Factors determining choice of market facilitators by smallholder horticultural farmers in Laikipia County, Kenya

Abstract

In rural areas particularly arid and semi-arid lands (ASALs), smallholder farmers produce mainly under subsistence system due to poor access of market. Farmers in ASALs particularly in Laikipia County depend on horticultural crop production for their livelihood and as a major source of income and rural employment. The purpose of the study was to determine factors influencing choice of market facilitators and their impact on smallholder horticultural farmers’ livelihood. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires to contact 396 respondents through employment of multi-stage sampling procedure. Descriptive statistics and propensity score matching model were used to analyze the data. From the study it was shown that most farmers used traders while marketing their produce, radio and television to access market information. Gender and distance to output market had a positive significant influence on choice of market facilitators by smallholder farmers. In addition, it was shown that household size, age of household head and marketing through a group positively influenced choice of market facilitators. On the other hand, number of members in the group, access to market information, purpose of farming and amount of output produced negatively influenced choice of market facilitators by smallholder farmers. The findings also indicated that, farmers who involved market facilitators had slightly higher income, than those who marketed their produce independently. The study recommends that to effectively link smallholder farmers to market: governmental organization ought to play a bigger role in disseminating extension services and market information on output price and market availability also infrastructure should be improved especially roads networks in rural areas. In addition, policy makers and government institutions should formulate laws that will enable successful linkage of farmers to the market, through frequent extension services and farmer training services.