PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988-2001 11 Involving farmers in the research planning process: smallholder attitudes to herbicide use

Document begins: PLA Notes CD-ROM 1988­2001 11 Involving farmers in the research planning process: smallholder attitudes to herbicide use Daniel Alembi, Stella Nabwile and David Mburu and Kibirigwi division, Kirinyaga district. Introduction These two areas were chosen because the small scale farmers grow many vegetables for Weed science research programmes at the commercial purposes and can afford to buy Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) herbicides. have traditionally focused on station based The two study areas have different marketing trials. Contact between scientists and farmers systems, watering systems and infrastructures. has been limited, and where it has taken place, The vegetable crops grown in these two areas it has generally been with larger, more commercially- minded farmers. are also different. The farmers in Kibirigwi are organised under the Kibirigwi Farmers' Co- There has been considerable debate over the operative (KIFCO) whereas the Kinangop south role of herbicides within smallholder farming farmers are not organised under any scheme. Kibirigwi is irrigated while Kinangop is rainfed. systems in Kenya and whether or not it is an The roads in Kibirigwi are also better than the appropriate use of limited resources for KARI ones in Kinangop. The idea was to highlight the scientists conduct ...