FARMERS ACCESS TO CLIMATE AND WEATHER INFORMATION AND ITS IMPACT ON MAIZE AND WHEAT PRODUCTION IN UASIN GISHU COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

The prevailing climate variability has distorted the order and seasons known to maize and wheat farmers in Kenya over time hence farmers have incurred great losses during farming. Although adaptation strategies require good quality climatic information on a spatial scale and time series known; the information is not readily coordinated, shared or disseminated in a timely way due to adaptability, format and timing challenges of the information in Uasin Gishu County. This study therefore seeks to address these challenges. The main objective of this study was to determine the types, the accessibility and utilization of climate and weather information by maize and wheat farmers in Uasin Gishu County with the intention to recommend and provide a reliable cost effective climate and weather information dissemination approach with a feedback mechanism. The study was conducted in Moiben, Kesses and Soy sub counties of Uasin Gishu County selected purposively. Also, the study adopted stratified and random sampling procedure to be able to capture representative sample of farmers. A minimum of 399 farmers were included in the present study in addition to 12 key informants interviewed. A pre-tested semi-structured questionnaire and an interview schedule were the main data collection tools. Chi-square and independent sample t-test were employed in the analysis using SPSS (V.16). Results were considered significant at α=0.05. The participants were 83% male and 17% female with 39.6% of them having attained primary level of education. More than half of the farmers stated that their sources of climate and weather information include Agricultural Extension Officers and their fellow farmers. Indigenous knowledge systems are other sources of information that informs a farmer‟s decision in maize and wheat growing as affirmed by 45% of farmers. About 60% of the farmers do not access climate and weather information although KMS produces agro-meteorological information and (>50%) were not aware of any organization producing such information. The findings portray a vulnerable group that need urgent intervention measures that include access and use of climate information in farming decisions. There is a significant relationship however between access and usage of information (Chi = 87.263, P < 0.001). Access to climate information is generally farmer led and agricultural shows, farmer‟s field/demonstrations and agricultural value chains are other information outlets that farmers use to access climate information. Education level is significantly related to access to climate and weather information (Chi = 17.957, P = 0.001). While Radio and Television were the common means of receiving climate and weather information, farmers also preferred use of mobile phone (51.4%) to receive climate updates. Delivery of agro-meteorological services is poorly coordinated and one of the challenges is the format and media used in disseminating this information to the farmers. Farmer‟s indigenous knowledge system indicators and experience greatly influences their decision in maize and wheat growing; they have particular dates that activities commence in the farm as stated by (84.9%). Use of indigenous knowledge system alone in farming decision may make farmers fail to capitalize fully on beneficial weather conditions prevailing then, but also frequently buffer poorly against negative effects of climatic variability. Farmers however attach value to use of climate and weather information with a significant relationship thus existing between value attached to information and its usage (Chi = 10.325, p = 0.016). Farmers have inculcated coping strategies like crop diversification to mitigate climate variability in their farming practice although this needs to be supported through policy enhancement on crop diversification. Despite the ability to mitigate, farmers remain vulnerable to climate variability due to lack of timely climate and weather information. There was no significant relationship however between access to climate information and production per acre v (p˃0.05). Mobile phones were accessible and convenient to majority of farmers as 92.2% owned a mobile phone. Farmers also use their mobile phones to receive text messages (SMS) as stated by 93.9% of the farmers and 96.3% preferred to receive or get updates on climate and weather information through the mobile phone. I-farm application model: an agro-weather tool for climate-smart agriculture is a web based application developed to deliver climate and weather information to farmers using mobile phone SMS alerts. Based on the findings and conclusions herein, I recommend that the KMS and Directorate of Agriculture in the counties empower Agricultural Extension Officers and farmers with good quality climate and weather information in. This can be done through effective outreach programs and educational initiatives on climate and weather information utilization by farmers. There is need to integrate both traditional knowledge systems and practices with access to climatic information to synergise the two to be able to cope with the prevailing climatic variability and its impact. There is need to repackage climate and weather information to formats accessible and easily understood by farmers and to deliver it in a timely way to be able to create ownership and sustainability among the users of the information. Agro-meteorological services should target the use of mobile phones especially messaging service to disseminate their products and services to the farmers as they are widely accessible to farmers. The development of I-farm model; a web based SMS system to disseminate information to farmers through their mobile phones and relay feedback from users is a noble innovation that could be replicated in other agricultural sectors and propagated in other counties of Kenya to help empower farmers with information to maximize benefits in the farming enterprise.