Theme 4-1: Wildlife, Tourism and Multi-Facets of Rangelands/Grasslands--Oral Sessions

Description

Agriculture is critical in the achievement of food security, creation of employment opportunities, steering economic growth, and also a source of raw materials for agricultural industries in many Sub-Saharan countries. However, the small-scale farmers face various challenges which negatively affect farm productivity and production. Human-wildlife conflict is one of the most pressing challenges that small-scale maize farmers experience in some parts of Kenya. It arises from either people’s encroachment on wildlife habitats or the movement of wildlife from their natural habitat into the neighbouring farmland. The smallscale farmers use various agricultural extension strategies to mitigate the conflict. However, the effectiveness of the agricultural extension human wildlife conflict mitigation strategies adopted by small-scale maize farmers in Laikipia West Sub-County had not been investigated and information on the same was inadequate and poorly documented. This study therefore, sought to determine the effectiveness of the agricultural extension human wildlife conflict mitigation strategies adopted by small-scale maize farmers in Laikipia West Sub-County. Whereas a document review guide was used to collect secondary data, semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from maize farmers and extension agents. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze primary data. It was established that crop damage was very severe, of up to 70% or even more per cropping season although farmers used various mitigation strategies such growing of unpalatable crops, live fences, grow resistant crop varieties and digging of trenches. This study concluded that the Agricultural Extension Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategies used were not effective. It was recommended that concerted efforts between stakeholders be used in dealing with the conflict to realize the benefits of synergies so as to stop crop damage and give small-scale farmers a chance to be food secure.

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Effectiveness of Agricultural Extension Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategies among Small-Scale Maize (Zea mays) Farmers in Laikipia West Sub County, Kenya

Agriculture is critical in the achievement of food security, creation of employment opportunities, steering economic growth, and also a source of raw materials for agricultural industries in many Sub-Saharan countries. However, the small-scale farmers face various challenges which negatively affect farm productivity and production. Human-wildlife conflict is one of the most pressing challenges that small-scale maize farmers experience in some parts of Kenya. It arises from either people’s encroachment on wildlife habitats or the movement of wildlife from their natural habitat into the neighbouring farmland. The smallscale farmers use various agricultural extension strategies to mitigate the conflict. However, the effectiveness of the agricultural extension human wildlife conflict mitigation strategies adopted by small-scale maize farmers in Laikipia West Sub-County had not been investigated and information on the same was inadequate and poorly documented. This study therefore, sought to determine the effectiveness of the agricultural extension human wildlife conflict mitigation strategies adopted by small-scale maize farmers in Laikipia West Sub-County. Whereas a document review guide was used to collect secondary data, semi-structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from maize farmers and extension agents. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze primary data. It was established that crop damage was very severe, of up to 70% or even more per cropping season although farmers used various mitigation strategies such growing of unpalatable crops, live fences, grow resistant crop varieties and digging of trenches. This study concluded that the Agricultural Extension Human Wildlife Conflict Mitigation Strategies used were not effective. It was recommended that concerted efforts between stakeholders be used in dealing with the conflict to realize the benefits of synergies so as to stop crop damage and give small-scale farmers a chance to be food secure.