The Role of Farmers’ Groups in Sustainability of Farm Enterprises: a Case of Small-scale Banana Farmers in Kirinyaga Central Sub County

Abstract

This research sought to explore the role of farmers’ groups on the sustainability of farm enterprises in Kirinyaga Central Sub-county. The variables used in examining the sustainability of farm enterprise included crop production, farmers’ income, and employment opportunities. Exploring the role of farmers’ groups on sustainability was done by comparing the demographics of member and non-member farmers; establishing and comparing the relationship between training role and sustainability among member & non-member farmers; establishing and comparing the relationship between input role and sustainability among member & non-member farmers and establishing &comparing the relationship between marketing role and sustainability among member & non-member farmers. This study was framed on the theory of access to resources and guided by the theory of social inclusion from the capability approach. This study employed quantitative research methods through the administration of questionnaires to sampled small-scale farmers in the study area. A total of 100 small-scale farmers were interviewed (50 were drawn from four sampled farmers’ groups including Karinga Banana Growers, Kiamuruga Tissue Culture Banana Growers, Kimandi Banana Growers, and Kaitheri Banana Growers while the remaining 50 were administered to non-members within the study area.) The findings of this study showed that majority of both members and non-members have completed secondary education. The study showed a strong relationship between training and sustainability among member farmers compared to non-member farmers through a Cramer’s V test that showed the P-value on crop production, farmer’s income and employment opportunities being represented as 1.000, 1.000 and 0.685 respectively with a statistical significance of 0.000. The study also showed a strong relationship between marketing and sustainability among member farmers compared to non-member farmers through the Cramer’s V test that showed a P value on crop production, farmer’s income, and employment opportunities as1.000, 1.000, and 0.685 with a statistical significance of 0.000 respectively. None of the farmers’ groups took up the role of accessing inputs to its members. Overall, farmers’ groups are important to small-scale farmers for their growth and sustainability of their farm enterprises, improving their well-being, promoting farmers’ empowerment, and enhancing their livelihoods.