Do farmers' socio-economic characteristics influence their preference for agricultural extension methods?

ABSTRACT

This article assesses the influence of farmer socio-economic factors on their preferences for agricultural extension methods. Cross-sectional data of 816 households were collected using multistage sampling procedure. Descriptive results show that the training and visit, farmer field schools, mass media and farmer-to-farmer extension methods were preferred by 42%, 32%, 13%, and 13% of the farmers, respectively. Regression estimates show that education, access to markets, risk attitudes and wealth significantly influenced farmers’ preferences for extension methods. The article concludes that farmers’ socio-economic characteristics should be considered in the selection and use of agricultural extension methods.

KEYWORDS:

• Labour and livelihoods – Economics
• Environment (built and natural) – Agriculture
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Henry Mwololo is a member of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Jonathan Makau Nzuma is a member of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

Cecilia Nyawira Ritho is a member of the Department of Agricultural Economics, University of Nairobi, Kenya.

ORCID

Henry Mwololo http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0611-6621

Additional information

Funding

This research was financially supported by the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) based on a decision of the Parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany (grant number 2813FSNu01).