Marketing of African Leafy Vegetables in Nairobi. Implications for On-farm Conservation of Biodiversity

Abstract

The production and marketing of African leafy vegetables (ALVs) has increasingly become important in Nairobi and its environs mainly due to the realization of their nutritional and medicinal values. However, factors that affect successful marketing of ALVs are rarely known. Further, scanty or virtually no analysis has been conducted to assess how the ALV market development affects on-farm conservation of biodiversity. Against this background, this paper addresses the following questions: 1) What drives the development of ALV markets in Nairobi? 2) What effects has the development of ALV markets had on on-farm biodiversity in the productions areas? The study uses empirical data derived using qualitative and quantitative methods. A regression analysis was conducted to estimate determinants of biodiversity levels. The results indicate key factors driving and/or inhibiting development of markets for ALVs in Nairobi and its environment. The paper concludes by making recommendations on how markets for underutilized species can be developed without jeopardizing on-farm conservation of biodiversity in the production areas.