Determinants of choice of compliance arrangements with globalgap standards among french and snow peas farmers in central and eastern Kenya

Abstract

Compliance with GlobalGAP standards is considered as the only option through which smallholder farmers can access competitive export produce market. However, very little is known about the determinants of farmers' choice of any of specific compliance arrangements. The aim of this study was to determine and discuss the factors that influence farmers' decisions when selecting specific compliance arrangements in Central and Eastern Kenya. One thousand and four hundred smallholder fresh producers were randomly sampled and interviewed. Using multinomial regression analysis, the study found income and distance to market as important determinants of compliance arrangements chosen by farmers, though their direction and significance of influence differed in specific study areas and the compliance arrangement under consideration. The paper derives important policy implications for enhancing compliance of GlobalGAP standards and thus increased access to export market for fresh produce which could ultimately improve livelihoods of farmers in the study areas.