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Risk preference and optimal enterprise combinations in Kahuro division of Murang'a district, Kenya

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  • Rose A. Nyikal
  • Willis O. Kosura

Abstract

Financing smallholder farming has been one of the major concerns of Kenya's agricultural development efforts. Many credit programs have evolved over the years but with dismal performance. In a study that sought to find the best way to finance smallholder agriculture, it became necessary to analyze and document, in the first place, the farmers' preferred enterprise patterns. Any financial innovations would hence address the preferred patterns. Of particular interest was the effect of risk preference on such patterns, which had been ignored in many previous farm management studies. Murang'a district was chosen as a typical smallholder district. Sample farmers, obtained through cluster sampling, were visited and structured questionnaires administered to cover farm events and physical resources of short rains 1995 to long rains 1996. This formed a basis for formulating the farm patterns. A quadratic programming model was used to analyze observed farm plans. The model incorporates farmers' risk preferences, revenue fluctuations, and resource and subsistence restrictions. The results showed that: (1) changes in risk preference do affect the optimal crop combinations; (2) the typical cropping pattern is rational as the farmer meets both food and cash under modest variability of income; (3) insisting on producing most subsistence food requirements by the farmers reduces efficiency and limits the feasible plans.

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  • Rose A. Nyikal & Willis O. Kosura, 2005. "Risk preference and optimal enterprise combinations in Kahuro division of Murang'a district, Kenya," Agricultural Economics, International Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 32(2), pages 131-140, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:agecon:v:32:y:2005:i:2:p:131-140
    DOI: 10.1111/j.0169-5150.2005.00012.x
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    1. Bryan Schurle & Bernard L. Erven, 1979. "Sensitivity of Efficient Frontiers Developed for Farm Enterprise Choice Decisions," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 61(3), pages 506-511.
    2. John T. Scott & Chester B. Baker, 1972. "A Practical Way to Select an Optimum Farm Plan Under Risk," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 54(4_Part_1), pages 657-660.
    3. Kroll, Yoram & Levy, Haim & Markowitz, Harry M, 1984. "Mean-Variance versus Direct Utility Maximization," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 39(1), pages 47-61, March.
    4. Levy, H & Markowtiz, H M, 1979. "Approximating Expected Utility by a Function of Mean and Variance," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 69(3), pages 308-317, June.
    5. Lindon J. Robison & John R. Brake, 1979. "Application of Portfolio Theory to Farmer and Lender Behavior," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association, vol. 61(1), pages 158-164.
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    1. Olawuyi Seyi & Olawuyi Tosin, 2015. "Risk Management Strategies Adoption Of Farming Households In Kwara State Of Nigeria: A Pragmatic Approach," Proceedings of International Academic Conferences 2704628, International Institute of Social and Economic Sciences.
    2. Waweru, Caroline Waithira & Nyikal, Rose & Busienei, John R, 2017. "An Analysis Of Risk Attitudes And Risk Management Strategies Among Dairy Farmers In Murang’A County, Kenya," Dissertations and Theses 271063, University of Nairobi, Department of Agricultural Economics.
    3. Durai Sundaramoorthi & Lingxiu Dong, 2024. "Machine learning and optimization based decision-support tool for seed variety selection," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 341(1), pages 5-39, October.
    4. Muhammad Amjed Iqbal & Muhammad Rizwan & Azhar Abbas & Muhammad Sohail Amjad Makhdum & Rakhshanda Kousar & Muhammad Nazam & Abdus Samie & Nasir Nadeem, 2021. "A Quest for Livelihood Sustainability? Patterns, Motives and Determinants of Non-Farm Income Diversification among Agricultural Households in Punjab, Pakistan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-14, August.
    5. Awiti, Hezbon Akelo & Gido, Eric Obedy & Obare, Gideon Aiko, 2022. "Crop mix portfolio response to climate risks: evidence from smallholder farmers in Kisumu County, Kenya," Agrekon, Agricultural Economics Association of South Africa (AEASA), vol. 61(2), February.
    6. Haile, Kaleab K. & Nillesen, Eleonora & Tirivayi, Nyasha, 2020. "Impact of formal climate risk transfer mechanisms on risk-aversion: Empirical evidence from rural Ethiopia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    7. Waithira, Waweru Caroline, 2017. "An Analysis Of Risk Attitudes And Risk Management Strategies Among Dairy Farmers In Murang’A County, Kenya," Research Theses 276428, Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics.

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