Factors affecting commercialisation of vegetables by central Vietnamese smallholders

In order to promote smallholders to adopt the commercial farming of crops, it is important to understand the factors that affect their decisions to commercialize. However, little empirical research has looked at what has shaped smallholders’ decisions to adopt commercial farming of vegetable crops. This study investigates the factors that influence smallholders’ commercialization of vegetables in Central Vietnam. A sample size of 277 was randomly taken from a total population of 525 smallholders, and a structured questionnaire was created to gather data. The results show that, among the explanatory variables, participation in training programmes, distance from home to the nearest local markets, having an existing vegetable customer, number of plots of land, mobile phone ownership, and participation in community-based organizations, are the significantly important determinants of smallholders’ commercialization of vegetables. Any agricultural development programmes that help smallholders to adopt the commercial farming of vegetables, such as financial support and the provision of training courses on methods of vegetable marketing, should take into account these determinants. This research provides an important understanding about the determinants of commercialisation of vegetable crops by smallholders, and highlights aspects that need to be considered when devising development policies to improve the smallholders’ uptake of commercial farming in developing countries.