee farmers in Kenya. To make reliable inferences from the data, all statistical tests were verified at ? ? 0.05 level of significance.
The study revealed that there was a significant relationship between extent of uptake of BAP and belonging to FFS classes. This study recommends that coffee industry stakeholders should encourage smallholder farmers to belong to FFS classes in order to enhance the uptake of BAP in coffee farming in Kenya.
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