Theses and Dissertations

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    Food Security Communication: An Investigation into the Influence of Radio Programmes on Irish Potato Farming in Nakuru County, Kenya
    (Daystar University, School of Communication, 2018-06) Sang, Hillary
    The Government of Kenya has recognized Irish potato as one of the food security and nutrition crops together with maize and rice (GoK, 2017) report. This study sought to investigate the influence of radio programmes in promoting Irish potato farming as a contributor to food security in Nakuru County. The study looked at the period between 2012 and 2015 when most radio stations started programmes on agriculture. The objectives of the study were to establish the extent to which Irish potato farmers in Nakuru County listened to agricultural radio programmes; investigate if Irish potato farmers in Nakuru County applied the skills acquired from agricultural radio programmes in their farming; establish challenges faced by Irish potato farmers with regard to listening to radio programmes and examine whether Irish potato farming skills acquired from radio have contributed to food security in Nakuru County. Purposive sampling method was used to identify four sub-counties in Nakuru County namely: Kuresoi South, Kuresoi North, Molo and Naivasha. A census of forty-eight farmers registered with the National Potato Council of Kenya between 2012 and 2015 were interviewed. Eleven agricultural extension officers from the sampled sub-counties were interviewed as key informants. The study showed that Irish potato farmers listened and applied skills acquired from agricultural radio programmes to improve their farming leading to food security in Nakuru County. The leading skills acquired from the programmes centered on disease control, chemical use, land preparation and certified seeds. The challenges experienced bordered on middlemen exploitation and communications strategy. The researcher recommended that the Nakuru County Government shield farmers against middlemen exploitation by enforcing the standard 90 kilogramme bag regulations and providing certified seeds. Information inaccuracy was revealed during the study and therefore Radio should provide accurate information on specific varieties on specific regions so that the Irish potato farming flourishes and nourishes Nakuru people.