An Analysis Of The Role Of Periodic Markets In Rural Development In Mukaa Sub-County; Makueni County

Abstract

The spatio-temporal pattern of periodic markets determines the pattern of infrastructure in rural areas of developing countries. Rural residents are constantly transforming their lifestyles and hardly do they depend on agriculture alone. Periodic markets in rural areas have also transformed to meet the needs of rural residents. This is evidenced by the constant change in the nature of goods sold in these markets. However, rural underdevelopment remains a challenge. The need to address rural underdevelopment by focusing on the changing nature of commodities traded in periodic markets, poverty eradication, access to health facilities and constraints to marketing are the gaps filled by this study to generate knowledge. This study analyzed the role of periodic markets in rural development in Mukaa Sub County. Four specific objectives were stated. (1) To analyze the relationship between transport cost and trading behaviour, (2) To examine employment opportunities in periodic markets, (3) To discuss the types of manufactured goods accessed in rural periodic markets and (4) To establish the difference between spatial pattern of periodic markets and access to health care facilities. Primary data were collected through questionnaire surveys and in-depth interviews. The study targeted traders and shoppers in seven periodic markets. A sample of 28 traders selected purposively and a sample of 112 shoppers who were randomly sampled provided primary data. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, simple linear regression analysis and Pearson’s correlation analysis. The null hypothesis was tested using Chi square (χ2) test. The findings of the study revealed that there is a strong negative relationship between transport cost and the rate of trader attendance in periodic markets. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was computed as -0.825. Major employment opportunities generated by periodic markets were found xv to be trading, transport and casual works during market days. The findings, therefore, revealed that periodic markets contribute over 5% in poverty eradication in Mukaa Sub-County. The study found out that rural residents rely on periodic markets for the purchase of clothes, mobile phones, solar panels, farm inputs, and manufactured goods for domestic use. According to the findings, there is no significant difference between the distribution of periodic markets in space and access to health care facilities. The study, therefore, recommended that the county government should make efforts to match the location of social facilities with the spatial pattern of periodic markets. It also recommended the county government to put intense efforts to train traders, subsidize the cost of transport and provide credit facilities to traders in periodic markets.