Social Capital in Relation to Market Participation of Smallholder African Indigenous Vegetable Farmers in Vihiga County, Kenya

Abstract

Marketing is a social as well as a management process that facilitates exchange of products and information among the actors. Improved livelihoods among smallholder farmers depends on sustainable access to markets. In Kenya, Vihiga County, various development practitioners have promoted the production of African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs). However, AIVs marketing has been given little attention. The farmers, therefore, have not taken advantage of the full potential of the gains of AIVs marketing to improve their livelihoods. Small holder farmers experience low market participation due to their non-competitiveness in the promising AIVs market. This could be associated with the low social capital among the farmers. Social capital serves as complementary mediator which supports marketing capability consequently enhancing performances This study sought to assess the role of social capital in relation to farmers’ participation in the AIVs market. This was done through a household survey with AIVs farmers in January 2021. A total of 167 farmers were interviewed in in Vihiga County. Purposive sampling was done to target AIVs farmers. The study results indicate that though there were more female (63%) farmers in the study site there was a significant difference (P=.002) between the sex of the AIVs farmers interviewed in the two study sub counties. The study results also show that, majority of the farmers (76%) did not meet the demand for AIVs needed in the market. Despite the deficit in the demand for AIVs, most farmers had not taken advantage of the available market by producing more AIVs during peak season. A likert scale analysis of the farmer’s social capital reveal that there was a strong (3.5) bonding social capital among the farmers however, the bridging social capital was lower (3.0). This indicates a weak social network among the farmers to the outside world which can greatly hinder their participation in the high end AIVs markets. The study concluded that, there is demand for AIVs, however, the farmers have not positioned themselves to tap the available market opportunities. There is need for capacity building of farmers on the importance of building their social network for improved participation in the AIVs market.