Universal Journal of Agricultural Research 6(5): 165-172, 2018 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2018.060504 Status of Greenhouse Farming in the Coastal Humid Climatic Region of Kenya Sanzua L. J * , Saha H. M, Mwafaida J Pwani University, P.O. Box 195-80108, Kilifi, Kenya Copyright©2018 by authors, all rights reserved. Authors agree that this article remains permanently open access under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 International License Abstract The performance of greenhouses in the humid coastal region of Kenya has consistently been poor despite the huge market potential that exist for fresh farm produce. A study was conducted to establish the extent of greenhouse technology uptake and distribution pattern in the region with a view to establish production status and challenges faced by greenhouse farmers. A survey was conducted in Kwale, Kilifi and Mombasa counties between July and August 2015. Data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires, random interviews and observation using purposive sampling method. The study established that 69% and 100% of the greenhouses surveyed in Kwale and Mombasa Counties respectively were owned by institutions and farmer groups. In Kilifi County however, more individuals own greenhouses with over 60% of the greenhouses owned by two farmers who produce for export. There was marked variation on the spatial distribution of greenhouses in the three counties with the relative area under greenhouse in the region averaging 0.0003%. Most of the installed greenhouses in the region had been abandoned. The rate of failure was highest in Kwale County where only 30% of those surveyed were operational. In Kilifi and Mombasa Counties however, 70% of the existing greenhouses were operational. Greenhouse farming in the coastal humid region faced several challenges including low productivity averaging 10% of the potential; political interference, lack of technical know-how, lack of adequate water sources and in certain instances low water quality usage for production. These challenges largely contributed to the poor adoption of the greenhouse technology in the region under study. With increased technical support, greenhouses can be a more viable economic booster especially in the urban and non-traditional agricultural areas. Keywords Greenhouse Technology, Relative Humidity, Ventilation, Agricultural Productivity 1. Introduction Greenhouse farming is a technology that is widely used in Europe to promote efforts to achieve food security. It has spread to other continents such as the Americas, Asia and India including Africa though in a much smaller scale. In Kenya, greenhouses have been used commercially to produce cut-flowers for export. The scenario is slowly changing with small scale farmers adopting it to grow high value food crops such as tomatoes, strawberries and melons among other crops. Despite this positive trend, greenhouse farming is not vibrant in the hot humid tropical climate region of Kenya. Excess temperature, solar radiation, and high vapor pressure deficit are major greenhouse concerns. These extreme conditions increase plant stress and decrease crop productivity and fruit quality [1]. Humidity affects growth, pollination and flower setting [2]. Other Studies have shown that, for greenhouse crops, high levels of humidity can lead to yield losses (Jolliet et al. [3]. Humidity affects growth of greenhouse crops mainly through its impact on leaf size and light interception [4]. According to [5], relative humidity in the greenhouse can be regulated by fog system [6]. Under cool temperatures and low daylight, humidity levels rise within the greenhouse and fungal infections can occur. It is preferred that the greenhouse is kept well ventilated and dry during such conditions. Lack of access to technical knowhow in greenhouse management has contributed to a large extent in the reduced rate of uptake of greenhouse technology by small scale farmers [7]. An evaluation study carried out in western Kenya revealed that poor management of greenhouse environment resulted to tomato crops performing at 20% of the optimal. Continued lack of access to technical services on the technology led to 60% of farmers in Kisumu County to abandon the technology [7]. This present study sought to establish the status of greenhouse farming in the hot coastal humid region of Kenya with specific interest to establish the level of technology adoption, performance of installed greenhouses and challenges faced by greenhouse farmers in the region. CITE THIS PAPER [1] Sanzua L. J , Saha H. M , Mwafaida J , "Status of Greenhouse Farming in the Coastal Humid Climatic Region of Kenya," Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, Vol. 6, No. 5, pp. 165 - 172, 2018. DOI: 10.13189/ujar.2018.060504.