Farmers' knowledge, perceptions, and barriers to rodent management in Mount Kenya's agroecosystems, Kenya

Abstract

Data DescriptionOverviewThis dataset contains the raw survey responses used in the manuscript "Farmers' knowledge, perceptions, and barriers to rodent management in Mount Kenya's agroecosystems, Kenya." The data were collected through structured interviews with 432 smallholder farmers across Meru and Tharaka Nithi Counties on the eastern slopes of Mount Kenya.Data Generation and Collection ProceduresQuestionnaire DevelopmentA structured questionnaire was developed based on established KAP survey instruments for rodent management studies (Mdangi et al., 2016). The questionnaire was pre-tested with 20 respondents in one village to identify problematic questions and tailor content for accurate and relevant data collection.Sampling DesignThe study area was stratified into three altitudinal zones:Upper zone: 1,400–1,800 m aslMiddle zone: 1,000–1,400 m aslLower zone: 600–1,000 m aslWithin each stratum, three replicate sampling sites were selected using ArcGIS with a minimum distance constraint of approximately 20 km between points to avoid spatial autocorrelation. The nine sites were: Upper Karandini, Kinoro, Kathera Middle Karingani, Mweru, Gaitu Lower Gikiingo, Ntugi, Mutino Participant SelectionHouseholds were selected using systematic random sampling along access roads (every fourth household). Within each household, one participant aged ≥18 years was selected purposively based on willingness to participate. The final sample comprised 432 respondents (144 per elevation zone).Interview AdministrationInterviews were conducted face-to-face, each lasting approximately 30 minutes. Responses were recorded directly on the structured questionnaire. GPS coordinates of villages were recorded for mapping purposes.File Format and ContentsFile name: MS1_data_2026.xlsxFile size: Approximately 1.5 MBFormat: Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), readable by Excel 2007 and later, LibreOffice Calc, and other spreadsheet software.Sheet: The file contains a single sheet titled "RAW DATA" containing the primary dataset.Data StructureDimensions432 rows – each representing one respondent (farmer)216 columns – representing survey questions, demographic variables, and derived variablesRow MeaningEach row corresponds to one survey respondent/farmer.Column HeadersColumns are organized into sections corresponding to the questionnaire structure: Section Content A Respondent demographics (elevation, sampling site, village, gender, age, education, income source, annual income) B Knowledge questions about rodent biology (Questions 1–31) C Perceptions of damage, crop vulnerability, and rodent impacts D Rodent control methods, effectiveness ratings, and barriers Key Variable CodesDemographics:GENDER: 1 = Male, 2 = FemaleEDUCATION: 1 = No formal, 2 = Primary, 3 = Secondary, 4 = TertiaryINCOME SOURCE: 1 = Farming, 2 = Business, 3 = Employment, 4 = MixedINCOME/YEAR: 1 = <200,000 KES, 2 = 200,000–500,000 KES, 3 = >500,000 KESKnowledge Questions (QUE 10-1 to QUE 10-31): Likert scale responses (typically 1–5) where:1 = Strongly disagree/No5 = Strongly agree/YesControl Method Effectiveness (Section D):1 = Not at all effective5 = Extremely effectiveBarriers (QUES10): Lower scores indicate greater perceived importance (1 = Most important barrier, 5 = Least important)Variable Units and Measurement Variable Type Measurement Unit Elevation Categorical (Lower/Middle/Upper) Age Years (continuous, range 18–92) Knowledge scores Summed score from 31 questions (scale 1–5 each) Income Kenyan Shillings (KES) categories Crop damage amounts Kilograms (estimated lost produce) Effectiveness ratings 5-point Likert scale Barrier rankings 5-point importance scale (1=most important)