Analysis of Integration of Climate Smart Initiatives by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in Beef Value Chain in Kajiado County

Abstract

The beef value chain is a major part of the livestock sector in Kenya contributing to food security, livelihoods, and the economy. Beef production mainly takes place in the arid and semi-arid areas (ASALs) of the country, environmentally vulnerable ecological zone with socio-economic marginality and heavily impacted by climate change. The beef value chain is negatively impacted by climate change and is also a contributor to negative climate change through emitted greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as methane, nitrous oxide, and carbon dioxide from cattle rearing and, value chain activities, pasture to plate. The value chain is informal, fragmented, driven by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), and unsustainable. Climate adaptation research and climate risk management have largely ignored small businesses i.e. MSMEs and has had little recognition of the potential opportunities in climate change management that can be found in involving MSMEs. In the light of the aforementioned, as advocated through Sustainable Development Goal 12, sustainability of the beef value chain would only be assured through the integration of responsible production and consumption practices such as climate-smart agriculture (CSA) initiatives by the MSMEs in ASALs. Thus, establishing and analyzing the status of integration of CSA technologies, innovations, and management practices (TIMPs) by MSMEs was key. Prior to this study there existed scanty information on the status of integration of CSA TIMPs in the ASALs’ beef value chain. In particular how the existing beef value chain governance and management practices interphase with the actors in terms of required skills, KAPs (knowledge, attitudes, and practices), creation of an enabling environment, and how the same influences the adoption of CSA TIMPs. The current study helped to unravel the existing status of CSA TIMPs integration by actors and, the root causes of any observed worrying practices to inform policy intervention and actions towards a climate smart beef value chain. Moreover, the study serves to inform future decisions to be made on Kenya’s beef value chain in achieving the global Sustainable Development Goal number 12, Kenya agriculture sector growth and transformation strategy, and Kenya Livestock Master Plan. The study was guided by the overall objective that sought to analyze the status of integration of climate-smart initiatives by MSMEs in the beef value Chain in Kajiado County. The specific objectives were to (1) evaluate knowledge, attitudes, and practices of MSMEs on the integration of climate-smart initiatives, (2) determine enablers of climate-smart initiatives integration by MSMEs, and, (3) assess barriers of climate-smart initiatives integration by MSMEs in the beef value chain. Sustainable integration of CSA TIMPs by MSMEs (dependent variable) is determined by factors such as actors' requisite skills, KAP (knowledge, attitude, and practices), and enablers and barriers of integration (independent variables) as modulated by existing governance and management practices and, regulatory frameworks (practices, laws, policies, and institutions) (moderating variables). Enablers and barriers of integration include prevailing political, social, economic, technological, legal, and environmental issues of the value chain. The theoretical frameworks used included those that advance arguments on technology adoption, which seeks to understand and explain constructs for enablers and barriers to actors’ CSA TIMPs adoption. The theories also consider the perceived ease of use, benefits, and usefulness of the TIMPs, additional factors such as individual differences, innovativeness, concern for privacy and security, social influence, and peer pressure. The study applied cross-sectional research that involved looking at KAP data from actors at one specific point and correlational research where non-experimental research methods were used to study the relationship between characteristics of MSME actors, adoption of CSA TIMPs, and sustainability of the value chain, with the help of statistical models. Data for KAP, enablers, and barriers was collected from value chain actors (N=459; farmers, traders, processors, marketers/distributors/retailers and consumers). There was an observed poor understanding of the concept of CSA by the value chain actors, with less than six percent appreciating the concept. There was reported actors’ recognition that the beef value chain could affect the environment with some being concerned about how their practices could cause negative climate change. There was actors’ willingness to adopt CSA TIMPs that protected the environment as long as they had economic benefits. There were existing legal and institutional frameworks, though not tailored to CSA, that could be leveraged for actors’ integration of CSA TIMPs, albeit poor actors’ knowledge and compliance on the same. In addition, there were reported barriers to CSA TIMPs’ integration and this study categorized them in six broad perspectives; (1) Knowledge and institutional, (2) Market and financial, (3) Policy and incentives, (4) Networks and engagement platforms, (5) Cultural and social, (6) Physical infrastructure barriers. Mainly, there were inadequate policy actions, and extension services, that impeded CSA awareness. The main interventions recommended by this study, were (a) initiation of capacity building programmes and strengthening of extension services, for better understanding of CSA, its usefulness and benefits while leveraging actors’ recognition that the beef value chain is affected and has an impact on climate change and their willingness to take part in activities that protect the environment as long as they had socio-economic gains, (b) de-risking of the pastoral beef value chain through design of climate-sensitive financial policies, incentives, climate risk instruments and adequate physical infrastructure to attract innovators, investors and public-private partnerships (PPP) to beef value chain and encourage value chain actors’ adoption of CSA TIMPs, (c) creating robust platforms for actors to self-organize, promote participatory learning and research, advocate/lobby and self-regulate towards a climate-smart beef value chain, and (d) leveraging, reviewing, contextualizing and creating awareness on legal and institutional frameworks to enhance not only compliance but sustainability mindsets, behavior change and adoption of CSA TIMPs.