Factors Influencing Diversification and Intensification of Horticultural Production by Smallholder Tea Farmers in Gatanga District, Kenya

Abstract

The contribution of traditional cash crops in the Kenyan economy is slowly being surpassed by horticulture saves for tea which continues to lead in terms of contribution to GDP and foreign exchange earnings. Smallholder tea farmers, who produce 62% of tea in Kenya, have however, also shown an increasing interest in production of horticultural crops for income and livelihoods. This shift is only possible if the tea income is insufficient to meet their needs or if there is a strong incentive to engage in horticultural production. It’s however not well documented on what actually influence the smallholder tea farmers’ resolution to diversify into horticulture. This study aimed at identifying these drivers as well as the determinants of intensity of diversification into horticulture. Using a Heckman two-step model to analyze a sample of 161 smallholder farmers collected using a multistage sampling technique, group membership, value of agricultural assets, amount of hired labour, occupation of the household head, contractual arrangements, farm size and distance to the output market were the major determinants of the farmers decision to diversify into horticulture. The intensity of diversification was influenced by gender of the household head, number of children pursuing post primary education, area under tea, occupation of household head, size of the farm, soil conservation activities and experience of the farmer in cash crop farming. The study specifically identified a need for a comprehensive land policy to address the plight of smallholder tea farmers in the study area.