Organizations serving rural communities in Kenya have found use for media as a tool of replacement for personal interface in the daily communication with the beneficiaries of their programmes in deprived areas. The in...Organizations serving rural communities in Kenya have found use for media as a tool of replacement for personal interface in the daily communication with the beneficiaries of their programmes in deprived areas. The interactions between two non-governmental organizations （NGOs） and rural beneficiaries in Isinya, Kajiado County, provide case studies of how NGOs modernize their outreach via new media and how beneficiaries respond to the change. The research was not only concerned with the presence of information technology （IT） and online facilities in remote and deprived locations. It also evaluated responses to the replacement of person-to-person contact with technologies, such as social media, the Internet, Compact Disc-Read Only Memory （CD-ROMs）, and Digital Versatile Disc （DVDs）. Conducted in four focus groups, the research evaluated the uptake of new media technologies by beneficiaries following the transition, asked whether beneficiaries engaged with the materials being communicated, and assessed whether this confluence of technology and culture had eased the flow of communication, or unsettled it. Evidence of discomfort among the older （over 50-year-old） beneficiaries stemmed from fear of failure to master the technologies and a desire for a continuation of regular interpersonal interaction with the NGO field officers （whose field trips were scaled back in preference of computer-mediated communication）. However, younger （under 40-year-old） beneficiaries were less insistent on regular interpersonal visits and were appreciative of the use of technology, and of the building of Maarifa Centres to give the beneficiaries free access to internet, DVDs, and hard drive-based information materials. Another demographic, beneficiaries aged between 40 and 50 years old, said they were not comfortable with the change and wanted the interpersonal interaction to continue, but were open to a longer-term transition once the beneficiaries were all conversant with the uses of the new technologies. The study recommends a better managed transition that accommodated the beneficiaries’ fears, misgivings, and cultural preference for verbal, face-to-face consultation.展开更多
In Kenya, small-scale fanning has immense potential in poverty reduction. The growth of farming activities requires sustainable access to affordable credit to boost and sustain production. This study is initiated to i...In Kenya, small-scale fanning has immense potential in poverty reduction. The growth of farming activities requires sustainable access to affordable credit to boost and sustain production. This study is initiated to investigate factors influencing access to bank credit by small-scale farmers in Kisumu and Kiambu Districts, Kenya. It is necessitated by lack of a comprehensive study documenting the effectiveness of the partnership initiative in improving access to credit for small-scale farmers. The study seeks to address the following concerns： what factors influence access to bank credit by small-scale farmers under the initiative？ Are small-scale farmers in various parts of the country accessing bank credit equally？ Through which sources do farmers get to know about credit products provided through the initiative？ Primary data was collected from 144 farmers in Kiambu and 127 farmers in Kisumu, sampled using systematic random procedure. The cross-sectional survey design was applied to guide the research process. Quantitative analysis generated cross-tabulations with chi-square and binary logistic regression. The study found that out of 144 credit applicants in Kiambu about 56.3% were successful, while in Kisumu only 37.8% were successful. Access to bank credit was significantly associated with farmers＇ gender, education level, income level, farm size, and farming experience. Besides, women were 1.3 times less likely to access bank credit than men. In terms of regional variation, a Kiambu farmer was 2.7 times more likely to obtain bank credit than a Kisumu farmer. The initiative is an innovative approach for enhancing access to bank credit; however, its potential has not been fully exploited. The study recommends the need： to inform farmers about credit products to clear misconceptions and myths associated with bank credit; develop innovative financing packages for small-scale farmers that are also gender-sensitive; and to initiate a training program targeting farmers with appropriate information.展开更多
Detailed knowledge about the estimates and spatial patterns of soil organic carbon(SOC) and total nitrogen(TN) stocks is fundamental for sustainable land management and climate change mitigation.This study aimed at:(1...Detailed knowledge about the estimates and spatial patterns of soil organic carbon(SOC) and total nitrogen(TN) stocks is fundamental for sustainable land management and climate change mitigation.This study aimed at:(1) mapping the spatial patterns,and(2) quantifying SOC and TN stocks to 30 cm depth in the Eastern Mau Forest Reserve using field,remote sensing,geographical information systems(GIS),and statistical modelling approaches.This is a critical ecosystem offering essential services,but its sustainability is threatened by deforestation and degradation.Results revealed that elevation,silt content,TN concentration,and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager band 11 explained 72% of the variability in SOC stocks,while the same factors(except silt content) explained 71% of the variability in TN stocks.The results further showed that soil properties,particularly TN and SOC concentrations,were more important than that other environmental factors in controlling the observed patterns of SOC and TN stocks,respectively.Forests stored the highest amounts of SOC and TN(3.78 Tg C and 0.38 Tg N) followed by croplands(2.46 Tg C and 0.25 Tg N) and grasslands(0.57 Tg C and 0.06 Tg N).Overall,the Eastern Mau Forest Reserve stored approximately 6.81 Tg C and 0.69 Tg N.The highest estimates of SOC and TN stocks(hotspots) occurred on the western and northwestern parts where forests dominated,while the lowest estimates(coldspots) occurred on the eastern side where croplands had been established.Therefore,the hotspots need policies that promote conservation,while the coldspots need those that support accumulation of SOC and TN stocks.展开更多
文摘Organizations serving rural communities in Kenya have found use for media as a tool of replacement for personal interface in the daily communication with the beneficiaries of their programmes in deprived areas. The interactions between two non-governmental organizations （NGOs） and rural beneficiaries in Isinya, Kajiado County, provide case studies of how NGOs modernize their outreach via new media and how beneficiaries respond to the change. The research was not only concerned with the presence of information technology （IT） and online facilities in remote and deprived locations. It also evaluated responses to the replacement of person-to-person contact with technologies, such as social media, the Internet, Compact Disc-Read Only Memory （CD-ROMs）, and Digital Versatile Disc （DVDs）. Conducted in four focus groups, the research evaluated the uptake of new media technologies by beneficiaries following the transition, asked whether beneficiaries engaged with the materials being communicated, and assessed whether this confluence of technology and culture had eased the flow of communication, or unsettled it. Evidence of discomfort among the older （over 50-year-old） beneficiaries stemmed from fear of failure to master the technologies and a desire for a continuation of regular interpersonal interaction with the NGO field officers （whose field trips were scaled back in preference of computer-mediated communication）. However, younger （under 40-year-old） beneficiaries were less insistent on regular interpersonal visits and were appreciative of the use of technology, and of the building of Maarifa Centres to give the beneficiaries free access to internet, DVDs, and hard drive-based information materials. Another demographic, beneficiaries aged between 40 and 50 years old, said they were not comfortable with the change and wanted the interpersonal interaction to continue, but were open to a longer-term transition once the beneficiaries were all conversant with the uses of the new technologies. The study recommends a better managed transition that accommodated the beneficiaries’ fears, misgivings, and cultural preference for verbal, face-to-face consultation.
文摘In Kenya, small-scale fanning has immense potential in poverty reduction. The growth of farming activities requires sustainable access to affordable credit to boost and sustain production. This study is initiated to investigate factors influencing access to bank credit by small-scale farmers in Kisumu and Kiambu Districts, Kenya. It is necessitated by lack of a comprehensive study documenting the effectiveness of the partnership initiative in improving access to credit for small-scale farmers. The study seeks to address the following concerns： what factors influence access to bank credit by small-scale farmers under the initiative？ Are small-scale farmers in various parts of the country accessing bank credit equally？ Through which sources do farmers get to know about credit products provided through the initiative？ Primary data was collected from 144 farmers in Kiambu and 127 farmers in Kisumu, sampled using systematic random procedure. The cross-sectional survey design was applied to guide the research process. Quantitative analysis generated cross-tabulations with chi-square and binary logistic regression. The study found that out of 144 credit applicants in Kiambu about 56.3% were successful, while in Kisumu only 37.8% were successful. Access to bank credit was significantly associated with farmers＇ gender, education level, income level, farm size, and farming experience. Besides, women were 1.3 times less likely to access bank credit than men. In terms of regional variation, a Kiambu farmer was 2.7 times more likely to obtain bank credit than a Kisumu farmer. The initiative is an innovative approach for enhancing access to bank credit; however, its potential has not been fully exploited. The study recommends the need： to inform farmers about credit products to clear misconceptions and myths associated with bank credit; develop innovative financing packages for small-scale farmers that are also gender-sensitive; and to initiate a training program targeting farmers with appropriate information.
文摘Detailed knowledge about the estimates and spatial patterns of soil organic carbon(SOC) and total nitrogen(TN) stocks is fundamental for sustainable land management and climate change mitigation.This study aimed at:(1) mapping the spatial patterns,and(2) quantifying SOC and TN stocks to 30 cm depth in the Eastern Mau Forest Reserve using field,remote sensing,geographical information systems(GIS),and statistical modelling approaches.This is a critical ecosystem offering essential services,but its sustainability is threatened by deforestation and degradation.Results revealed that elevation,silt content,TN concentration,and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager band 11 explained 72% of the variability in SOC stocks,while the same factors(except silt content) explained 71% of the variability in TN stocks.The results further showed that soil properties,particularly TN and SOC concentrations,were more important than that other environmental factors in controlling the observed patterns of SOC and TN stocks,respectively.Forests stored the highest amounts of SOC and TN(3.78 Tg C and 0.38 Tg N) followed by croplands(2.46 Tg C and 0.25 Tg N) and grasslands(0.57 Tg C and 0.06 Tg N).Overall,the Eastern Mau Forest Reserve stored approximately 6.81 Tg C and 0.69 Tg N.The highest estimates of SOC and TN stocks(hotspots) occurred on the western and northwestern parts where forests dominated,while the lowest estimates(coldspots) occurred on the eastern side where croplands had been established.Therefore,the hotspots need policies that promote conservation,while the coldspots need those that support accumulation of SOC and TN stocks.
