Market Participation of Smallholder Pigeon Pea Farmers in Makueni County, Kenya

J.w Karanja ,Job Lagat ,B K Mutai

doi:10.7176/jesd/10-16-12

Abstract

This study sought to assess the factors that influence market participation of the smallholder pigeon pea farmers in Makueni County, Kenya. A stratified sampling procedure was used to obtain information from 198 respondents and the information was captured through the use of a structured questionnaire. Results show that 70% of the farmers in the study participated in the market as sellers. A Tobit Model was used to analyse the socio economic and institutional factors affecting participation. The results revealed that gender of household head, household size, off-farm income, price, membership to a farmer’s organization and access to market information influenced market participation. This study recommends first, the intensified use of improved pigeon pea cultivar to increase the marketable surplus. Secondly, strengthening and transformation of the existing farmer organisations into marketing groups so as to enhance market linkages to more lucrative markets and reduce transaction costs. Thirdly, investment in telecommunication platforms so as to ensure timely market information such as price, quantities and varieties required are disseminated to the farmers e.g. through mobile phones. Keywords: market participation, smallholder farmers, pigeon pea DOI : 10.7176/JESD/10-16-12 Publication date : August 31 st 2019

Highlights

Agriculture plays a major role in most developing and transition economies
For the agricultural sector to make a significant contribution to economic growth and improve rural livelihoods, the sector needs to be commercialized to enable smallholder farmers to participate in markets (Jagwe et al, 2010)
The socio-economic characteristics of the households were divided into two categories: first, household characteristics that included the gender of the household head, age, household size, land size, family members, off- farm income, total income from farming, quantity of pigeon pea produced during the previous season and the amount of pigeon pea consumed from the harvest

Summary

Introduction

Agriculture plays a major role in most developing and transition economies. In Kenya, the agricultural sector is the second largest contributor to the country’s GDP at 24% (KNBS, 2012) and with a multiplier effect of 1.64 to the non-agricultural sector. Agriculture supports the livelihoods of more than 60% of the rural population (Omiti et al, 2009) This sector has been envisaged as one of the six key sectors expected to spur and maintain an economic growth of 10% under Vision 2030 (GoK, 2007). It plays a vital role in the achievement of the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG 1) that strives to eradicate poverty and hunger. Smallholder farmers in Kenya account for over 75% of the total agricultural output and about 50% of the marketable produce (GoK, 2007) These farmers are typified by low equilibrium poverty trap (Barret, 2009). Agricultural transformation is a necessary condition in their transition out of poverty

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