Value chain analysis of smallholder snap bean production in Kirinyaga county, Kenya

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the competitiveness of small farmers of snap beans and how the value-added benefits are shared by various participants of the value chain in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Farmers had the lowest share of value added among the chain participants. However, the study finds that the small farmers were still competitive and that the entire chain was profitable in all the four channels that were analyzed. Shorter chains where brokers were excluded provided farmers higher benefits than longer chains. The mean value added for the chain actors were significantly different in all the four channels. Multiple comparisons test showed that all means, except between farmers and brokers, were different. Policy interventions that seek to reduce the number of market intermediaries should be explored if commodity market chains have to be more beneficial to small farmers.