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The purpose of this paper is to determine the level of flexibility in loan products offered to smallholder farmers in Siaya County in Kenya and to examine the effect of flexibility on access to credit.

The paper uses primary survey data from a sample of smallholder farmers in Siaya County in Kenya who had borrowed from various lending institutions within the study area. The paper develops an index variable of loan flexibility using multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) technique. The model is estimated using both OLS and truncated regression analyses. Access to credit is measured as the amount of loan borrowed by each farmer.

The authors find that the level of flexibility of loans offered to farmers is low. Furthermore, the authors find that the level of flexibility is not significantly correlated to access to credit. Further analysis using individual components of flexible loans show that refinancing and lines of credit are more likely to improve access to credit when farmers are more educated and wealthier, respectively. The age of a farmer, the type of lender, the type of loan, education and household wealth are the main determinants of access to credit.

The paper adds to the debate on access to credit by showing that theoretically, while loan flexibility should lead to higher credit access, this is not a key determinant of access to credit in this context.

Tropical wetland ecosystems are threatened by climate change but also play a key role in its mitigation and adaptation through management of land use and other drivers. Local-level assessments are needed to support evidence-based wetland management in the face of climate change. This study aims to examine the local communities’ knowledge and perception of climate change in Yala wetland, Kenya, and compare them with observed data on climate trends. Such comparisons are useful to inform context-specific climate change adaptation actions.

The study used a mixed methods approach that combined analysis of climate data with perceptions from the local community. Gridded data on temperature and rainfall for the period from 1981 to 2018 were compared with data on climate change perceptions from semi-structured questionnaires with 286 key informants and community members.

Majority of the respondents had observed changes in climate parameters – severe drought (88.5%), increased frequency of floods (86.0%) and irregular onset and termination of rains (90.9%) in the past 20 years. The perceptions corresponded with climate trends that showed a significant increasing trend in the short rains and the average maximum temperature, high incidence of very wet years and variability in onset and termination of rainfall between 1981 and 2018. Gender, age and education had little influence on knowledge and awareness of climate change, except for frequency of floods and self-reported understanding of climate change. The community perceived the wetland to be important for climate change adaptation, particularly the provision of resources such as grazing grounds during drought.

The study faced challenges of low sample size, use of gridded climate data and reproducibility in other contexts. The results of this study apply to local communities in a tropical wetland in Western Kenya, which has a bi-modal pattern of rainfall. The sample of the study was regional and may therefore not be representative of the whole of Kenya, which has diverse socioeconomic and ecological contexts. Potential problems have been identified with the use of gridded data (for example, regional biases in models), although their usefulness in data scarce contexts is well established. Moreover, the sample size has been found to be a less important factor in research of highly complex socio-ecological systems where there is an attempt to bridge natural and social sciences.

This study addresses the paucity of studies on climate change trends in papyrus wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa and the role of local knowledge and perceptions in influencing the management of such wetlands. Perceptions largely influence local stakeholders’ decisions, and a study that compares perceptions vs “reality” provides evidence for engagement with the stakeholders in managing these highly vulnerable ecosystems. The study showed that the local community’s perceptions corresponded with the climate record and that adaptation measures are already ongoing in the area.

This study presents a case for the understanding of community perceptions and knowledge of climate change in a tropical wetland under threat from climate change and land use change, to inform management under a changing climate.

Green building (GB) is an important aspect of sustainable development that advocates for practices that enhance the health and well-being of the occupants and communities with minimal impact on the environment. The adoption of the GB concept is low in most developing countries. This study aimed at assessing the extent of the adoption of GB concepts in Kakamega municipality as a case study. The study sampled 64 respondents which consisted of 15 professionals in the building industry and 49 commercial and residential buildings within the municipality. The results indicated that at least 80% of the professionals were aware of GB concepts of water efficiency, energy efficiency, sustainable materials, sustainable site practices, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ). Water efficiency practices that were widely adopted in commercial and residential buildings were rainwater harvesting and the use of efficient plumbing fixtures. The energy-saving measures adopted were switching off appliances when not in use, use of energy-saving bulbs, and solar energy. The majority of the respondents felt that the indoor air quality was fair. Resource reuse was not widely adopted which could be attributed to a lack of policy or legislation. Low impact development (LID) design of vegetated storm conveyance and rain gardens (bioretention and porous/permeable pavements) was adopted in 42.9% of the buildings. Research into the use of sustainable materials is recommended for wider application as a GB concept. The study recommends the promotion of GB through incentives to enable wider adoption among the owners and developers. Furthermore, GB legislation and certification programs need to be adopted in Kenya. This study was largely based on Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) criteria and thus further studies are required on other assessment tools and methods.

The paper aims to contribute to theory and practice by investigating into the role of environmental identity in explaining ecotourism attitudes and behaviours by first, testing its direct effects on ecotourism attitude and ecotourism interest, and second, testing its direct and mediated effects on ecotourism intention and willingness to pay a premium.

The study relies on primary data collected from tourists visiting the island of Mauritius. Data collection took place at several popular tourist sites located in different parts of the island. The questionnaire was self-administered and was immediately collected after completion. A total of 512 usable questionnaires were collected. A two-stage approach to structural equation modelling was used for data analysis.

The results demonstrate empirically that stronger environmental identity leads directly to more positive ecotourism attitude, greater interest towards ecotourism and a higher willingness to pay a premium. While evidence was not found between the direct link between environmental identity and ecotourism behavioural intentions, the confirmation of full mediating effects shows that stronger environmental identity also leads to an increase in tourists’ intention to engage in ecotourism activities by first influencing their attitude which then results in more favourable behaviours towards ecotourism.

While the contributions of the tourists’ attitude and interest in predicting their behaviours towards ecotourism have been well established by past research, the importance of environmental identity has remained uncertain as to date, given the lack of empirical studies. This present research provides evidence that environmental identity has a major role to play in explaining the behaviours of tourists towards ecotourism products and services.

The sustainability of decentralized seed producers established to enhance farmers’ access to seed of newly introduced biofortified crops is a major challenge. Understanding what motivates the multipliers of clonally propagated crops to engage in seed multiplication is critical for enhancing access to improved seed varieties. The purpose of this paper is to examine the structure and content of mental models associated with the decision to engage in biofortified sweetpotato vine multiplication as a business.

The study focused on decentralized vine multipliers from Kenya and Ethiopia. These were stratified by orientation toward nutrition or commercial value addition. A total of 45 multipliers were interviewed. Means-end chain (MEC) analysis combined with laddering technique was used to generate mental constructs multipliers relate with the decision to engage in biofortified sweetpotato vine multiplication.

The structure and content of mental models of biofortified sweetpotato vine multipliers supporting nutrition-focused interventions and those supporting commercial value-addition sweetpotato interventions are different. Nutrition-focused multipliers are driven by the benefits of good health, while commercial value-addition interventions are driven by the benefit of making “more money.” The content and structure of mental models are also country/region specific.

This study has demonstrated that decision to engage in community seed production business is driven not only by the desire to make profits but, equally importantly, by personal and societal (social) factors. It has also discussed the limitations of current analysis and future research areas.

This study is the first to apply MES analysis to assess how decision to invest in seed multiplication business is affected farmers’ personal values and other psychosocial factors.

The purpose of this study is to assess the users' needs and expectations on information services provided in libraries, in four public universities from the western region of Kenya. The study explores the extent to which the libraries address users' needs and expectations examining the challenges being encountered, remedies and best practices put in place to mitigate the challenges. The level of users satisfaction towards the information services provided is also examined.

Structured questionnaires were distributed among undergraduates (384) and lecturers (86), where 342 were successfully filled and returned, giving a response rate of 73%. The study interviewed ten library staff revealing their views in addressing users' needs and expectations in respective libraries. Collected data were analysed descriptively using statistical methods and presented in figures and tables. Qualitative data were analysed in narrative form.

Majority of users had a positive perception towards the library, while others indicated that their needs were yet to be meet. The study noted the poor state of affair with inadequacies in information materials infrastructure, dwindling budget, facilities and unskilled personnel. The study recommended the need for additional library budget to facilitate acquisition of additional and up-to-date information resources and facilities.

The concept of user needs and expectations has been widely discussed in developed countries. Identifying and understanding users’ requirements in the context of public libraries in developing countries would start up constructive trends towards building useable collections.

The purpose of this paper is to offer a new gender- and class-sensitive framework for research on rural women entrepreneurship by focusing on the women’s agricultural cooperatives in Turkey. Although these cooperatives have been promoted as ideal bottom-to-top organizations to integrate women into economy as entrepreneurs, there has been significant decline in their numbers. This paper tackles with this contradictory situation and intends to offer an alternative research framework on the viability of the women’s agricultural cooperatives in Turkey.

The paper is built on a critical assessment of the existing literature. It argues that a framework that brings together macro-, meso- and micro-factors will provide a springboard to unfold the gendered processes integral to rural female entrepreneurship in Turkey. Drawing on intersectional theory, the multilayered factors which operate to rural women’s (dis)advantages through the cooperatives are unfolded as policymaking, policy implementation and everyday experiences.

For policymakers and implementers, it points out the need for a holistic and integrated understanding of rural female entrepreneurship and for re-formulation of policies at the state level. For rural women, it draws attention to the measures required to be taken at the cooperative level to overcome inequalities.

This paper is original in making explicit social, political and economic embeddedness of female entrepreneurship in rural Turkey.

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of projects is a very important aspect of project execution and management. This is because proper M&E practices have a significant effect on the successful delivery of projects. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of project M&E practices on construction project success criteria.

Structured questionnaires were used to solicit the views of project professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry. The questions were developed through critical review of literature and complemented with a pilot interview on the subject. This paper utilized a partial least square–structural equation modeling (PLS–SEM) to establish the impact of project M&E practices (constructs) on project success based on the hypothesis.

Results showed that M&E practices had a positive statistical significant relationship with construction project success criteria. In addition, health and safety performance and project scope showed a strong significant relation with M&E practice, implying that, in developing countries, these two main constructs should be given critical attention in achieving project success.

The findings of this study may be useful to organizations in determining M&E techniques that are relevant and contribute highly to project success. This may go a long way to increase productivity and accelerate the rate of successful project delivery.

The application of rigorous analysis, PLS–SEM, gives a more reliable information on M&E practices that can ensure successful delivery of construction projects.