Tropentag 2021, September 15 - 17, hybrid conference, Germany "Towards shifting paradigms in agriculture for a healthy and sustainable future"

Farmers’ Acceptance of Insects and Cassava as Alternative Feed Sources in Livestock Feeds in Kenya

¹Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Kenya
²Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Dept. of Animal Sciences, Kenya

Abstract

Limited access to quality and adequate feeds represents a major challenge to smallholder livestock productivity in sub-Saharan Africa. To improve access to quality and adequate livestock feeds, policymakers and researchers are encouraging the utilization of non-conventional feed sources which are highly rich in proteins and energy. Cassava and insects have thus been promoted as alternative sources of energy and protein respectively. However, their uptake is low across smallholder livestock systems in sub-Saharan Africa. This study examined farmers’ acceptance of insects and cassava as alternative feed sources and factors influencing their acceptance in Murang’a County in Kenya. The study applied the theory of planned behaviour and collected data from 378 dairy farming households in Kenya, identified using a simple random sampling. A multinomial logit model was used to assess factors influencing farmers’ acceptance of insects and cassava as alternative feed sources in livestock feeds. The results indicate that at the time of the survey, only 11% and 30% of the dairy farmers were aware of insects and cassava as alternative feed sources respectively. However, the farmers’ willingness to use insects and cassava as alternative feed sources was high at 76% and 86% respectively. The results of the multinomial logit regression model reveal that generally, farmers’ attitudes towards the perceived benefits of using insects and cassava in livestock feed, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, access to insurance and extension services, membership to a farmer group and farm size were significant determinants of farmers’ intention to use insects and cassava as alternative feed sources. The study discusses the implications of these results in scaling up and commercialization of sustainable non-conventional feed sources.

Keywords: Energy source, multinomial logit model, non-conventional, protein source

Contact Address: Diana Wanda Odinya, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Dept. of Agricultural and Resource Economics, P.O. Box 62000-00200, Nairobi, Kenya, e-mail: dianawanda119yahoo.com