Determinants of the Use of Certified Seed Potato among Smallholder Farmers: The Case of Potato Growers in Central and Eastern Kenya

Julius Juma Okello, Yuan Zhou, Norman Kwikiriza, Sylvester Ochieng Ogutu, Ian Barker, Elmar Schulte-Geldermann, Elly Atieno and Justin Taj Ahmed
Additional contact information
Julius Juma Okello: International Potato Center, SSA regional office, P.O. Box 25171, Nairobi 00603, Kenya
Yuan Zhou: Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
Norman Kwikiriza: International Potato Center, SSA regional office, P.O. Box 25171, Nairobi 00603, Kenya
Sylvester Ochieng Ogutu: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August-University Goettingen, D-37073 Göttingen, Germany
Ian Barker: Syngenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
Elmar Schulte-Geldermann: International Potato Center, SSA regional office, P.O. Box 25171, Nairobi 00603, Kenya
Elly Atieno: International Potato Center, SSA regional office, P.O. Box 25171, Nairobi 00603, Kenya
Justin Taj Ahmed: Global Chemicals & Agriculture Practice, North American Knowledge Center, McKinsey & Company, Waltham, MA 02451, USA

Agriculture, 2016, vol. 6, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: Potato yields in sub-Saharan Africa remain very low compared with those of developed countries. Yet potato is major food staple and source of income to the predominantly smallholder growing households in the tropical highlands of this region. A major cause of the low potato yields is the use of poor quality seed potato. This paper examines the factors determining the decision to use certified seed potato (CSP), as well as the intensity of its use, among potato growers with access to it. We focused on potato growers in the central highlands of Kenya and used regression analysis to test hypotheses relating to potential impediments of CSP use. The study found that the distance to the market (a proxy for transaction costs), household food insecurity, and asset endowment affect the decision to use CSP. However, the effect of the intensity of use of CSP depends on how the intensity variable is defined. Several other control variables also affect the decision and extent of CSP use. The study concludes that transaction costs, asset endowment, and household food insecurity play a major role in the decision by smallholder potato farmers to use CSP and the extent to which they do so. We also discuss the policy implications of the findings.

Keywords: smallholder farmers; seed systems; certified seed potato; use and intensity of use; Kenya (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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