ASSESSING THE INFLUENCE OF RAINFALL AND TEMPERATURE ON ADOPTION OF ORGANIC FARMING IN LAIKIPIA WEST SUB COUNTY, KENYA

Abstract

Organic farming is a new strategy that helps farmers to cope with climate variability affecting several regions including East Africa. This farming strategy helps farmers to bring to an end the perennial problems of agriculture such as erosion, soil depletion, decline of crop varieties, low quality food and livestock feed, and rural poverty. Organic farmers embrace a holistic notion that the health of a nation is built on agriculture which is dependent on the long-term vitality of its soil. The research assessed the influence of rainfall and temperatures on adoption of organic farming in providing solutions to food insecurity and ensuring safe and environmentally sound food production in the area of study. This study collected and analysed the current agricultural practices and how they have been influenced by rainfall and temperature and assessed their effectiveness. The research was guided by Person-situation interaction theory, which purports that interactionism holds personal and situational factors that are multiplicative. The research adopted a cross sectional research design. One hundred and nine (109) respondents were interviewed in this study. Quantitative data was analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS version 25). Regression analysis was employed to establish any association between the independent and dependent variables within the study. Key words: Organic Farming; Interactionism; Climate Variability; Phenomenon, Laikipia West Sub County (LWSC)