Title: The economics and gender factor in soya bean production and profitability in Kenya: a case of smallholder farms in Western Kenya

Authors: Dave Nyongesa; Robert B. Mabele; Anthony O. Esilaba; Christine K. Mutoni

Addresses: Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Food Crops Research Institute, Kabete Research Centre, Socio-Economics and Policy Development Unit, P.O. Box 14733-00800 (Westlands), Nairobi, Kenya ' University of Dar es Salaam, College of Social Sciences (CoSS), School of Economics, P.O. Box 35045, Dares Salaam, Tanzania ' Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), Natural Resource Systems Sub Unit, P.O. Box 57811-00200 (City Square), Nairobi, Kenya ' Karatina University, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Department of Biochemistry, P.O. Box 1957-10101, Karatina, Kenya

Abstract: Soya-bean is among world's major crops, cultivated for its high oil, proteins content and its ability in soil-fertility amendments. The study assessed the determinants, constraints and profitability/gross-margins of soya-bean production in Western Kenya. Multistage sampling technique and field surveys were used in data-collection process covering 370 households. Regression, gender, profitability and gross-margins were the analyses done. Results indicated gross-margins of soya-bean production within the study sites differed significantly from zero (KES 13,401-20,545); it was profitable because net profits ranged from KES 9243-13,548 for 2010. All gender-cadres shared in soya-bean production activities (5.0-18.0%). The mean technical-, allocative- and economic-efficiencies obtained were 0.78, 65 and 0.59 respectively. Smallholders/farmers' economic-inefficiencies arose from many negatively-signed and statistically significant factors/coefficients with p-values of 0.0000-0.0240. Increased use of these factors and county governments and other stakeholders' interventions would positively impact smallholders' efficiency resulting into higher output and profitability.

Keywords: gender; cost; soya-bean production; profitability/gross-margins; Western Kenya; smallholder(s); interviewees; marketing; technical efficiency; allocative-efficiency; economic-efficiency; stochastic-frontier.

DOI: 10.1504/IJARGE.2017.086991

International Journal of Agricultural Resources, Governance and Ecology, 2017 Vol.13 No.3, pp.211 - 240

Received: 05 Apr 2017
Accepted: 21 Jun 2017
Published online: 03 Oct 2017 *

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