Factors Influencing Youth Farmers' Use of Soil and Water Conservation Technologies In Drylands of Machakos County,Kenya

Abstract

Land degradation presents a serious threat to sustainable soil and water resources, primarily through erosion, declining soil fertility, and extreme weather events. Addressing these challenges involves selecting appropriate Soil and Water Conservation (SWC) technologies to mitigate soil quality decline and enhance agricultural productivity. Soil and water conservation technologies have been promoted across various regions, especially in dryland areas for several decades with mixed outcomes. Despite their positive impacts, the utilization intensity of these technologies at farm level remains low. Furthermore, there is limited information on use and use intensity of the technologies among youth farmers, who are key to driving agricultural transformation. This study investigates the socio-economic factors influencing the use and use intensity of SWC technologies among youth farmers. A cross-sectional survey was employed to gather data from 396 youth farmers selected through a multistage sampling procedure. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Cragg's Double Hurdle (DH) model. The findings revealed that among 12 independent variables included in regression analysis education level, farm income, and farming experience significantly determined the choice of using SWC technologies. Additionally, access to credit, marital status, education level, farming experience, land size, technical knowledge, training participation, farm income, and land ownership had significant effects on the intensity of use. These findings highlight the need for targeted interventions, such as strengthening credit access, enhancing technical training, and expanding educational opportunities to promote broader adoption and effective utilization of SWC technologies. Integrating these factors into policy and planning is essential to enhancing agricultural productivity, resilience and sustainability among youth farmers in dryland regions.