国际粮食政策研究所-激励农民市场化生产：肯尼亚小农园艺赋权和推广方法（英）-2021.10-72页_8mb

Summary of "Motivating Farmers' Market-Oriented Production - Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion Approach in Kenya"

Core Content

This report presents a case study on the implementation of the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (SHEP) approach in Kenya between 2006 and 2020, with a focus on its impact on human capital development in smallholder horticulture. The study was conducted as part of a global initiative on Agriculture Human Capital Investment (AHCI), funded by the FAO Investment Centre and supported by IFPRI and the CGIAR Research Programme on Policies, Institutions and Markets (PIM).

The SHEP approach is designed to improve smallholder farmers' ability to engage in market-oriented horticulture by enhancing their technical and soft skills through a structured training program. The training is grounded in the New World Kirkpatrick Model and Self-Determination Theory (SDT), which emphasize the importance of psychological needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness in motivating learning and behavior change.

Main Points

• Objective of SHEP: To promote smallholder horticulture as a business and improve farmers' knowledge and skills for market-oriented production.
• Target Groups: Smallholder farmers, including women, youth, and persons living with disabilities.
• Methodology: Mixed methods were used, including focus group discussions (FGD), key informant interviews (KII), and data from project documents and reports. The data were analyzed using MAXQDA software.
• Training Content: Covered general horticulture practices, crop-specific techniques, farm business management, and marketing strategies.
• Key Outcomes: Farmers reported high satisfaction with training delivery, content, and organization. The training helped change their mindset and behavior towards market-oriented farming, leading to improved production, marketing, and increased incomes.
• Success Factors: The SHEP approach was found to be effective in developing human capital due to its flexibility, complementarity, and adaptability to other extension programs. It can be scaled out and adopted by different organizations.

Key Information

Human Capital Development

• The SHEP approach focused on building human capital, defined as the stock of habits, knowledge, social and personality attributes that enhance productivity.
• The training was structured to meet the psychological needs of farmers as per SDT, encouraging autonomous and motivated learning.
• The New World Kirkpatrick Model was used to evaluate the contribution of SHEP to human capital development, revealing positive impacts on knowledge, skills, and behavior change.

Agricultural Context in Kenya

• Kenya has a population of 47.6 million, with 72.49% living in rural areas and 29% being youth.
• Smallholder farmers constitute a significant portion of the agricultural sector, with over 70% of the rural population employed in agriculture.
• Despite the importance of agriculture, only 0.06% of smallholder farmers practice irrigation, and a significant portion of the population suffers from malnutrition and poverty.
• The horticulture sector is a major contributor to Kenya's GDP, with flowers, vegetables, and fruits forming the largest share of production value.

Challenges in Agriculture

• Limited market access, poor transportation, and price fluctuations hinder smallholder farmers.
• Extension services are often inadequate and not specialized in horticulture.
• Agricultural research and training investments remain low, at USD 222.4 million at PPP.

Policy and Institutional Framework

• Kenya has implemented several national and regional agricultural development strategies, including Vision 2030 and the Agricultural Sector Transformation and Growth Strategy 2019-2029.
• The country has a new governance system since 2013, assigning agricultural functions to county governments.
• High mobile communications subscriptions (103.8 per 100 people) support efficient extension service delivery and market information dissemination.

SHEP Implementation and Impact

• SHEP was initiated in 2006 by the GoK, HCDA, and JICA.
• The approach was successful in improving farmers' knowledge, skills, and confidence, leading to better production and marketing outcomes.
• It was well-received by various stakeholders, including farmers, implementers, and funders, and is recommended for wider adoption in smallholder horticulture systems.

Key Findings and Recommendations

Evidence of Success

• SHEP has demonstrated effectiveness in developing human capital, particularly among smallholder farmers.
• It has improved farmers' understanding of market demands and their ability to act on such knowledge.
• The approach has been successful in increasing farmers' confidence and productivity, which has translated into higher incomes.

Recommendations

• The SHEP approach should be adopted in other smallholder horticulture production systems.
• It can be scaled out and integrated with other extension programs due to its flexibility and adaptability.
• Policymakers and development organizations should consider SHEP as a model for improving extension service delivery and promoting market-oriented production.

Conclusion

The SHEP approach has proven to be an effective method for motivating smallholder farmers towards market-oriented horticulture production. It contributes significantly to human capital development, enhances farmers' skills and knowledge, and improves their livelihoods. The model is adaptable, scalable, and offers a valuable framework for policy and program design in the agricultural sector.