Socio-economic Factors Affecting Adoption of Agroforestry Practices in Forest Adjacent Communities: The Case of Ndabibi Location, Nakuru County, Kenya

Caxton Gitonga Kaua

doi:10.37284/eajfa.2.1.143

Caxton Gitonga Kaua Wangari Maathai Institute of Peace and Environment Studies

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37284/eajfa.2.1.143

Keywords: Agroforestry Practice, Agroforestry Adoption, Socio-Economic Factors, Specific Local Context, Forest Adjacent Community, Forest Encroachment

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Abstract

Agroforestry greatly helps to improve production by creating the right conditions for other components of the production system and also creates other income streams and benefits. Agroforestry also creates an alternative source of forest derived products and thus help reduce forest destruction. The development of agroforestry in Africa has not been very successful due to poor understanding of the underlying socio-economic factors underpinning the adoption in specific local contexts, including adjacent forest communities. This hinders proper decision making hence ineffective management of agroforestry practices. This is especially the case for Ndabibi Location an area marked by low farm production including degradation of the adjacent Eburru Forest. This study, therefore, aimed to analyze the socio-economic factors affecting agroforestry adoption in Ndabibi Location, a forest adjacent community. This study used a descriptive study design and systematic sampling design. The study used primary and secondary data where primary data was collected using a household questionnaire survey, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and observations. The study found socio-economic factors either have positive or negative relationships with agroforestry adoption. The factors that have a positive relationship with agroforestry practice include age, household size, formal education level, contact with extension services, membership to community-based associations and income levels. Gender, land size and forest dependency were found to have a negative relationship with the adoption of agroforestry practice. Understanding of the socio-economic factors underlying and thus affecting adoption of agroforestry adoption in Ndabibi Location will help communities, policymakers and practitioners to make the right planning and management decisions towards the promotion of agroforestry practice in forest adjacent communities. This shall increase the production, livelihoods and income sources diversification hence leading to the sustainable management of forest ecosystems.

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