Ajausud|African Journal of Agriculture and Utilisation of Natural Resources for Sustainable Development

Challenges of Liquid Biofuel Policies and Institutions in Eastern Africa Countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania

2024-11-05T04:03:46-06:00

Most African countries made deliberate decisions to invest in liquid biofuel leading to the formulation of the bioenergy strategy in 2007. The study on challenges and policies on liquid biofuels was conducted in eastern Africa countries of Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania to understand institutional, marketing, and policy challenges. The study was based on interviews and discussions with stakeholders related to liquid biofuels. In marketing, policies affecting business were not stable as strongly agreed by 36.4% of the respondents, and agreed by 45.5% of the respondents. The liquid biofuels especially biodiesel was relatively new in the countries, and most relevant issues were unknown. The major problems with liquid biofuels were land rights that created conflict as stated by 54.5% of the respondents, lack of updated policies and strategies focusing on .provision of incentives, institutional strengthening, l monitoring and evaluation systems. The liquid biofuel investment in eastern Africa was affected by crop and forest land because it was not based on pre-assessment of land use planning. The 2010s failure of the eastern Africa Governments ambitious plan to produce liquid biofuels was caused by institutional, market, and technical challenges which can be solved by creating smallholders awareness, and modifying policies.

Runs Of Homozygosity and Effective Population Size from Different Goat Genotypes in Kenya

2024-11-04T05:44:55-06:00

Limited genetic information in most goat populations hinders the implementation of better breeding strategies for genetic conservation and improvement. Runs of Homozygosity (ROH) were used to analyse the distribution, inbreeding coefficients and effective population size (Ne) of different goat genotypes in Kenya. This was performed from 48808 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) that were detected for analysis after quality control. The SNP data of four goat genotypes were used; Galla (n = 12), Alpine (n = 28), Saanen (n = 24) and Toggenburg (n = 30). Across the genotypes, 348 ROHs were detected with the highest number (180) observed in Toggenburg and lowest (22) in Galla. From the ROH length categories, the highest mean length was observed on the long ROHs category (>16 Mb) suggesting a recent inbreeding. The distribution of ROHs per chromosome was breed-specific without a clear pattern across the genotypes. Furthermore, 32 genomic regions with a high frequency of ROHs were detected. Sixteen genes (missense and synonymous) associated with various phenotypic functions were identified. High inbreeding coefficient values of > 0.1 were observed in all exotic genotypes suggesting continuous use of few breeding bucks. Toggenburg was found to be the most inbred genotype with the highest inbreeding coefficient of 0.68. The effective population size decreased over time across the genotypes. Galla, Saanen and Toggenburg at recent generation (13genAgo) recorded Ne of less than the recommended threshold (Ne = 100) population indicating a limited genetic diversity. The study outcome emphasize the need to use different lines of exotic goats, improved technologies, and/or sustainable implementation of controlled breeding programs.

Modern Technology Techniques for Adoption of Agriculture; Their Value, Usage, and contribution Towards the Improvement of Agriculture – An Assessment for Developed and Developing Countries

2022-03-23T10:13:07-05:00

The main focus of this paper is to give an introduction review of the modern technology techniques, their value, usage and contribution to better agriculture. In the recent past, the basic agricultural technologies such as machines has changed; as much as the modern technologies, harvesters and planters perform better or are slightly altered from their predecessors. The current US$250,000 combine harvester still cuts, threshes and separates grains as always was being done in the past. However, modern technology is transforming the ways humans operate the machines, GPS Systems Locators, as computer monitoring systems and self-driven software allow advanced tractors and other equipment to be more accurate and economical in the use of fuel, seeds or fertilizer. This study aimed at establishing the value and contribution of using modem technology techniques in the adoption of Agriculture. Content analysis was done on selected developing and developed countries using purposive sampling on the content covered. The data extracted from the content analysis was analyzed quantitatively. It was established that countries that have embraced modern technology in their Agricultural practices have more output in Agricultural production and are more food-stable as opposed to those countries that have not fully embraced the use of modern technology techniques in Agriculture. Therefore, the study concluded that as technology becomes more advanced and complex, in future, there is likely to be a mass production of driverless tractors and other agricultural machinery which will likely be required to make use electronic sensors and GPS maps, requiring less human intervention with greater agricultural output.

Exploration of The Status of Fish Farming Enterprises Among Farming Communities In Nyandarua, Nakuru, and Nyeri Counties of Kenya

2024-11-04T02:25:37-06:00

Understanding the status of fish enterprises is vital for developing policies to enhance their productivity and economic growth. This study assessed the status of enterprises raising three main farmed fish species: Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), among farming communities in Nyandarua, Nakuru, and Nyeri counties in Kenya. The study selected these Kenya Climate Smart Agricultural Project (KCSAP) priority counties because these regions offer ideal conditions for fish farming and they represent promising areas for developing climate-smart fish farming. Using a snowball sampling procedure, the study identified 34 fish farms. Descriptive analysis was employed to examine socio-economic factors, production objectives, rearing methods, labour, markets, and marketing practices. Results showed that farmers aged 30-49 were most engaged in fish farming (23.5%). Family and family-hired labour were the most common sources. The majority (81.2%) of fish farmers preferred male labourers. Over 71.9% practiced commercial fish farming, primarily to generate income, and most emphasized producing table-size fish. The rearing period for tilapia, catfish, and trout fish were approximately 10.4, 10.2, and 12 months, respectively, with harvested average weights of 326.76 grams, 1357.14 grams, and 555 grams, respectively. Nile tilapia farmers mostly produced table-size fish, unlike trout and catfish farmers who targeted fingerlings, brooders, table-size fish, and fillet production. Prices for fingerlings, raw, and processed (value-added) fish ranged from 9.7 to 28 Kenyan shillings (KES), 335 to 650 KES, and 700 to 1200 KES, respectively. Farmers sold mature table-size fish at average prices of 335 KES, 540 KES, and 650 KES for tilapia, catfish, and trout, respectively. The price for value-added tilapia, catfish, and trout were 700 KES, 700 KES, and 1200 KES in that order. In conclusion, fish farming in Nyandarua, Nakuru, and Nyeri counties generates cash income, creates employment opportunities, ensures food and nutrition security, and contributes to societal empowerment for these communities.