The level of Community Engagement in NALEP in Meru South District.

The study assessed the level of community engagement in an agriculture extension programme called National Agriculture and Livestock Extension Programme (NALEP) in Chuka division, Meru South District, Eastern Province Kenya. The study focused on the community¿s knowledge about the programme, their participation in the programme and their evaluation of the programme, including their suggestions for improving the programme. Questionnaires were distributed to twenty respondents in Gitareni location and twenty respondents in Mugwe location. The questionnaire consisted of twenty-two closed-ended questions and two open-ended questions. In addition, three focus groups were held, two in Gitareni and one in Mugwe. The study found that the two communities were engaged in the programme and that only a small proportion of the participants had limited engagement. It also revealed that engagement was across all occupations, ages and gender. The main reason given for participation was to improve their farms. The study also found that organisation structures in the community affected participation. There were no significant differences in the level of engagement of the two communities