CHALLENGES FACED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SMALL SCALE FARM ENTERPRISES IN TRANS-NZOIA COUNTY, KENYA

This paper examines the challenges affecting the farming practices of small scale farmers in Trans-Nzoia County. The study adopted a survey research design in which interviews and questionnaires were used to collect data from the Agricultural Officer at the Trans-Nzoia County headquarters, the extension staff and selected farmers. A total of 357 respondents were selected using simple cluster sampling technique. The study employed regression model with a view to ascertain which of the farm enterprises would be appropriate in improving the farmer’s livelihoods. The identified challenges facing the farm enterprises include, the small farm sizes, civil (political) strife, poor post harvest storage, poor farm tools used, failure to access fertilizers, poor farming methods employed, poor soils, diseases and pests, climatic changes and marginal provision of extension services. The government should consider increasing provision of extension services to the small scale farmers so as to change the thinking of the small scale farmers, and ultimately their farming practices. This could lead to improvement in the production levels of the farm produce.