Kenya, The Influence of Social Capital on Sustainable Agriculture in Marginal Areas, 2003

The data for this study comes from a survey of rural households in Machakos and Taita-Taveta Districts. Four sub-locations were chosen in each district on the basis of terracing density and physical infrastructural endowments such as road network. Two sublocations with higher terracing density but with higher and lower physical infrastructural endowments were selected in each district. Likewise, two sublocations with lower terracing density but with higher and lower physical infrastructural endowments were also selected. A village was then selected randomly from each of the sub-locations. The survey through the use of a structured questionnaire then commenced in each district with about 40 households in each village, chosen randomly also. In addition to this, village profiles using focused group discussions were carried out. The overall objective of the study was to investigate, analyze, and document farm level social capital in marginal areas and evaluate its effects on soil conservation investments, resource use patterns and agricultural productivity with consequent food security implications. The specific objectives were: To study and characterize social capital. To investigate whether differential social capital influence farm level soil and water conservation investments. To investigate whether there is a link between social capital, resource use and agricultural productivity.本研究的数据来源于对马查科斯（Machakos）县与塔伊塔-塔韦塔（Taita-Taveta）县农村家庭的调研。研究人员依据梯田密度与道路网络等实体基础设施禀赋，在每个县内选取4个亚区位：其中2个亚区位的梯田密度较高，分别对应较高与较低的基础设施禀赋；同理，另外2个亚区位的梯田密度较低，同样分别对应较高与较低的基础设施禀赋。随后从每个亚区位中随机抽取1个村庄，再在每个村庄中随机选取约40户家庭，采用结构化问卷在各该县开展调研。此外，研究还通过焦点小组讨论编制了各村概况资料。本研究的总体目标为：调查、分析并记录边际农区的农户层面社会资本，评估其对土壤保护投入、资源利用模式与农业生产力的影响，以及由此产生的粮食安全相关效应。具体研究目标包括：一是研究并刻画社会资本的特征；二是探究差异化社会资本是否会对农户层面的水土保持投入产生影响；三是考察社会资本、资源利用与农业生产力之间是否存在关联。