Gender Assessment Of Access To Financial Capital For Agri-business Smes: A Case Of Fish Traders In Homa Bay County

Abstract

This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on gender assessment of access to financial capital among agribusiness SMEs in the fish trade in Homa Bay County. Specifically, the study set out to: assess the gendered socio-economic determinants of access to financial capital for agribusiness SMEs in fish trade; determine financial institutional factors that affect uptake of financial capital by gender among agribusiness SMEs in fish trade; and to establish the gender differential challenges experienced in the uptake to financial capital for agribusiness SMEs in fish trade in Homa Bay County. The current study employed both quantitative and qualitative approaches and utilized Financial Capital Theory and Harvard Analytical Framework as the theoretical frameworks to guide the inquiry. The study adopted secondary analysis, in-depth interviews and key informant interviews as methods of data collection. Secondary data collection involved extensive content analysis of data from Financial Access (2019). Respondents for in-depth interviews and key informant interviews were selected through multi-stage random sampling and purposive sampling respectively. Quantitative data collected was analyzed using descriptive statistics presented in tables, charts and graphs for easy interpretation. Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) was used for quantitative data analysis. Qualitative data was coded and analyzed thematically in line with the study objectives presented in prose and verbatim quotes used to project the voices of the participants. Analysis of qualitative data was analyzed using Nvivo software. Findings of the study show that socio-economic determinants indicated that respondents had access to financial capital with a higher primary level of education, there was a positive and significant relationship between level of education and access to finance, an increase in the level of education had an increase in access to finance. The findings also indicated that access to financial capital is gendered along the socio-economic factors such as land ownership, bank account ownership, level of education, marital status among other factors. Female fish traders also reported human rights violations such as sexual harassment from fishers (fish for sex). In order to address the gaps in financial access, the study recommends that sensitization-targeting women on economic entitlement need to be carried out in the county, financial institutions to review the existing financial laws and policies to improve the flexibility of the services offered and putt up banks or banks agents along the beaches. The study further recommends that there is need to link self-help group and Beach Management Unit with the financial institution to enhance financial access among fish traders, development partners need to support and promote fish farming or aquaculture value chain among female fish traders, to provide enough fish and address sustainable development goal no.14 on life below water.