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Now showing 1 - 5 of 15

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Determinants Of Credit Access Among Smallholder Tea Farmers In Kericho County, Kenya
(UoK, 2026-09) Kipkoech Rotich
Tea is Kenya’s leading foreign exchange earner, contributing approximately 23% of total export earnings in 2023. The tea industry has potential for further economic development as global tea consumption continues to grow. In Kericho County, smallholder tea farmers face persistent challenges in accessing financial services despite the presence of several credit service providers. There was inadequate empirical evidence on the determinants of credit access among these farmers. This study analyzed the determinants of credit access among smallholder tea farmers in Kericho County, Kenya, and examined the effect of credit access on farmer performance. A total of 150 respondents were sampled from 109,401 growers across 11 tea factories using multistage sampling and structured questionnaires. The study was guided by Rational Choice Theory and adopted an explanatory research design. Binary logistic regression tested the determinants of credit access, while multinomial logistic regression analyzed the relationship between credit access and farmer performance. Farm characteristics, particularly land size (p=0.003<0.05, b=1.058) and number of tea bushes (p=0.000<0.05, b=0.001), significantly influenced credit access. Among farmer characteristics, gender (p=0.003<0.05, b=2.411) was significant, with female farmers having greater access to loans. Farming experience (p=0.014<0.05, b=-0.254) was also significant; experienced farmers were less likely to seek loans, possibly due to reliance on self- financing. Age (p=0.063>0.05), education level, savings culture, and farming income were not statistically significant predictors of credit access. Farm activities including crop types and collateral use were similarly non-significant. Access to credit positively influenced productivity, tea quality, and earnings. The study is significant in that it provides empirical evidence to inform policymakers, financial institutions, and KTDA in designing targeted credit solutions for smallholder tea farmers, a population critical to Kenya’s export economy yet under-served by formal credit systems. The study concludes that land size, number of tea bushes, and gender are the key determinants of credit access, and recommends enhancement of financial literacy programmes and targeted credit products for male farmers and those with limited landholdings to promote equitable growth in the tea sector.
Simultaneous polarization-based fiber sensor and 10 Gbps data transmission over 75 km SMF for mining safety application
(Optics Communications, 2026) W.K. Nyarangi; E.K. Rotich Kipnoo; F.W. Wekesa; J. Jena; D.W. Waswa
In this paper, we present a novel approach to enhancing safety and communication in mining environments by integrating a fiber optic sensor with high-speed data transmission capabilities. For the first time to our knowledge, we propose a fiber sensor design that also serves as communication hub to enhance safety in a mining environment. This design employed different light sources; WDM, MZM and DFB. Each of the light sources was modulated using a 10 Gbps Pseudorandom Binary Sequence (PRBS 29 -1) signal onto a fiber for data transmission. Among them, the MZM source demonstrated superior performance, enabling transmission over 75 km of single-mode fiber (SMF) while maintaining signal integrity. WDM and DFB attained a maximum of 50 km. Concurrently, the system monitored both the signal’s power and state of polarization (SOP). Mechanical disturbances were applied to the fiber by incrementally loading 2 kg masses at 10-s intervals, up to a total of 18 kg, to simulate real-world environmental stresses. This incremental mechanical loading of up to 18 kg caused a measurable power loss of 0.43 dB and an average SOP rotation of 613◦ over 120 s, corresponding to a strain sensitivity of 0.024 dB/kg and SOP speed of 5.108◦/s. The system demonstrated high sensitivity to changes in the polarization state and power, allowing for real-time detection of mechanical faults or anomalies. This dual-purpose system not only ensure reliable communication but also provides real-time safety monitoring, showing significant potential for improving both operational efficiency and safety in mining applications. Additionally, the architecture supports bi-directional communication using distinct upstream (1310 nm) and downstream (1550 nm) optical windows, enabling twoway interaction between underground personnel and external monitoring systems.
Matrices of the Zero Divisor Graphs of Classes of 3-Radical Zero Completely Primary Finite Rings
(SCIENCE MUNDI, 2024) Frank Omondi Ndago; Maurice Owino Oduor; Michael Onyango Ojiema
The study of finite completely primary rings through the zero divisor graphs, the unit groups and their associated matrices, and the automorphism groups have attracted much attention in the recent past. For the Galois ring R ′ and the 2-radical zero finite rings, the mentioned algebraic structures are well understood. Studies on the 3-radical zero finite rings have also been done for the unit groups and the zero divisor graphs Γ(R). However, the characterization of the matrices associated with these graphs has not been exhausted. It is well known that proper understanding of the classification of zero divisor graphs with diameter 2 and girth 3 can provide insights into the structure of commutative rings and their zero divisors. In this study, we consider a class of 3-radical zero completely primary finite rings whose diameter and girth are 2 and 3 respectively. We enhance the understanding of the structure of such rings by investigating their Adjacency, Laplacian and Distance matrices.
The Wiener Index and Related Indices of the Zero Divisor Graphs of Certain Classes of Completely Primary Finite Rings
(Asian J. Math. Appl. (2025) 2025:11, 2025) Frank Omondi Ndago; Maurice Oduor Owino
Studies on zero divisor graphs of completely primary nite rings R have been extensively done from Galois rings to other rings whose sets of zero divisors Z(R) coincides with the Jacobson radical J (R). The studies have focused on graph geometric properties such as the girth, clique number, chromatic number and diameter among others. Some ndings are also evident on matrices of zero divisor graphs on certain classes of rings. The classes of completely primary nite rings considered in the various studies are square radical zero, cube radical zero and power four radical zero. In this paper we have advanced the study on zero divisor graph Γ(R) of completely primary nite rings by investigating the Wiener Index and its invariants such as the Average disorder number and Distance index. Further, we analyse the binding number and some bounds on the Zagreb indices of the rings satisfying the conditions (Z(R))3 = (0) and (Z(R))2 ≠ (0), (Z(R))4 = (0) and (Z(R))3 ≠ (0).
Zero divisor graphs of classes of five radical zero commutative completely primary finite rings
(Int. J. Nonlinear Anal. Appl. In Press, 1–10, 2024-05) Hezron Saka Were; Maurice Owino Oduor
This paper provides a characterization for zero divisor graphs of a completely primary finite ring R satisfying the conditions (Z (R))5 = (0) ; (Z (R))4 ̸= (0) where Z(R) is its subset of all zero divisors (including zero). This has been achieved through Anderson and Livingston’s zero divisor graphs by precisely determining the graph invariants, including diameter, girth and the binding number, and graph characteristics including completeness, connectedness and partiteness.