SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS AFFECTING CROP DIVERSIFICATION DECISIONS AMONG SMALL SCALE MAIZE FARMERS IN UASIN-GISHU COUNTY

Poverty has remained a major challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa due to sluggish income growth. Since most of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa depends on Agriculture as their main source of income, they can cap the problem through crop diversification strategies. Using descriptive and survey designs, this study characterized crop diversification among small-scale maize farmers in Uasin-Gishu County, it also determined socio-economic and institutional factors affecting crop diversification among small-scale maize farmers in Uasin-Gishu County, and determined the effect of crop diversification on income level among small-scale maize farmers in Uasin-Gishu County. Descriptive statistics was used to characterize crop diversification; Binary logistic model was used to analyze socio-economic and institutional factors affecting crop diversification. Gross Margin Analysis and Foster-Greer-and Thorbecke measures of poverty were used to determine the rate of poverty while descriptive statistics was used to determine the relationship between crop diversification and household rate of poverty. Both interview schedules and questionnaires was used to collect information from small-scale maize farmers. The sample size was 153 randomly selected small-scale maize farmers across Uasin-Gishu County, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 26 edition was used in data analysis. The results were presented using tables, bar charts, graphs and figures. Information generated would assist policy makers come up with proper and sound strategies to crop diversification geared towards increasing household productivity, income, food security and hence poverty alleviation.