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Farmers' Perception and Its Impacts on the Adaption Of FARMERS’ PERCEPTION AND ITS IMPACTS ON ADOPTION OF NEW AGROFORESTRY TREE (Gliricidia sepium) IN MWALA DIVISION, KENYA WANJIRU BEATRICE NZILU N50/CE/22643/2010 A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Master of Science (Environmental Education) in the School of Environmental Studies of Kenyatta University March 2015 DECLARATION This thesis is my original work and has not been presented for a Degree in any other University or any other award. Signature:…………………………. Date:………………………... Wanjiru Beatrice Nzilu (N50/CE/22643/2010) Department of Environmental Education SUPERVISORS We confirm that the work reported in this thesis was carried out by the candidate under our supervision as University supervisors. Signature:………………….…………….. Date:…………………………. Dr. Samuel C.J.Otor Department of Environmental Science Signature:………………….…………….. Date:…………………………. Dr. John Muriuki Department of Environmental Education DEDICATION This thesis is dedicated to my family, the Nzilus: Joy, Nathaniel and Samuel for standing by me in and out of season. They were very supportive and encouraged me even when the work became very tough to a point of despair. They held me up with prayers, sacrifice, and patience and with powerful kind words throughout my education. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I sincerely thank the Almighty God for granting me an opportunity to undertake my postgraduate studies at Kenyatta University, His provisions, and His grace that has been sufficient upon my life. He has given me the insight, sound mind, energy, good health and the grace to come this far with this thesis. I sincerely appreciate the people who generously advised and supported me when I was writing this thesis. I am most grateful and would like to thank Dr. Samuel C. J. Otor and Dr John Muriuki for their supervision, encouragement, guidance and support throughout the period of the research. Special thanks to Dr. Cecilia Gichuki and Dr. Judy Kariuki for their scholarly guidance, support, criticism and corrections towards the preparation of this thesis. I owe special gratitude to my family for their prayers, moral and financial support. God bless you. TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION .................................................................................................... ii DEDICATION ....................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................. iv LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES .............................................................................................. ix LIST OF PLATES .................................................................................................. x ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ............................................................ xi ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................... xii CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION ................................................................. 1 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................ 1 1.2 Background to the study .................................................................................... 1 1.3 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................... 4 1.3.1 General Objective ............................................................................................ 5 1.3.2 Specific Objectives .......................................................................................... 5 1.3.3 Research Questions ......................................................................................... 5 1.3.4 Research Hypotheses ...................................................................................... 6 1.4 Significance of the study .................................................................................... 6 1.5 Limitation and Delimitation of the Study .......................................................... 7 1.5.1 Limitation ........................................................................................................ 7 1.5.2 Delimitation ..................................................................................................... 7 1.6 Theoretical and conceptual framework ............................................................. 8 1.6.1 Theoretical framework .................................................................................... 8 1.7 Definitions of Terms ........................................................................................ 10 CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................. 12 LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................... 12 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 12 2.2 Gliricidia sepium: The current status .............................................................. 12 2.2.1 Taxonomy ...................................................................................................... 12 2.2.2 Tree description ............................................................................................. 12 2.3 Farmers’ perception on agroforestry especially G sepium .............................. 13 2.4 Uses and benefits of G sepium tree species ..................................................... 14 2.5 Trends in agroforestry ...................................................................................... 20 CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................. 21 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ....................................................................... 21 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 21 3.2 Research design and locale .............................................................................. 21 3.3.1 The study area ............................................................................................... 22 3.3.2 Climate, vegetation and soils ........................................................................ 24 3.3.2.1 Climate ....................................................................................................... 24 3.3.2.2 Vegetation .................................................................................................. 24 3.3.2.3 Soils ............................................................................................................ 24 3.4 Target Population ............................................................................................. 25 3.5 Sampling Techniques and Sample Size Determination .................................. 25 3.5.1 Sampling Techniques .................................................................................... 25 3.5.2 Sample size determination ............................................................................ 25 3.6 Research instruments ....................................................................................... 26 3.6.1 Questionnaire................................................................................................. 27 3.6.2 Interviews ...................................................................................................... 27 3.6.3 Observations .................................................................................................. 28 3.7 Data analysis and presentation ......................................................................... 28 CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................ 29 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .......................................................................... 29 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 29 4.2 General and Demographic Information ........................................................... 29 4.2.1 General information ...................................................................................... 29 4.2.2 Findings for Objective, Research Question and Hypothesis one ................ 30 4.2.2.1 Gender of the respondents ......................................................................... 30 4.2.2.2 Contingence for association between gender and adoption of G sepium . 31 4.2.2.3 Age bracket of the respondents .................................................................. 31 4.2.2.4 Income generating activities for the respondents ...................................... 33 4.2.2.5 Education level of respondents .................................................................. 34 4.2.2.6 Respondents’ attendance to training and extension services .................... 35 4.2.2.7 Gender equality of training ........................................................................ 37 4.2.2.8 Willingness to attend training .................................................................... 38 4.3 Other factors that influenced the adoption of G sepium in agroforestry ........ 39 4.3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................... 39 4.3.1.1 Rainfall ......................................................................................................
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