Exploring the Nexus between Crop Diversification and Household Welfare among Small-Scale Maize Farmers in Borabu Sub-County, Nyamira County

Abstract

While rural transformation has dominated recent literature as a way of improving welfare through diversifying into non-farm sectors, improving productivity and resilience to shocks in small-scale agricultural production cannot be downplayed. This is especially so in a context characterized by repeated exposure to shocks, threatening many livelihoods in rural areas. Persistence of maize lethal necrosis disease(MLND) in Borabu sub-county is one such shock that has threatened the livelihoods of farmers in the region. Crop diversification is considered an effective risk management strategy and consumption smoothing strategy against climatic shocks in farm production. Using cross section data from Borabu Sub-county, the study assesses the barriers and success factors related to effective crop diversification and the effect of these on household welfare. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to select 385 households, and data were collected using semi-structured pre-tested questionnaires. Data were analyzed using SPSS and STATA data analytical software. Herfindahl index was used to measure the extent of crop diversification. A double hurdle model was used to explore factors influencing the extent of crop diversification, and the endogenous switching regression model was used to investigate the nexus between crop diversification and household welfare. The study found the average crop diversification index to be 0.15, and about 85.5% of the sampled farmers had values below the average (0.5), indicating a low diversification rate in the study area. Upon examining factors influencing the extent of crop diversification, the age of the household head, education level of the household head, marital status of the household head, size of land under farming, gender of household head, land tenure and type of labour available to a household, were identified as significant in influencing participation and extent of crop diversification. Using consumption expenditure as a proxy for household welfare results indicated that crop diversification contributes significantly to a household having better welfare and improving its food security status. Factors such as the age of the household head, income source, household head’s primary occupation, marital status of household head and size of land farmed, were found to significantly influence a household’s consumption expenditure. The study concludes that crop diversification positively impacts household welfare, as farmers that practiced diversification had better overall welfare. Therefore, this study recommends developing policies aimed at enhancing multiple cropping and modernizing it to take full advantage of what comes with the practice.