Factors influencing smallholder farmers' access to markets: The case of International child Support - Africa's agribusiness project in Navakholo Division, Kenya

Abstract

The Strategy to Revitalize Agriculture, Kenya Vision 2030, Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Program and Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa have underscored the importance of increasing agricultural productivity in the fight against poverty. The Kenya government identifies smallholder agriculture as the major sub-sector for realizing accelerated annual economic growth rate to attain the country's Vision 2030. Commercializing smallholder agriculture is critical to achieve this growth. Smallholder farmers' access to markets and agricultural support services has been a major concern for Kenyan policy makers since independence. This study undertook to assess the factors that influence smallholder famers' access to markets in Navakholo division. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that influence smallholder farmers' access to markets in Navakholo division. Objectives of the study included; to establish the extent to which technical inputs affects smallholder farmers access to markets, to examine how physical infrastructure affects smallholder farmers on access to markets, to assess the extent to which technical institutions affects smallholder farmers' access to markets and to establish the extent to which technical information affects smallholder farmers' access to markets in Navakholo division. The study was guided by the induced innovation theory and a conceptual framework showing the relationship between independent variables and the dependent variable. The study used descriptive survey design. The study used a sample size of 196 farmers drawn from target population of 416 farmers. A mixture of probability and non-probability sampling methods were employed to arrive at the respondents for interviews. Quantitative data was collected through use of questionnaire while qualitative data was collected through interview guides administered to key informants. The researcher and 12 research assistants personally administered the questionnaires to the respondents. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences and Microsoft S Excel while data presentation was done through use of tables, frequencies, percentages, modes and mean. The study found that very few smallholder farmers in the division uses technical inputs in their farms due to high input costs. Majority of smallholder farmers 137(71%), do not apply fertilizer consistently while 169(86%) of farmers do not use certified seeds. This results into low yield and limits farmers' access to markets. Majority of farmers 194(99%) sell their produce at the farm gate immediately after harvesting because of poor physical infrastructures especially access roads which results into increased cost of transporting farm inputs and farm produce to the market. The study also found that most of the respondents 168(86%) would join farmer groups for social benefits rather than economic gains. The study further revealed that 127(65%) of farmers have never had contact with reliable source of technical information. The study concluded that the existence of huge market presented by Kakamega town did not stimulate agribusiness market among smallholder farmers in the Division. The study recommends that development agencies and policy makers should strengthen farmer groups as vessels for social and economic development and provide adequate and reliable market information to the farmers. The study suggests that further research should be undertaken on the influence of Kakamega town on smallholder agribusiness practices in Navakholo division.