Abstract
This study analyzed the role of Global-GAP policy, on smallholder French beans farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies in, fruit and vegetables farming. It considered: (1) the prevailing adaptation strategies used by the farmers; (2) regional differences in the farmers’ adaptation strategies; and (3) how Global-GAP policy influence the farmers’ decisions on the use of adaptation strategies. A total of 616 French beans growing households were randomly selected from Central and Eastern regions of Kenya and data collected through semi-structured questionnaire. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. PCA results showed that, the French beans farmers’ prevailing adaptation strategies were soil conservation, water harvesting, off-farm employment, leasing out of land, changing crop variety, irrigation and livestock rearing. The common study area-wide adaptation strategies to climate change were found to be, soil conservation and leasing out land. The empirical results of the logistical model showed that, Global-GAP policy compliance significantly and positively increased the probability of the farmers to undertake changing crop variety, water harvesting, finding off-farm jobs and soil conservation as adaptation strategies to climate change. The policy implication of this study is that, government and service providers should mainstream such factors as Global-GAP compliance and regional considerations which enhance the probability of adopting adaptation strategies to climate change related projects and programmes in the smallholder fruits and vegetables farming sector. Key words: Global-GAP policy, climate change adaptation, prevailing adaptation strategies, principal component analysis, logistical regression model, smallholder farming.
Highlights
IntroductionWith the increasing climate change risks facing smallholder fresh fruit and vegetables farming in Sub Saharan
The policy implication of this study is that, government and service providers should mainstream such factors as Global-GAP compliance and regional considerations which enhance the probability of adopting adaptation strategies to climate change related projects and programmes in the smallholder fruits and vegetables farming sector
The study results showed that 70% of smallholder French beans farmers interviewed used at least one type of adaptation strategies in response to long term changes in rainfall and temperature
Summary
With the increasing climate change risks facing smallholder fresh fruit and vegetables farming in Sub Saharan. Africa (SSA), the need for farmers supplying markets in the developed countries to adopt suitable adaptation. Strategies is becoming more pronounced (FAO, 2013; IPCC, 2001). Climate change is progressively having negative effect on crop yields in SSA (Niang et al, 2014; Kabubo-Mariara and Karanja, 2007). This, coupled with growing environmental consciousness among consumers in European Union (EU) forming the main market for fresh fruit and vegetables, is already presenting real and potential livelihood consequences to smallholder farmers (Macgregor, 2010; Wangler, 2006)
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