Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya

Smallholder dairy farmers have the challenges of accessing timely and reliable agricultural information, and this limits them from realizing maximum farm output. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a farming extension tool by smallholder farmers has the potential to revers...

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Main Authors: Marwa, M.E., Mburu, John, Rao, E.J.O., Okeyo Mwai, Ally, Kahumbu Stephanou, Su
Format: Journal Article
Language:Inglés
Published: Canadian Center of Science and Education 2020
Subjects:
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107802
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author Marwa, M.E.
Mburu, John
Rao, E.J.O.
Okeyo Mwai, Ally
Kahumbu Stephanou, Su
author_browse Kahumbu Stephanou, Su
Marwa, M.E.
Mburu, John
Okeyo Mwai, Ally
Rao, E.J.O.
author_facet Marwa, M.E.
Mburu, John
Rao, E.J.O.
Okeyo Mwai, Ally
Kahumbu Stephanou, Su
author_sort Marwa, M.E.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Smallholder dairy farmers have the challenges of accessing timely and reliable agricultural information, and this limits them from realizing maximum farm output. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a farming extension tool by smallholder farmers has the potential to reverse the scenario and improve farmers’ outputs and incomes leading to increased welfare. This study employed the Propensity score Matching approach to evaluate the impacts of ICT-based extension services, in this case, iCow services on milk production, milk income, and household income using cross-sectional data from a survey of dairy farmers in Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua and Bomet counties of Kenya. The use of ICT-based iCow services is shown to increase Annual milk production per cow, milk income, and household income by 13%, 29%, and 22%, respectively. Partnerships between network providers and research institutes should be encouraged as part of bridging the extension gap occasioned by reduced public expenditure on extension services.
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spelling CGSpace1078022025-12-08T09:54:28Z Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya Marwa, M.E. Mburu, John Rao, E.J.O. Okeyo Mwai, Ally Kahumbu Stephanou, Su livestock dairies animal production information technology innovation systems Smallholder dairy farmers have the challenges of accessing timely and reliable agricultural information, and this limits them from realizing maximum farm output. The use of information and communication technologies (ICT) as a farming extension tool by smallholder farmers has the potential to reverse the scenario and improve farmers’ outputs and incomes leading to increased welfare. This study employed the Propensity score Matching approach to evaluate the impacts of ICT-based extension services, in this case, iCow services on milk production, milk income, and household income using cross-sectional data from a survey of dairy farmers in Uasin Gishu, Nyandarua and Bomet counties of Kenya. The use of ICT-based iCow services is shown to increase Annual milk production per cow, milk income, and household income by 13%, 29%, and 22%, respectively. Partnerships between network providers and research institutes should be encouraged as part of bridging the extension gap occasioned by reduced public expenditure on extension services. 2020-02-15 2020-03-19T08:50:56Z 2020-03-19T08:50:56Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107802 en Open Access Canadian Center of Science and Education Marwa, M.E., Mbur, J., Rao, E.J.O., Mwai, O. and Kahumbu, S. 2020. Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya. Journal of Agricultural Science 12(3):141-152.
spellingShingle livestock
dairies
animal production
information technology
innovation systems
Marwa, M.E.
Mburu, John
Rao, E.J.O.
Okeyo Mwai, Ally
Kahumbu Stephanou, Su
Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya
title Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya
title_full Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya
title_fullStr Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya
title_full_unstemmed Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya
title_short Impact of ICT based extension services on dairy production and household welfare: The case of iCow service in Kenya
title_sort impact of ict based extension services on dairy production and household welfare the case of icow service in kenya
topic livestock
dairies
animal production
information technology
innovation systems
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/107802
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