Assessment of Agricultural Investment Intensity and its Influence on Food Sufficiency in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya

Abstract

Agricultural investment intensity refers to the extent to which farmers commit financial, physical, human, and technological resources to agricultural activities to improve productivity, income, resilience, and food sufficiency. However, smallholder farmers in Kenya continue to face constraints related to limited financial resources, high input costs, inadequate extension services, restricted access to credit, and climate variability. The main objective of this study was to assess the intensity of agricultural investments and determine their influence on household food sufficiency among smallholder farmers in Tharaka-Nithi County, Kenya. The study targeted a population of 98,050 farming households, from which a sample of 398 farming households was selected. A mixed-methods research design was adopted, and data were collected using structured questionnaires, complemented by qualitative information from key informants. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed a generally high positive perception of agricultural investment, with all thirteen investment intensity indicators recording mean scores above the neutral midpoint of 3.0, ranging from 3.93 to 4.19. Poor agricultural investment and high input costs recorded the highest mean scores (4.19 each), followed by income as a driver of investment (4.18), indicating that financial capacity and input affordability strongly influence investment decisions. Diversification of agricultural investments was also perceived to improve household food sufficiency. The study recommends improved access to affordable credit, inputs, extension services, irrigation, markets, and appropriate agricultural technologies to strengthen investment intensity and enhance household food sufficiency among smallholder farmers in Tharaka-Nithi County.