IMPACT OF FARMER GROUP DYNAMICS ON MAIZE-SEED VALUE CHAIN PARTICIPATION IN BARINGO SOUTH, KENYA

Abstract

Collective action is key in unlocking the full potential of African agricultural value chains. Effective organization of farmers into producer groups is a crucial driver for the successful adoption of research insights by farmers (Lammers & Winter, 2020). There is limited systematic research into the impacts of farmer group dynamics on the farmers’ continued participation in the maize seed multiplication programme in Baringo South Sub-County. Quantitative data was collected using the individual respondent questionnaires administered to 366 sampled farmers with 95.08% response rate. Regression analysis by use of the estimated coefficients (β values), standard error, significance values and odd ratio of independent variables were used to assess the relationship between independent and dependent variables. The result depicts that most representing 71.6% of the respondents were male in comparison to 28.4% female. Majority of farmers attained basic level of education at 35.6% and 32.8% secondary and primary levels respectively. The dominance of an energetic population aged between 20 to 49 years representing 89.7% cumulatively is worth to note. From the results, the odds of farmer continued participation among farmers who perceived their group leaders as being un-transparent was 0.081 lower. These results imply the centrality of openness and accountability of leaders to their members in bid to ensure sustained participation in farmer group related activities. This is especially true in a context like the maize seed multiplication programme in Baringo South where farmer group leaders play a key role synonymous to a conveyor belt between participating farmers and the contracted seed company. The probability of continued participation was also 0.739 lower among farmer with limited knowledge of the seed company contractual arrangement. The study further noted that, of all the farmers interviewed, 50.3% had limited knowledge with regard to contractual arrangement that existed between them and the seed company with only 12.4% reporting full understanding. The study concludes that, transparency and accountability of farmer group leaders to their members should remain the foundation for successful engagement in their group endeavors. Capacity building of farmers and particularly their group leaders on good governance and negotiation skills is also critical in amplifying farmers’ voices in decision making processes. On contractual engagements, there is need to capacity build farmer groups to embrace formal legitimate contracts to allow third party enforcement in the event disagreements arise.