| dc.description.abstract | Agroforestry adoption has shown potential in providing better environment benefits, food and energy, and enterprise development. Nevertheless, the agroforestry adoption is hindered by numerous factors among them, unreliable rainfall, lack of resources and lack of enough land space. The purpose of this research was to determine how agroforestry affects livelihoods of small holder farmers in the recently established Solio Settlement Scheme. The specific research objectives were three: to determine the environmental benefits of agroforestry to the small holder farmers in Solio Settlement Scheme, to measure food and energy diversification associated with agroforestry adoption small holder farmers in Solio Settlement Scheme and to assess the benefits of agroforestry adoption to enterprise development in Solio Settlement Scheme. The study distributed questionnaires 368 farmers who provided numerical data for statistical analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted by use of SPSS to answer the research questions. Results were further presented by use frequency tables. During the entire investigation the researcher adhered to the relevant research ethics. The study established that 92.6% of the Solio Settlement Scheme practice agroforestry. Majority of the respondents moderately agreed that practicing agroforestry resulted to environmental benefits as indicated by the mean of 3.09 and standard deviation of 0.25. It was also found that many of the respondents moderately agreed that agroforestry is the source of food and energy diversification as depicted by the mean of 3.15 and standard deviation of 0.49. It was further established that 97% of the respondents agreed that agroforestry created enterprise development. The correlation results indicated that there exist a positive and significant association between environmental benefits and livelihoods of small scale farmers adopting agroforestry (r =.636** p= .0005). The study deduced that food and energy diversification had a positive and significant association with livelihood of small scale farmers adopting agroforestry (r= .725**, p=.0005). The study further established that enterprise development had a positive and significant association with livelihood of small scale farmers adopting agroforestry (r=.789**, p= .0005). The study concluded that farmers are capable of providing an adequate food diet for all household members throughout the year after implementing agroforestry through increased crop production. It also noted that agroforestry adoption reduced scheme temperature, soil erosion, water runoff, water floods, and wind speed while also providing habitat for a variety of animals. It further concluded that adoption of agroforestry has resulted in the establishment of numerous businesses. The study recommended that households need to plant agroforestry trees species that can conserve and restore ecological ecosystems. Agroforestry was established to be effective in supporting crop diversification because of the stable and favorable conditions there. Farmers ought to be trained on biogas production, organic manure preparation, bee keeping and tree nursery commercial practices by extension officers. The national government in conjunction with Laikipia County Government, Kenya forest services and Solio Settlement Scheme local leaders can organize agroforestry awareness trainings pertaining the importance agroforestry and how it should be undertaken. | en_US |
