Effect of perception on adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices in Irish potato farming: A case of Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya

Amos Kiptoo 1, *Geofrey Kingori Gathungu and Grace Opetu Oloo-Abucheli 2 

1 Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness, & Agricultural Education, Faculty of Agriculture, Chuka University, P.O. Box 109, 60400, Chuka, Kenya.
2 Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chuka University, P.O. Box 109, 60400, Chuka, Kenya.
 
Research Article
World Journal of Advanced Research and Reviews, 2023, 19(02), 245–253
Article DOI: 10.30574/wjarr.2023.19.2.1544
 
Publication history: 
Received on 22 June 2023; revised on 29 July 2023; accepted on 01 August 2023
 
Abstract: 
Perception of climate change has been one of the important factors that enables or hinders the adoption of climate-smart agricultural practices (CSAPs) among farmers worldwide. Nevertheless, little in-depth analysis and information exist in Kenya on how ⁠ Irish potato farmers perception influence their adoption to CSAPs. It is crucial to understand how farmers perceive the various practices to create successful approaches for ⁠ encouraging the implementation of CSAPs among farmers. The focus of this article is to investigate perception aspects that influence the adoption of CSAPs among Irish potato farmers in ⁠ Ainabkoi, Uasin Gishu County, Kenya. In a population of 1500 Irish potato farmers, a random sample of 196 farmers were interviewed. Descriptive statistics was used to ⁠ analyze farmers' benefits, ⁠ sustainability, and effectiveness perception aspects. SPSS version 28, and Stata version ⁠ 17 software, were employed for econometric analysis. The investigation involved employing a principal ⁠ component analysis (PCA) model. The results of PCA analysis show that the benefits aspect rotated factor ⁠ loadings explained 96.09% of the total variance, sustainability explained 93.61%, and effectiveness accounted for 94.43%. The study recommends that policymakers and extension services focus on increasing farmers' awareness concerning ⁠ the benefits of embracing climate-smart practices in boosting productivity and food security. \
 
Keywords: 
Climate-Smart Agricultural Practices; Perception; Climate Change; Adaptation Strategies; Potato Farmers; Adoption
 
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