Contribution of policy change on maize varietal development and yields in Kenya

Nagarajan, Latha; Naseem, Anwar; Pray, Carl E.

doi:10.1108/jadee-01-2018-0013

Cited by 13 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 25 publications

(40 reference statements)

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“…In Asia, the corresponding figures were 2.62% to 1.66% and in China 4% to 1.6%. It also shows similar pictures for other crops like maize, wheat, sorghum and other staple food grains [19], [21], [22]. This is in line with the study of Nagarajan et al [19] using the two-stage least squares found that policy instability negatively affected maize yields in Kenya.…”

Section: Literature Reviewsupporting

confidence: 81%

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Enabling Environment and Agriculture in ECOWAS: Implications for Food Security

Osabohien

Olurinola

Matthew

et al. 2021

Wseas Transactions on Environment and Development

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This study examined how enabling environment (proxied by political stability and absence of violence) affect agricultural production and food security in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region. The essence of this study is to ensure that a conducive enabling environment is put in place to boost agriculture, so as to ensure food security in ECOWAS sub-region. The study employed the fixed and random effects econometric method on the data sourced from the World Development Indicators (WDI) and the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) for the period 2000 to 2018. The findings from the study showed that, when there is an enabling environment for farming, agriculture production increased by 1%, while food security increased by about 3%.These findings imply that proper policies and programmes should be put in place towards ensuring an enabling environment for agricultural activities which will increase production and food security within the ECOWAS sub-region.

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Section: Literature Reviewsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…The reality shows that the average yearly growth rate of some major crops has declined across the globe [18]. For example, rice yield declined from 2.42% in 1974 -1982 to 1.78% in 1982-1990 [19]. In Asia, the corresponding figures were 2.62% to 1.66% and in China 4% to 1.6%.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enabling Environment and Agriculture in ECOWAS: Implications for Food Security

Osabohien

Olurinola

Matthew

et al. 2021

Wseas Transactions on Environment and Development

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…However, the liberalization of the seed market has not been without challenges. KSC continues to dominate the maize seed market (Nagarajan, Naseem, and Pray 2019;Tripp and Rohrbach 2001;Smale and Olwande 2014) and sells seed at fixed low price regardless of package, type (hybrid or open-pollinated), or place (center of the city or rural market) (Nambiro, de Groote, and Osura 2002). Expensive and long varietal registration and release processes still hamper competition by restricting the launch of new seed products in the Kenyan market (Spielman and Smale 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the marketing environment for maize seed in Kenya: how competition and consumer preferences shape seed sector development

Rutsaert

Donovan

2020

Journal of Crop Improvement

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During the past decade, sizable investments have been made to strengthen maize (Zea mays L.) seed production in Eastern and Southern Africa by private seed companies. However, efforts have generally overlooked downstream issues, such as how seed companies market their products and position their business in a competitive market. This paper assesses competition and customer preferences in Kenya at the retail level for varieties from the parastatal, private domestic and international companies. Data were collected from agro-dealer surveys (n = 80) and farmer intercept interviews (n = 377). Compared to the market leader, the parastatal Kenya Seed Company, private domestic and international companies provide greater value to farmers by selling varieties that are, on average, 10 years younger. However, these companies offer few late-maturing varieties, thus giving the parastatal a near monopoly in that market segment. Kenya Seed Company also excels at being present at all sales locations with their varieties. If private domestic companies focus more on smallholders with lower budgets (including travel budget), they should consider the most cost-effective ways to extend their networks to remote areas as well as compete with the lower prices of Kenya Seed Company. Modern breeding programs should explicitly consider these marketing challenges when designing strategies for seed production and engagement with seed companies.

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“…Among the challenges they face are higher costs (vis-vis larger seed businesses), cash-strapped retailers operating largely in the informal sector, and farmers who are ill-informed about the seed options available. Others have suggested that innovation in policies will drive faster varietal turnover, to include the obligatory retirement of older maize varieties or accelerating the registration and release processes for new cultivars [ 50 , 51 ]. Notwithstanding the need for strong and adaptive seed companies as well as the right policy environment, we argue that at this juncture a more drastic shift in seed systems thinking will be necessary with farmer demand as the entry point for the formulation of strategies to support seed industry development.…”

Section: Conceptual Frameworkmentioning

confidence: 99%

Demand-side challenges to increase sales of new maize hybrids in Kenya

Rutsaert

Donovan

Kimenju³

2021

Technology in Society

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In Eastern and Southern Africa, as the public sector has retreated from maize seed production and the private sector has emerged to fill the resulting void, a key issue for researchers, governments and private donors has been the capacity of privately owned, typically small scale, seed businesses to effectively produce and distribute hybrid seed. Roughly two decades on, research and development programming continues to focus on supply side issues in supporting the maize seed industry to bring new varieties to farmers. Motivated by thinking on agri-food value chains, this article explores the potential for achieving a stronger demand orientation in programming to support the maize seed industry, a requirement for varietal turnover. In 2019 data were collected in Kenya from i) 80 agro-dealers on their relations with seed businesses and their marketing of maize seed, ii) 466 farmers on their seed choice and engagement with agro-dealers and iii) 8 seed companies on their distribution and sales strategies. Results confirmed the overarching supply-push orientation of the industry, characterized by limited innovation and risk taking, weak collaboration between actors, low margins for retailers, and limited investments in seed marketing. Farmers showed weak appetite for acquiring new seed products, preferring instead to purchase seeds that they knew from experience. Better strategies for building seed value chains will require deeper insights on stakeholders needs and strategies, to include the capacity of seed businesses and retailers to innovate in business management and marketing.

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Contribution of policy change on maize varietal development and yields in Kenya

Cited by 13 publications

References 25 publications

Enabling Environment and Agriculture in ECOWAS: Implications for Food Security

Enabling Environment and Agriculture in ECOWAS: Implications for Food Security

Exploring the marketing environment for maize seed in Kenya: how competition and consumer preferences shape seed sector development

Demand-side challenges to increase sales of new maize hybrids in Kenya

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