EFFECTIVENESS OF MASS MEDIA CHANNELS ON THE ADOPTION PROCESS OF HERMETIC BAGS STORAGE TECHNOLOGY BY SMALL SCALE MAIZE FARMERS IN NAKURU COUNTY

Abstract

Post-harvest losses have led to frequent food shortages in Kenya hence impacting on food security. Hermetic bags storage technology was introduced in Kenya to reduce post-harvest losses in maize which is Kenya’s main staple food without use of pesticides. Therefore there is need for effective flow of information to farmers through communication channels for effective adoption of hermetic bag storage technology. Since mass media has been utilized as one of the channels to facilitate adoption of the hermetic bag technology, this study sought to establish the effectiveness of mass media channel on adoption process of hermetic bags storage technology in Nakuru County. The study employed correlation research design. Target population was 108,130 and accessible population 10,660 small scale maize farmers in Molo, Njoro and Rongai sub-Counties. A sample of 120 small scale maize farmers was attained through proportionate simple random sampling technique and researcher administered questionnaires were used to collect data from small scale maize farmers. Validity was examined by subjecting research instrument to critique by experts in the department of Applied Community Development Studies at Egerton University while reliability was estimated through a test-retest method and found to be 0.848. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient) at significant level of α = 0.05.  The study established that mass media channels utilized did not influence adoption process of hermetic bag technology at the decision and implementation stages. However, they influenced the adoption process of hermetic bag storage technology at awareness, persuasion and adoption stages. The study recommended that national government, department of agriculture should increase funding to support mass media channel in facilitating the adoption process.