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Farm input
marketing in western Kenya: Challenges and opportunities
Jonas N. Chianu*,
Franklin Mairura, Isaac Ekise and Justina N. Chianu
Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility institute of the
International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (TSBF-CIAT),
c/o World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya.
*Corresponding author. Email: j.chianu@cgiar.org .
Tel:+(254 20) 7224778. Fax:+(254 20) 7224764/3.
Accepted 8 February, 2008 |
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Widespread and increasing rural poverty in sub-Saharan
Africa has been of great concern to development community.
Low use of inputs by farmers, due to market constraints that
reduce profitability of input use, is one of the factors
responsible for the gap between potential and actual yields.
Using questionnaire, this study interviewed 130 agro-input
dealers in Kenya to analyze challenges and opportunities in
input delivery. Results indicate that there has been a
steady annual growth (2 – 22%, with mean of 16%) in their
number. Di-ammonium phosphate fertilizer (stocked by 92%
respondents) was most commonly stocked, followed by Calcium
Ammonium Nitrate fertilizer (84%), Urea (78%), and NPK
(40%). Other services provided by agro-dealers are input
information (75% respondents), credit (13%), bulk breaking
(8%), and spraying (4%). Inputs selling price increased with
distance to markets; long distances to market disconnect
villages from input supply chain. High transport cost (53%),
low demand (30%), lack of market information (21%), lack of
storage facilities (13%), and limited business knowledge
(12%) were the most important constraints faced by
agro-dealers. Policies and institutional frameworks
suggested by dealers to streamline input trade were
associated. The study concludes with suggestions on how to
enhance efficiency of agro-dealers in input delivery.
Key words:
Farm input delivery, market constraints, poverty, yield gap,
Kenya. |
