Abstract:
Globally catchment degradation has become the most serious form of natural resource
degradation which impacts negatively on environment, food security and nutrition.
Integrated Land and Water Management Project in Kibuon and Tende (ILWMKTP) was
implemented in the study area from 2009 to 2014 and focused on improvement of land
productivity and water quantity by using soil and water conservation technologies. The
study determined farmers’ response on catchment management technologies
disseminated during project implementation. This research was crucial since it
established the level of technology uptake in the catchments. The study was conducted in
Homa Bay, Nyamira and Kisii Counties which were selected purposively since they
implemented ILWMKTP project. This study was an ex post facto research design that
adopted cross sectional survey approach and combined qualitative and quantitative data
collection procedures to gather data from farmers and staff who implemented the
programme. Farmers in the catchments practice mixed farming by rearing livestock and
growing of maize, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Target and accessible populations
were 9,475 and 370 farmers respectively selected proportionately through simple random
sampling procedures. Interview schedule, a questionnaire and a research test were used
in data collection. The research test developed was used to collect data on farmers’
attitude towards catchment management technologies. Data collected was analyzed using
SPSS through which descriptive and inferential statistics were used. There was a
significant difference in the level of erosion before and after project implementation for
example T-test on rill erosion before (M =4.37, SD = 0.654) and after (M = 3.511, SD =
1.151) t (369) = 12.442, p = 0.000. Farmers had different levels of knowledge, skills and
attitude on technologies for example knowledge on use of cover crops, Kibuon K2
reported more (3.74 mean) compared to Mogusii T3 which had a mean of 3.15. Kibuon
K1 reported a higher mean (2.93) on technology uptake compared to Isanta T2 which
had a mean of 2.23. Data aggregation on use of integrated project extension approach in
dissemination indicated more use of technologies not used before project implementation
for example terraces had 1539 scores before and 1051 scores after. The research findings
indicated more degradation before project implementation in the two catchments.
Farmers had different levels of knowledge, skills and attitude on catchment management
technologies. They constructed different numbers of technologies based on their
knowledge, skills and attitude. Implementation of integrated project extension approach
in disseminating different catchment management technologies was at different levels of
implementation. Farmers needed more sensitization on catchment degradation to accept
it as a critical problem. There was need for continuous farmers’ trainings to enhance
technology uptake in the catchments.
