Abstract

Agricultural information dissemination is an important aspect in the quest to improve agricultural productivity both in Africa and specifically Kenya. Many experts have over the years identified radio as the best media for this purpose. Therefore, vernacular radio is ideally, best placed to provide agricultural information to its listeners because majority of them live in rural areas, practice agriculture as a source of livelihood, and might not have an in-depth understanding of English and/or Kiswahili. However, the commercial leanings of most emerging vernacular radio stations could be hampering this important role. This study was conducted on agricultural programmes aired on Kass FM radio, a vernacular radio station broadcasting in the kalenjin language in Kenya. A content analysis was done on agricultural programmes aired in the months of June July and August 2012, to find out the effect sponsors had on the content of the agricultural programmes they sponsored. Based on the findings, it was concluded that sponsors of agricultural programmes in Kass FM greatly influence the content of the programmes they sponsor. This has in effect greatly limited the number of topical issues in agriculture discussed in these programmes and thus creating a bottleneck in the amount of agricultural information that can be transmitted to farmers in Kass FM’s agricultural programmes.

Agricultural growth, especially in the early phases of development, is fundamental to broader economic growth and successful poverty reduction. This is because of high concentration of the poor in this sector, its strong growth linkages with other sectors, and its potential to offer low food prices to the urban poor (DFID, 2005). However, much of Africa’s agriculture is characterized by semi-subsistence, low-input, low-productivity farming systems, which are not favorable to achieving this broad-based growth. Transformation to a more commercialized agriculture is, therefore, unavoidable if the broad-based growth is to be achieved (Morris et al. 2009). Better and more accessible markets are a fundamental ingredient to a more commercialized agriculture, just as technologies and macroeconomic policies, since they are key determinants of farm productivity, food prices, and food availability (ILRI, 2011). Wellfunctioning markets send effective signals that influence incentives for investments by firms, households and workers, and enhance their efficiency and opportunities (ILRI, 2011). Yet in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, markets for agricultural inputs, outputs and finance remain thin (Poulton et al., 2006), and infrastructure, both ‘hard’ (e.g. roads) and ‘soft’ (e.g. telecommunications and information) are poor. The result is high transaction risks and costs (Poulton et al., 2006), which can distort crop choices and significantly dampen farmers’ returns from market participation as well as discourage them from producing for the market (ILRI, 2011). While market failure is a major constraint to most smallholder farmers, the effects are compounded for the marginalised groups such as the poor, women and households in low potential areas (Poulton et al., 2006; FAO, 2011). The intensity of marginalization is more pronounced among women farmers because they face higher entry barriers than men in modern value chains. For instance, women have less access to and control of productive resources such as land, capital and agricultural services like credit and training that are necessary for increasing yields and moving from subsistence to market oriented production (Jiggins et al., 1997; FAO, 2011). Consequently, women generally produce for more localized spot markets and in small volumes than men, and when they are involved in marketing of agricultural produce, they tend to be concentrated at the lower levels of the supply or value chain, and in perishable or low value products (Baden, 1998; World Bank, 2003). Addressing the challenges faced by these marginalized groups in accessing agricultural markets, remains a necessary priority in efforts to foster broad-based agricultural growth, and thereby contribute towards poverty reduction. However, interventions necessary for integrating marginalized groups into markets may differ by commodity market chain and by marginalized group. Hence, it is important to understand the constraints to market participation and types of 2 interventions that can overcome these constraints in order to unlock opportunities for involvement along a given value chain. Identifying specific agricultural value chains and interventions that could offer the best opportunities for sales, income, and poverty alleviation for marginal groups is a critical step in the process of making beneficial investments that can transform the fortunes of these groups. Further, analysis of value chains in combination with characteristics of marginalized groups of interest and the nature of potential interventions would be helpful in informing the design of such nterventions for greater impact. This study sought to identify critical challenges that need to be addressed and assess growth opportunities that could be exploited to improve access to and participation by women smallholders in agricultural markets along three value chains namely sweet potato, avocado and indigenous chicken. This was achieved through detailed value chain analysis of these selected enterprises and case studies on selected marketing innovations that could enhance market participation.

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The study aimed at assessing the records management practices at Uganda Wildlife Authority, Head office Kampala. In order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness in the management of records at Uganda Wildlife Authority, the objectives of the study were: To assess the records management practices at Uganda wildlife authority, to Examine the types of records that are managed at Uganda wildlife authority, to determine the challenges faced in the implementation of proper records practices at Uganda wildlife authority, to propose and recommend proper records management practices at Uganda wildlife authority. The study adopted a case study design which helped to assess records management practices at UWA. A study population of 20 respondents provided data, An interview, observation and Document review were the methods used to collect data from the respondents. The research study found out that the records management practices at UWA include: records creation, records classification and indexing, records storage, retrieval of records, mail management, records inventory, records access, records appraisal and retention and records disposition, The study discovered that the types of records managed at UWA included; Administrative records, Legal Records, personnel, records and Financial Records. Further studies indicated that records at UWA are created manually and electronically through scanning, use of an email management system. The study further found out the challenges faced in the implementation of proper records management practices which included inadequate funds for records management, inadequate trained personnel, inadequate space and records management equipment. The study concluded that UWA would streamline records management practices to avert unauthorized access and unnecessary loss of records, misplacement of records misuse and inadequate security measures which is challenging the personnel in charge of records, UWA would depend largely on how its RMP are being implemented therefore proper records management should be emphasized. Lastly the study concluded that more efforts would be put into the use of electronic records practices this would help to overcome the challenge of no records disposal, records appraisal and inadequate space since there is accumulation of both archival and obsolete records. The study recommended that records staff should be provided with adequate trainining to ensure that they are able to undertake full responsibilities of records management, UWA should hire more trained records personnel to ensure efficiency and effectiveness, the study further more recommends that UWA should speed up the process of developing a records management policy so as to be able to manage the records in accordance with the policy and the law. The study recommended that the central registry should carryout digitization of records in order to reduce the volume of paper records and also save time, lastly the study recommends that enough funds should be allocated to the central registry so as to procure equipments for use in records management.

Award of the Degree of Masters of Science in Finance.

abstract

The consumption of milk and milk products serves as a good source of complete food. In spite of that, the use of antibiotics by farmers for the treatment of domestic dairy animals has increased which has led to antibiotic residues in foods of animal origin such as milk due to antibiotic abuse. The main focus of the current study was to determine knowledge on the antibiotics, the usage, and general practices on handling the same by small holders’ milk producers. The study makes contribution towards improved quality and safety of commercially produced milk from the smallholders in Bomet, Nakuru and Nyeri counties in Kenya. The study was carried out using a mixed method approach where farmers, traders and cooperative society staffs were interviewed, and milk samples taken to determine antibiotic usage and levels. Data was recorded on chemicals and drugs used to treat dairy herds, milk hygiene and rejection of milk among farmers. The study alsodetermined the type of antibiotics and levels of residues in milk supplied by smallholders to processors. A total of 108 milk samples comprising raw milk purchased and sampled from farmers were analyzed for the presence of Beta-lactams, Tetracyclines, and sulphonamides residues using rapid tests in the field and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for quantification in the laboratory. Majority (93.3%) of the respondents had basic education level of training on dairy management and diseases and reported dairy animals as frequently infected with diseases such as mastitis (86%), East Coast fever, and Foot and Mouth. Almost all (98%) farmers used manual method of milking, and more than half (66%) used aluminium cans during milking. Farmers practiced hygienic milking by cleaning the teats (97%). However, very few (2%) wore gloves during milking. Most farmers (85.9%) did not know the type of antibiotics they used. However, more than half of the farmers (55.6%) reported that milk from a treated cow was discarded, 22.7% of them used the milk to feed calves. Most farmers (93%) stated that they did not experience milk rejection; however, the few who had their milk rejected indicated acidity, bad flavour and adulteration as some of the causes. Antibiotics residues were detected in milk samples from all the counties, differing in concentration and no significant difference (P≥ 0.05) among the three Counties. The most commonly detected antibiotic was oxytetracycline while the common beta-lactam detected was ampicillin in all three sites. The sulphonamides detected were dapsone, sulfachlorpyridazine, sulfadiazine, sulfadimethoxine, sulfadoxine, sulfamerazine, sulfamethoxazole, sulfamethoxypyridazine, sulfamonomethoxine, sulfapyridine, sulfisoxazole, and sulfithiazole at different concentrations. More than half (55.6%) of samples collected tested positive for at least one antibiotic residue. The mean concentrations for oxytetracycline were 0.017mg/l in Bomet, 0.016mg/l in Nakuru and, 0.015mg/l in Nyeri. In conclusion, farmers’ milk handling practices along the value chain was good and this is due to their good knowledge on hygienic practices, however there was lack of knowledge on the use of antibiotics and risks associated with the misuse of the same. The occurrences of such residues pose health risks to consumers hence the need for proper monitoring and control of antibiotics in the milk supply chain.

Award of Degree of Master of Business Administration

In addition to Intra-household resource allocations and internal dynamics of decision-making, gendered perceptions on household food security play a critical role in households’ nutritional status, especially in developing coun- tries. However, evidence on the role of gender-based perceptions on households’ food security and related implications on the households’ nutritional status is limited. This study examines the determinants of gender-disaggregated household food security perceptions among smallholder farming households. We used two panels of data from households in eastern and western Kenya and employ the House hold Food Insecurity Access Scale to measure perceptions of household food insecurity, and the random effects generalized ordered probit model to evaluate the determinants of security perceptions across gender. The results reveal that the factors that influence food security perceptions vary across gender. The education level of household head and the number of relatives were negatively associated with female perceptions of household food insecurity, whereas the household dependency ratio was positively associated with female perceptions of household food insecurity. In contrast, age and gender of household head were positively