TYPE AND DISTRIBUTION OF URBAN AND PERI-URBAN AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES IN NAIROBI COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Urban and peri-urban agriculture (UPUA) has direct positive impact on farming households accounting for income-earning or food-producing activities. The type of production technology and location influences food safety and space usage. Little is known how UPUA farmers utilize different crop production technologies and their distribution in Nairobi County. The objectives of this study were therefore to identify type of production technologies utilized by UPUA farmers in Nairobi County; and to determine how the production technologies were distributed within the districts of Nairobi County. A survey study with purposive sampling utilizing a structured questionnaire was carried out in the urban and peri-urban districts of Nairobi County. Data was collected on socio-economic characteristics, crop production technologies, land tenure and land size. Data was analysed descriptively and chi-square and Fishers T- tests were performed. Farmers in peri-urban areas utilized more of the identified eleven technologies than those in urban districts except rooftop and balcony gardens. Open field was the most utilized crop production technology (25.9%) and was significantly (P=.033) more in use at the peri-urban areas. Multi-storey garden technology was more in use in the urban areas. Open field (24.9%), multi-storey garden (16.4%) and moist-bed garden (11.9%) were the most utilized technologies for crop production by male-headed households. Female-headed households mostly utilized open field (2.3%) and micro-garden (1.7%) technologies. Small plots (1/2 to 1 acre) were heavily relied on for crop production (41%). Institutional land constituted the most significant (P=.012) available land (54.2%) for utilizing most of the crop production technologies. It was available both in urban (26.5%) and Peri-urban (27.7%) areas. Personal land was also available but significantly higher (p = 0.023) in Peri-urban (14.2%) than in urban areas (2.2%). These research findings will supplement to Nairobi City planners’ decision making process concerning urban and peri-urban agriculture in regard to land use allocation. . Adoption of improved crop production technologies and forming of farmer groups to bargain for idle spaces could be embraced for increased  urban and peri-urban agriculture.