Influence of contract farming on marketing of farm produce. A case of small scale french beans farmers in Kutus location, Kirinyaga county

Abstract

This research study was carried out in Kutus Location, Kirinyaga County. The purpose of the study was to investigate the Influence of Contract Farming on Marketing of farm produce a case of small scale french beans farmers in Kutus Location. The objectives of the study were to: Determine the extent to which access to contract farming Information influences marketing of french beans; Examine extent to which training small scale french beans farmers on contract farming influences marketing of french beans; Explore the extent to which service provision to small scale french beans farmers in contract farming influences marketing of french beans and Investigate how small scale french beans farmers knowledge of legal framework in contract farming influences marketing of french beans in Kutus Location, Kirinyaga County. The research design used in this study was descriptive survey. Group administration of the questionnaires to small scale french beans farmers from nine registered farmer groups was used to collect data. The target population for this study was the 252. Proportional stratified simple random sampling was used to select the respondents. The table for sample size determination by Israel (2013) was used to arrive at the sample size of 155 group members as the respondents. The study instrument was validated prior to actual data collection by close consultation between the researcher and fellow students in Master of Arts degree in Projects Planning and Management and colleagues in the horticulture industry. A self help group from Ngoliba in Thika was used for piloting of the research instrument. Pilot testing provided an opportunity to detect any difficulties likely to arise and how to mitigate the difficulties. The collected data was coded, analyzed and the report presented in percentages and frequency tables. The study established that majority of the farmers relied only on buyers of their french beans as their main source of information. It was established that training helped small scale french beans farmers produce safe to use french beans for the market, therefore increasing their market share. Further, the study revealed that majority of the small scale french beans farmers were receiving inputs from the buyers on credits. This helped the small scale french beans farmers to invest and diversify in other business operations in their farms. The study further established that despite majority of the small scale french beans farmers do not know how to use legal frame work, despite being trained in such knowledge. The study recommends that: small scale french beans farmers should pursue alternative sources of Information other than the buyers of their produce; technical support to small scale farmers should be expanded beyond the monitory boundaries. On legal frame work, the government should aim to liberalize the market environment in such a way as to promote healthy competition.