Archives of Current Research International

The study assessed manure management practices, associated costs, and their contribution to climate change mitigation among 210 smallholder dairy farmers in Githunguri Sub-County, Kiambu County. Most respondents (42.4%) had 11–20 years of dairy farming experience, while 41.9% earned between KES 300,001 and 600,000 annually, indicating considerable farming experience and moderate investment capacity. Direct field application of manure was the most common management practice (33.8%), followed by composting (28.1%), covered storage (16.2%), pit storage (12.4%), and biogas production (9.5%). Overall, 65.7% of farmers had adopted at least one improved manure management practice, with more than 70% practising manure management either always or often. Respondents expressed positive perceptions of manure management (M = 4.22, SD = 0.73), particularly regarding improvements in soil fertility, crop productivity, manure quality, and resilience to climate variability, although labour requirements and inadequate technical knowledge remained key challenges. Most farmers invested between KES 5,001 and 10,000 in manure management facilities, while annual maintenance and transport costs were generally low, making improved manure management economically feasible despite the high initial investment costs of advanced technologies such as biogas systems. Composting was practised by 60.5% of respondents, whereas only 18.6% had adopted biogas technology. Farmers also perceived improved manure management as contributing substantially to climate change mitigation (M = 4.35, SD = 0.66). Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong positive relationship between manure management practices and climate change mitigation indicators (r = 0.694, p < 0.001), while ANOVA confirmed significant differences in mitigation outcomes across adoption levels (F(2, 207) = 21.864, p < 0.001). The findings demonstrate that improved manure management enhances soil fertility, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthens climate resilience, underscoring the need for increased extension services, farmer training, and financial support to promote wider adoption of climate-smart manure management technologies.