The majority of smallholder maize farmers in the study area depend on farming whose returns are very low. This, together with low soil fertility and the inability of farmers to purchase chemical fertilizers, has resulted in the undertaking of research on non-conventional fertilizers, mainly organic fertilizers, by researchers in research institutions, universities, and NGOs. Researchers have registered high yield responses to the use of non-conventional fertilizers in demonstration farms and extension agents have been tasked with promoting the use of the fertilizers. Studies have shown that emphasis was put on informing farmers of the ability of the fertilizers to improve yields. Despite the high yields in research settings, smallholder farmers have continued to witness low crop yields. This begs the question, why was this the case? The purpose of this study was to analyze the promoted non-conventional fertilizers with the aim of determining whether there were significant profitability differences between their use and the use of inorganic fertilizers among smallholder farmers. The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative profitability analysis of the commonly used fertilizers, namely: inorganic fertilizers, farmyard, compost, agroforestry, and Thithonia difersifolia promoted in the study area. Stratified random sampling was used to select 150 respondents from Vihiga County, Kenya. Farmers were stratified into five strata based on the type of fertilizer that the farmers used, and at least 30 farmers were selected from each strata. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and the data collected was analyzed using net present value and gross margins. The results of the evaluation of the technologies on food production indicated that there were significant profitability differences at a 5% level between the use of non-conventional fertilizers and that of inorganic fertilizers. The study recommended that farmers be educated on the economics of the use of non-conventional fertilizers in order to enable them to select the most economically efficient technology. An economic analysis should also be done to determine the profitability of the use of non-conventional fertilizers on high-value crops such as vegetables and fruits. Maize/bean intercrop formed the basis of profitability analyses in this study because most farmers used them on the maize/ bean intercrop. Net present value profitability analysis should also be done on the use of organic materials on perennial crops such as fruits.
| Published in | International Journal of Agricultural Economics (Volume 6, Issue 6) |
| DOI | 10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17 |
| Page(s) | 300-304 |
| Creative Commons |
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited. |
| Copyright |
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group |
Economic, Non-Conventional, Fertilizers, Maize, Bean, Production
| [1] | Acharya, A. S., Prakash, A., Saxena, P., & Nigam, A. (2013). Sampling: why and how of it? Indian Journal of Medical Specialities, 4 (2). https://doi.org/10.7713/ijms.2013.0032. |
| [2] | Delin, S. (2016). Fertilizer value of phosphorus in different residues. Soil Use and Management, 32 (1), 17–26. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12227. |
| [3] | Diacono, M., & Montemurro, F. (2010). Long-term effects of organic amendments on soil fertility. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 30 (2), 401–422. https://doi.org/10.1051/agro/2009040. |
| [4] | Diwani, T. N., Asch, F., Becker, M., & Mussgnug, F. (2013). Characterizing farming systems around Kakamega Forest, Western Kenya, for targeting soil fertility-enhancing technologies. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 176 (4), 585–594. https://doi.org/10.1002/jpln.201200036. |
| [5] | Druilhe, Z., & Barreiro-Hurlé, J. (2012). Fertilizer subsidies in sub-Saharan Africa. |
| [6] | Emery, B. (2012). Organic. Green Consumerism: An A-to-Z Guide. https://doi.org/10.4135/9781412973809.n108. |
| [7] | Fageria, N. K. (2007). Green manuring in crop production. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 30 (5), 691–719. https://doi.org/10.1080/01904160701289529. |
| [8] | Fang, P., Abler, D., Lin, G., Sher, A., & Quan, Q. (2021). Substituting organic fertilizer for chemical fertilizer: Evidence from apple growers in china. Land, 10 (8). https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080858. |
| [9] | Hazra, G. (2016). Different Types of Eco-Friendly Fertilizers: An Overview. Sustainability in Environment, 1 (1), 54. https://doi.org/10.22158/se.v1n1p54. |
| [10] | Jen-Hshuan chen. (2006). The Combined Use Of Chemical and Organic Fertilizers And/Or Biofertilizer For Crop Growth And Soil Fertility Jen-Hshuan Chen? Department of Soil and Environmental Sciences, National Chung Hsing University, Taiwan, R. O. C. International Workshop on Sustained Management, October, 1–11. |
| [11] | Jindo, K., Schut, A. G. T., & Langeveld, J. W. A. (2020). Sustainable intensification in Western Kenya: Who will benefit? Agricultural Systems, 182 (April). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2020.102831. |
| [12] | KAPLAN. (2015). Performance measurement techniques. Acca F2, 525–562. http://financial.kaplan.co.uk/Documents/ACCA-F2-Chapter-16.pdf. |
| [13] | Kyalo, G. (2016). Exploring Improved Nutrient Options for Increased Rained Lowland Rice Production in Eastern and Northern Uganda (Doctoral dissertation, University of Nairobi). |
| [14] | Lekasi, J. C., Tanner, J. C., Kimani, S. K., & Harris, P. J. C. (2001). Manure management in the Kenya highlands: practices and potential. 2, 1–40. https://cgspace.cgiar.org/bitstream/handle/10568/3998/495.Manure_management.pdf?sequence=1. |
| [15] | Li, H., Feng, W. Ting, He, X. Hua, Zhu, P., Gao, H. Jun, Sun, N., & Xu, M. Gang. (2017). Chemical fertilizers could be completely replaced by manure to maintain high maize yield and soil organic carbon (SOC) when SOC reaches a threshold in the Northeast China Plain. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 16 (4), 937–946. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(16)61559-9. |
| [16] | Loehrlein, M. (2020). Soil Health. In Sustainable Landscaping (Issue June). https://doi.org/10.1201/b15717-11. |
| [17] | Matsumoto, T. (2011). Emerging Development of Agriculture in East Africa. In Emerging Development of Agriculture in East Africa (Issue January 2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1201-0. |
| [18] | Nambiro, E., & Okoth, P. (2013). What factors influence the adoption of inorganic fertilizer by maize farmers? A case of Kakamega District, Western Kenya. Scientific Research and Essays, 8 (5), 205–210. https://doi.org/10.5897/SRE10.1063. |
| [19] | Sharma, N., & Singhvi, R. (2017). Effects of Chemical Fertilizers and Pesticides on Human Health and Environment: A Review. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology, 10 (6), 675. https://doi.org/10.5958/2230-732x.2017.00083.3. |
| [20] | Sibiko, K. W., & Qaim, M. (2017). Weather index insurance, agricultural input use, and crop productivity in Kenya. |
| [21] | Tittonell, P., & Giller, K. E. (2013). When yield gaps are poverty traps: The paradigm of ecological intensification in African smallholder agriculture. Field Crops Research, 143, 76–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2012.10.007. |
| [22] | Wei, W., Yan, Y., Cao, J., Christie, P., Zhang, F., & Fan, M. (2016). Effects of combined application of organic amendments and fertilizers on crop yield and soil organic matter: An integrated analysis of long-term experiments. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 225, 86–92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2016.04.004. |
APA Style
Mary Jepkemboi Kipsat, Mose Phoebe Bwari, Daniel Ochieng Osewe. (2021). Economic Analysis of Use of Non-Conventional Fertilizers in Maize and Bean Production in Vihiga County, Kenya. International Journal of Agricultural Economics, 6(6), 300-304. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17
ACS Style
Mary Jepkemboi Kipsat; Mose Phoebe Bwari; Daniel Ochieng Osewe. Economic Analysis of Use of Non-Conventional Fertilizers in Maize and Bean Production in Vihiga County, Kenya. Int. J. Agric. Econ. 2021, 6(6), 300-304. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17
AMA Style
Mary Jepkemboi Kipsat, Mose Phoebe Bwari, Daniel Ochieng Osewe. Economic Analysis of Use of Non-Conventional Fertilizers in Maize and Bean Production in Vihiga County, Kenya. Int J Agric Econ. 2021;6(6):300-304. doi: 10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17
Share This Article
Twitter
Linked In
Facebook
Copy
Download@article{10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17,
author = {Mary Jepkemboi Kipsat and Mose Phoebe Bwari and Daniel Ochieng Osewe},
title = {Economic Analysis of Use of Non-Conventional Fertilizers in Maize and Bean Production in Vihiga County, Kenya},
journal = {International Journal of Agricultural Economics},
volume = {6},
number = {6},
pages = {300-304},
doi = {10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17},
url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17},
eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijae.20210606.17},
abstract = {The majority of smallholder maize farmers in the study area depend on farming whose returns are very low. This, together with low soil fertility and the inability of farmers to purchase chemical fertilizers, has resulted in the undertaking of research on non-conventional fertilizers, mainly organic fertilizers, by researchers in research institutions, universities, and NGOs. Researchers have registered high yield responses to the use of non-conventional fertilizers in demonstration farms and extension agents have been tasked with promoting the use of the fertilizers. Studies have shown that emphasis was put on informing farmers of the ability of the fertilizers to improve yields. Despite the high yields in research settings, smallholder farmers have continued to witness low crop yields. This begs the question, why was this the case? The purpose of this study was to analyze the promoted non-conventional fertilizers with the aim of determining whether there were significant profitability differences between their use and the use of inorganic fertilizers among smallholder farmers. The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative profitability analysis of the commonly used fertilizers, namely: inorganic fertilizers, farmyard, compost, agroforestry, and Thithonia difersifolia promoted in the study area. Stratified random sampling was used to select 150 respondents from Vihiga County, Kenya. Farmers were stratified into five strata based on the type of fertilizer that the farmers used, and at least 30 farmers were selected from each strata. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and the data collected was analyzed using net present value and gross margins. The results of the evaluation of the technologies on food production indicated that there were significant profitability differences at a 5% level between the use of non-conventional fertilizers and that of inorganic fertilizers. The study recommended that farmers be educated on the economics of the use of non-conventional fertilizers in order to enable them to select the most economically efficient technology. An economic analysis should also be done to determine the profitability of the use of non-conventional fertilizers on high-value crops such as vegetables and fruits. Maize/bean intercrop formed the basis of profitability analyses in this study because most farmers used them on the maize/ bean intercrop. Net present value profitability analysis should also be done on the use of organic materials on perennial crops such as fruits.},
year = {2021}
}
TY - JOUR T1 - Economic Analysis of Use of Non-Conventional Fertilizers in Maize and Bean Production in Vihiga County, Kenya AU - Mary Jepkemboi Kipsat AU - Mose Phoebe Bwari AU - Daniel Ochieng Osewe Y1 - 2021/11/25 PY - 2021 N1 - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17 DO - 10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17 T2 - International Journal of Agricultural Economics JF - International Journal of Agricultural Economics JO - International Journal of Agricultural Economics SP - 300 EP - 304 PB - Science Publishing Group SN - 2575-3843 UR - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijae.20210606.17 AB - The majority of smallholder maize farmers in the study area depend on farming whose returns are very low. This, together with low soil fertility and the inability of farmers to purchase chemical fertilizers, has resulted in the undertaking of research on non-conventional fertilizers, mainly organic fertilizers, by researchers in research institutions, universities, and NGOs. Researchers have registered high yield responses to the use of non-conventional fertilizers in demonstration farms and extension agents have been tasked with promoting the use of the fertilizers. Studies have shown that emphasis was put on informing farmers of the ability of the fertilizers to improve yields. Despite the high yields in research settings, smallholder farmers have continued to witness low crop yields. This begs the question, why was this the case? The purpose of this study was to analyze the promoted non-conventional fertilizers with the aim of determining whether there were significant profitability differences between their use and the use of inorganic fertilizers among smallholder farmers. The objective of this study was to carry out a comparative profitability analysis of the commonly used fertilizers, namely: inorganic fertilizers, farmyard, compost, agroforestry, and Thithonia difersifolia promoted in the study area. Stratified random sampling was used to select 150 respondents from Vihiga County, Kenya. Farmers were stratified into five strata based on the type of fertilizer that the farmers used, and at least 30 farmers were selected from each strata. Primary data was collected using questionnaires and the data collected was analyzed using net present value and gross margins. The results of the evaluation of the technologies on food production indicated that there were significant profitability differences at a 5% level between the use of non-conventional fertilizers and that of inorganic fertilizers. The study recommended that farmers be educated on the economics of the use of non-conventional fertilizers in order to enable them to select the most economically efficient technology. An economic analysis should also be done to determine the profitability of the use of non-conventional fertilizers on high-value crops such as vegetables and fruits. Maize/bean intercrop formed the basis of profitability analyses in this study because most farmers used them on the maize/ bean intercrop. Net present value profitability analysis should also be done on the use of organic materials on perennial crops such as fruits. VL - 6 IS - 6 ER -
Information
Email: