Abstract:
Sugarcane farming remains an important economic activity for smallholder farmers in Kenya, especially in laborintensive regions such as Uriri Sub-County, Migori County. Despite its importance, productivity levels remain
significantly below potential, largely due to inefficient labor utilization. This study investigates the effect of labor
input, measured in man-days per acre, on sugarcane productivity (yield in tonnes per acre). A cross-sectional survey
and multistage sampling technique were used to choose a sample of 297 respondents and a semi-structured
questionnaire were used to gather primary data. A multiple linear regression model was employed to estimate the
relationship between labor spent on specific farm operations during planting, fertilizer application, weeding, and
harvesting and average sugarcane productivity. The results ofthe study found out that each additional man-day per
acre spent on planting was associated with a 0.40-tonne increase in sugarcane productivity (p < 0.001), while fertilizer
application showed a 0.34-tonne increase in sugarcane productivity per acre (p = 0.035). Labor input on weeding had
a positive effect of 0.46 tonnes per man-day increase in sugarcane productivity (p < 0.001), and harvesting
demonstrated the strongest influence, with a 0.79-tonne increase in sugarcane productivity per acre (p < 0.001). The
model intercept was 11.87, indicating the estimated sugarcane productivity per acre in the absence of the specified
labor inputs, though such a scenario is theoretical. The model exhibited strong explanatory power, with an R² of 0.761
suggesting that approximately 76% of the variability in sugarcane productivity could be explained by the labor inputs
considered. These findings confirm a significant and positive relationship between labor input and sugarcane
productivity, emphasizing the need for timely and adequate labor allocation in key operations to maximize
productivity. The study underscores the importance of addressing labor inefficiencies and supports policy efforts to
enhance labor management strategies, promote mechanization, and mitigate labor shortagesin the sugarcane sector
