Innovation Diffusion among the Gusii of Kenya

Agriculture is the most important sector of the Kenyan economy. Lack of large scale mineral deposits has forced the government to focus attention on agricultural expansion while at the same time attempting to accommodate the ever-growing urban population. The basic premise of the 1970-74 Kenya Development Plan is that . . rural development should not be seen as a special programme but as the underlying strategy of the whole plan [7]. Reasons for the emphasis on rural development are three. First, there is the desire to attain a more uniform and equitable distribution of the national income between individuals and areas within the country. Second, by creating better living conditions, higher incomes, and more employment opportunities in the rural areas, it is hoped that the massive movement to the cities can be slowed. Third, the nonagricultural sectors clearly will be unable to generate sufficient employment opportunities to keep up with the rapidly expanding population, therefore, efforts are now directed toward the rural areas to achieve that end.