Assessing Crorelation of Socio-Economic Effects of Solar Powered Boreholes In Kenya, Case of Buuri ; Meru County

Agriculture plays an important role in Kenya’s economic development. About 85 per cent of Kenya’s population is dependent on Agriculture for their livelihood. Agriculture contributes about 35 per cent of our GDP. It provides a sizeable amount of employment and is a major source of foreign exchange. Besides, it serves the growing market for the goods and services produced by other sectors as well as producing the food and primary materials on which successful growth in other sectors largely depend. Increasingly, demand for data and research on agriculture and ways of boosting yields and maximize on the potential for agriculture has been necessary. The study has therefore examined the socio-economic effects of utilizing solar-powered boreholes for irrigation water among crop-farmers in Kenya. A case of Buuri Sub-county, Meru County. More specifically the study has set out to established solar-powered boreholes effects on crop yield, determined how solar-powered boreholes have affected Agricultural income of crop farmers and established how income from crop farming using water from solar-powered boreholes have affected spending habits among crop farmers. Theories that have been used in this study include Oasis Theory and Johnstone and Mellor Theory. The study has adopted a descriptive research design. The target population of the study was 137 crop farmers in Buuri Sub-County, Meru County. Data collection was done through use of questionnaires constructed on a 5-point Likert scale. Questionnaires were tested for validity and reliability.Data was also analyzed using descriptive statistics which includes frequency, percentages, mean and standard deviation and inferential statistics which includes regression and correlation analysis and data presented in tables and figures accompanied by relevant discussions.