Abstract

Ogot Nicholas O, Pittchar Jimmy O, Midega Charles AO and Khan Zeyaur R

Push-pull technology (PPT) is an agricultural novelty that eliminates pest infestation (specifically, Striga and Stemborers) from cereal farm. It was invented by Professor Khan in 1997 to help reduce degradation of crops by pests which were adversely affected by yields. By this, an increased production was evidenced amongst the sub-Saharan farmers. This study aimed at determining the basic attributes of PPT that enhance FNS. It found out that PPT plots had more yields that influenced the entire pathway. Production recorded data for; maize (PPT-1393kgs, NPPT-401kgs), sorghum (PPT-556kgs, NPPT-125kgs), millet (PPT-930kgs, NPPT-107kgs), fodder (PPT-7163kgs, NPPT-891kgs), and beans (PPT-122kgs, NPPT-88kgs). Data for cereals consumed domestically were; maize (PPT-1215kgs, NPPT-349kgs); sorghum (PPT-415kgs, NPPT-105kgs), millet (PPT-596kgs, NPPT-93kgs), fodder (PPT-3844kgs, NPPT-727kgs), and beans (PPT-119kgs, NPPT81kgs). Amount of the cereals sold recorded; maize (PPT-Kshs. 28,152, NPPT-Kshs. 7,477), sorghum (PPTKshs. 10,907, NPPT-Kshs 2,620), millet ((PPT-Kshs. 2,778, NPPT-Kshs. 3,110), fodder (PPT-Kshs. 19,444, NPPT-Kshs. 2,250), and beans (PPT-Kshs. 3,259, NPPT-Kshs. 2,410). And the amount of cereals sold that contributed to food were; maize (PPT-Kshs. 10,556, NPPT-Kshs. 4,667), sorghum (PPT-Kshs. 3,407, NPPTKshs. 600), millet (PPT-Kshs. 411, NPPT-Kshs. 1,500), fodder (PPT-Kshs. 13889, NPPT-0), and beans (PPT-0, NPPT-Kshs. 1,225). Furthermore, PPT registered an average monthly food adequacy of 9.62 out of 12 while NPPT had 8.34. The regression model gave a significant r2 of 0.9162, an indication of 91.62% variation in the PPT’s influence on food adequacy (p=0.00187). The study found out that PPT has both direct and indirect impact on FNS of the adopters.