Abstract & Overview
The issue of design and analysis of on-farm trials is not clearly understood by agricultural researcher in Kenya. Since on-farm trials require participation and co-operation of the farmers who often differ in education level, chances of collecting unreliable and quite variable data are high. This paper highlights the importance of collecting quality data from on-farm trials, and in particular from the researcher designed and farmer managed trial type. Some complexities associated with the implementation, application of basic statistical principles, and analysis of on-farm trials are discussed. Questions that need to be considered priori to the implementation of any trial implementation and certain intervention measures, which incorporate farmers' views, are suggested. The importance of making certain technical adjustments to minimize large variation resulting in on-farm trials is also discussed. The dilemma Kenyan researchers face when conducting on-farm trials, where the farmers' level of education differ greatly are highlighted through examples and some scenarios.