Baseline Survey for the Creating Shared Value in the Maize Value Chain Project for Solidaridad East and Central Africa

Overview

Baseline survey for the Creating Shared Value in the Maize Value Chain project, which targets 3,000 smallholder maize farmers (50% women and youth) in Mt. Elgon, Kimilili and Bumula sub-counties of Bungoma County, Kenya. The study, conducted in 2021, set starting values for the project results framework on production, incomes, market access and farmer institutions, and identified implementation strategies. It covered household demographics, shocks and food security, inputs and practices, information and finance access, marketing, storage, and group membership.

Key findings

• Average maize yield was 10.3 bags (90 kg) per acre (Bumula 7.2, Kimilili 13.5, Mt. Elgon 14.9), with average cost of production of KES 36,173 per acre, so farmers operated at a loss in all three sub-counties.
• Fertiliser was used by 95% of farmers, improved seed by 76% and manure by 55%, and 68% reported using improved practices or tools, yet yields stayed low.
• The most reported shocks were rising input prices (96%), a large fall in crop sale prices (63%) and high food prices (52%); households reported about three months of inadequate food (January, February and July to August).
• 80% of farmers had not accessed credit in the past year (Mt. Elgon 93%, Bumula 78%, Kimilili 64%); among those who did, group/SHG loans were most common (60%).
• Most maize was sold to middlemen (74%), men decided on sales in 74% of households, and 55% of farmers across all markets rated maize markets as poor (67% cited in the executive summary).
• Only 16% of farmers belonged to producer groups and 13% to marketing groups, 6% had received training through either, and there were no maize cooperatives in the area.
• Men and women were equally involved in production (62% each) but men made production decisions in 78% of households vs 47% for women; youth involvement was 11% in production and 2% in decisions, and children were used in production in 23% of households.

In figures

Recommendations

• Build farmers' capacity on modern maize production systems and high-yielding seed to offset small land sizes (most farms 0.1-2 acres).
• Address input-price and maize-price shocks, including advocacy with government institutions for price stabilisation, and promote climate-smart and drought-tolerant practices to close the food-gap months.
• Link farmers to credible input stockists and facilitate field extension officers to provide weather, production and soil-testing advice (only 25 of 418 farmers had an extension visit in the last 2 months).
• Strengthen SHG savings and credit and link farmers to banks and cooperatives for affordable credit.
• Improve marketing through cooperatives, aggregation points and strong women's groups, and explore export markets.
• Promote modern storage (hermetic bags, drying, metal silos fabricated by youth) to reduce post-harvest losses, and use technology and innovation to engage youth.
• Sensitise families on child labour and advocate for child protection policies in maize farming; expand training in financial access, commercial production and marketing.

Methodology

Mixed-methods baseline: desk review, a household survey of 418 smallholder farmers (target 341, Taro Yamane formula) using stratified, clustered random sampling by ward, 6 FGDs with women, men and youth, and 12 key informant interviews; data collected on ODK and analysed in SPSS with descriptive and thematic analysis.

Limitations

• Some target respondents were not immediately available, requiring call-backs.
• COVID-19 restrictions required smaller groups and open-air meetings for FGDs.