Factors influencing adoption of giant bamboo (dendrocalamus asper {Schult} Backer) for agroforestry in selected subcounties of Nyandarua county, Kenya

Abstract

Giant bamboo (Dendrocalamus asper) is a very fast growing plant in the family of Poaceae (Gramineae) with great potential in environmental conservation and poverty alleviation. It has over 1500 documented uses. However, with the reducing sizes and productivity of land in Kenya especially in high potential areas where bamboo is grown, there is a need to identify options of cultivating bamboo as an agroforestry crop. Therefore, the main objective of the study was to establish factors influencing uptake of bamboo for agroforestry in the selected Sub Counties. Specific objectives were; to investigate the agroforestry systems in the selected Sub Counties of Nyandarua County, to establish the factors influencing the adoption of bamboo for agroforestry in selected Sub Counties and to examine the challenges faced by farmers cultivating bamboo in the selected Sub Counties. Closed and open ended questionnaires were administered to 132 bamboo farmers. Likert Chi- square tests were run to establish the relationship between the rate of bamboo adoption and problems encountered, the agroforestry system practiced and the social economic factors. Further, Pearson’s chi square tests were run to establish the significance and level of association levels of the study. From the results home gardening was the main type of agroforestry system practiced (X2=14.173; P=007; Cramer v=0.0457). It was revealed that, monthly household income (X2 = 29.87 and X2 =20.053, P = 0.014 and 0.021), size of land X2=1.433, and X2=4.633, P value = 0.031 and 0.009) influenced the rate of adoption of bamboo for Olkalou and Oljororok Sub Counties respectively. The study recommended more research on crops suitable for intercropping with bamboo as an agroforestry crop.