Do farmer groups improve the situation of women in agriculture in rural Kenya?

Abstract

Production by smallholders in rural Kenya is limited by institutional, technical and investment constraints. Female farmers are the majority among smallholders and have significant roles in agriculture; nonetheless, they face constraints in accessing resources. Recent primary data of 347 farmers (proportional random sampling) was used to examine: (a) factors affecting women’s participation in agriculture; (b) factors influencing female farmers’ decision to join a farmer group; and (c) the effect of women’s membership in a farmer group on crop yield. We applied Probit and linear regression with endogenous treatment maximum likelihood methods. Results reveal that women’s participation is positively influenced by membership in a farmer group and land ownership. Women’s decision to join a farmer group is positively affected by access to credit, and negatively by limited decision-making power and lack of access to land. Crop yield is positively affected by membership years in a farmer group and ownership of mobile phones, negatively by lack of credit. Farmer groups are a particularly effective platform to improve crop yields and other constraints confronting female farmers. Surprisingly, this platform is under-utilised. Policymakers should invest in human, financial and physical capital of farmer groups as a pathway to rural development, improved rural livelihoods and reduced poverty.