Abstract

Dry lands cover over 40% of the Earth's land surface, and 84% of Kenya's land mass consists of arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs). Chapareria Ward in West Pokot County, Kenya, is among the most degraded ASALs. Since 2014, the Dryland Farmers Research Network (DFRN) project, a soil and water conservation (SWC) initiative, has been implemented in Chepareria Ward. All SWC activities are community-driven and anchored on the circular economy principle of agro-ecology. The study aimed to identify socio-economic determinants of household agro-enterprise incomes in Chepareria Ward. It adopted a cross-sectional design that involved a survey of 400 farmers. Among these, 200 respondents were randomly selected from DFRN Project farmer beneficiaries in four locations, and an additional 200 non-DFRN farmers were interviewed from four other locations. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and logistic regression models. The study found household head age, female-headed households, household size, head of household education, household land size, and household income to be significant determinants of household agro-enterprise incomes. The study concluded with recommendations for development practitioners, policymakers, and future research.

Key words: Circular economy, crop enterprises, household, livestock enterprises, West Pokot County.