Institutional Factors Influencing Small Holder Farmers’ Participation in Potato Value Addition in Ndorwa County West, Kabale District

Abstract

This study investigated the factors influencing small holder farmers’ participation in Irish potato value addition in Ndorwa County West, Kabale District. The general objective was to determine factors influencing small holder farmers’ participation in potato value addition in Ndorwa County west of Kabale district. The specific objectives were to; establish the socio-economic factors influencing participation in potato value chain and to establish institutional factors influencing participation in potato value chain. The study was a cross sectional descriptive survey employing both qualitative and quantitative approaches of data collection and analysis. Data was collected from 206 small holder farmers and other value chain actors (input suppliers, commission men, rural hawkers, traders, wholesalers, retailers and consumers) using questionnaire and interviews. Data management and analysis was done using SPSS version 16.0 to generate both descriptive and regression statistics. The main institutional factors influencing small holder farmers’ participation in potato production and value addition were found to be; access to credit services, un-reliable power, access to extension service, lack of value addition information and lack of formal arrangements along the value chain. It therefore recommends farmers to form groups that may help them pool enough resources for technology improvement, boost production and access credit services. Potato value chain actors should also be supported in their groups and females trained in value addition and processing of potatoes so as to compete favorably with the male actors. Value chain actors need to access the necessary information on value addition through trainings, exposure visits, seminars and on farm visits by agriculture extension workers for follow-up.