An Evaluation Of The Factors Influencing Vegetable Commercialization In Kenya

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to establish factors that influence vegetable commercialization among smallholder farmers of fresh vegetables in Kenya. The present study defined commercialization against farmer characteristics including portion of land committed to vegetable farming, share of household income generated from it, and the producers' perception that the vegetables they consumed at the farm were produced or procured without any substantial cost. Methodology: The researcher adopted a cross-sectional survey design to randomly recruit a sample of crop farmers (n=118) from Kirinyaga and Kiambu counties in Kenya. Data on agrochemical use, crop diversity and scale as well as logistical issues regarding proximity to markets and social status of the crop farmers were collected using a researcher-administered questionnaire in a one-on-one interview. These data were initially entered on MS Excel spread sheets for cleaning and later transferred to Minitab (Ver 12) for statistical analyses. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to isolate crucial commercialization factors responsible for varying agrochemical use behaviours among crop farmers and later presented in scree plots. Results/Findings: The study revealed that commercialization of tomatoes and kale was real in different areas of study which was influenced by structural and socio-demographic factors. From the study findings, structural policies to promote horticulture and high value crop production had a positive impact on production of vegetables while wildlife conservation and livestock development resulted to human-wildlife conflicts due to agrochemical abuse. Various socio-demographic factors that influence commercialization of vegetables included: household size, farm size, proportion of land used for vegetable production and household income. It emerged that household size (Eigen value EV=3.63), income (EV=2.61) and farm size (EV=1.27) accounted for 68.4% of variability in agrochemical abuse. This finding also explains their marginalization from county government extension services and high costs of market access. Unique contribution to theories, practice and policy: The study finds that vegetable farmers' perception of commercialization leaned more towards increasing production in response to consumer demand and not necessarily to raise household food supplies. Famers dedicated over two thirds (66.67%) of their land to vegetable farming to support their livelihood (97.1%, SE= 1.30). Commercialization of vegetable farming was influenced by the level of education (SE=3.68). The study found out that that access to ICT equipment, particularly mobile phones, were the prime means via which farming techniques and agribusiness practices were learnt or improved (V= 0.196 Pearson, p=0.11).