Socioeconomic factors influencing the uptake of tissue culture banana technology in Kisii County, Kenya

Abstract

Many nations have worked hard over the years to provide food security for there entire country, albeit with various degrees of success. The intensification of agriculture has been significant in order to feed the growing population. The banana tissue culture technology is one of the technologies used to aid the process of agricultural intensification. Due to its long history of food production, including the cultivation of bananas, the Kisii region is a significant contributor to Kenya's food security. However, because of issues brought on by social and economic considerations, the region's food output has been declining. Despite efforts to distribute this technology to small-scale farmers, majority of research studies in Kisii County show poor rates of technology adoption. The objective of this study was to examine the socioeconomic factors affecting implementing tissue culture bananas in Kisii County. The research used a descriptive study design. Two hundred respondents were chosen at random from the sample to participate in the study. Survey forms, interview schedules, and observation checklists were used for data collection. The means between adoption categories were declared at p < 0.05 in t-tests between tissue culture banana adoption and numerical factors. Chi-square tests were performed between adoption and categorical factors, and p < 0.05 was used to determine whether there were significant connections between the variables. The study adopted a logistic regression model with maximum likelihood estimation to calculate the likelihood that farmers will adopt tissue culture bananas as impacted by various socioeconomic factors. Results showed that the availability of extension services (p = 0.000), cost of seedlings (p = 0.000, x2=79.1), ability to purchase land (p = 0.006, x2=16.3), access to financing (p = 0.007, x2=7.468), education level (p = 0.015), ability to afford seedlings (p = 0.000, x2=17.6), labour availability (p = 0.005, x2=10.735), availability of farm inputs (p = 0.000, x2=35.9) and the size of household (p = 0.05, Std=1.8) were significant to tissue culture banana adoption. Socio-economic factors ought to be taken into account in order to assist a number of stakeholders in boosting banana output and enhancing food security.