Abstract:
Agricultural sectors are the backbone of most developing countries like Kenya. These countries
depend entirely on Agriculture for the economy. For instance, in Kenya agriculture contributes to
24% of the GDP. Also, agriculture employs 70% of the labour in the country. Despite the great
contribution, agricultural performance has been declining. The future expansion of earnings from
the sector is expected to be more from improvement of various agricultural sectors including
dairy goat farming enterprise hence this study calls for the analysis of the factors affecting dairy
goat farming, the factors are; the income level of the farmers, availability of extension services,
technological level and the land size. This case study is focussing on the small-scale farmers of
Marakwet east Sub -County in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Descriptive research design has been
used targeting a sample size of 90 small-scale farmers. The aim of this study is to analyze the
factors affecting dairy goat farming in order to increase production and minimize the cost.
Closed questions and also interview and observations have been used to collect data. The
secondary data is also collected from agricultural newspapers, magazines, textbooks and
internet. The descriptive and inferential statistics, which include chi – squire percentages and
tables are used in data analysis. Statistical Packages for Social Scientists (SPSS) program is
used in processing the collected data. This study is significant because it is hoped that findings of
the study are expected to help the researcher in making conclusions and making
recommendations, which will assist the dairy goat farmers to carry out the farming as an
enterprise and improve the production. Analysis was done and it was shown that this factor
influence dairy goat faming. Farmers in the area have low levels of technology in dairy goat
farming due to their low education level. Insufficient extension services too contributes to the
poor performance in the sub-sector. Farmers are not able to receive the services in time hence
contributing to low production. Land size too is another limiting factor in the study area. Most of
the farmers have less than one acre of land to carry out farming, both crop production and animal
rearing making this land not to be sufficient. Income levels also is a factor that affect dairy goat
farmers in the area. Majority of the farmers earn less than ksh.10,000 which will not be sufficient
to meet the family needs as well farming. In conclusion this factors were analysed and
recommendation were made based on the results.
