000117712 001__ 117712
000117712 005__ 20210803102342.0
000117712 0247_ $$2doi$$a10.22004/ag.econ.117712
000117712 037__ $$a634-2016-41498
000117712 041__ $$aeng
000117712 245__ $$aCOMPLIANCE WITH EUREPGAP STANDARDS: DETERMINANTS, COSTS AND IMPLICATIONS ON PROFITABILITY AMONG SMALLHOLDER FRENCH BEANS EXPORTERS IN KIRINYAGA DISTRICT, KENYA
000117712 260__ $$c2008-08
000117712 269__ $$a2008-08
000117712 300__ $$a80
000117712 336__ $$aThesis/ Dissertation
000117712 520__ $$aHorticulture provides many developing countries with opportunities for export
diversification, poverty alleviation and rural development. However, stringent public and private-sector food-safety standards, for example EurepGap, pose a challenge especially to small export farmers. Compliance with these standards entails costly investments that may be a burden to smallholder farmers, failure to which might lead to their exclusion in the global
market. A number of questions which require empirical research arise to confirm or refute
these concerns. The study assesses awareness of the EurepGap standards among smallholder
farmers and analyzes the critical factors influencing their compliance. It also identifies the costs of complying with these standards and their implications on profitability of smallholder French bean farming business in Kirinyaga District in Kenya. The study uses simple random
sampling technique to collect primary data from 103 respondents. Descriptive statistics, costbenefit accounting (partial budgeting) and binomial probit model are used to analyze the data. The results show that an information gap exits as regards to awareness of EurepGap standards especially among the non-compliant farmers. Compliance with the standards requires high costs of investment and this is a major constraint to the smallholder farmers. Strategies such
as contract farming and collective action through group membership were found to enhance compliance among smallholder farmers. Further, empirical analysis shows that compliance with the standards is positively influenced by socio-economic and farm characteristics such as area under French beans production, and availability of external support from extension services, but negatively influenced by access to off-farm income. In addition to high cost of
compliance, farmers face other constraints such as high cost of recommended chemicals and that of hiring extra personnel. Results also show that compliance is not for profit enhancement but may be for market assurance. However, farmers are enjoying non-financial benefits from compliance such as skills on good farm management and record keeping. Since the standards require high cost of compliance with EurepGap standards, the study suggests that the government and other stakeholders in this sub-sector should assist the smallholder farmers to ensure their continued access to the lucrative markets. The government should lead in
disseminating information about the standards through extension training, besides
encouraging farmers to form groups to share the cost of compliance. A policy to ensure the right prices translate to the farmers should be put in place. It is also worth exploring less strict market where Kenyan products can be channeled to.
000117712 650__ $$aCrop Production/Industries
000117712 650__ $$aInternational Relations/Trade
000117712 650__ $$aProductivity Analysis
000117712 700__ $$aMuriithi, Beatrice Wambui
000117712 8564_ $$95a64f1df-4189-4c29-bfb2-840dcaa6f63f$$s496605$$uhttps://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/117712/files/Beatrice%20Muriithi%20Thesis.pdf
000117712 887__ $$ahttp://purl.umn.edu/117712
000117712 909CO $$ooai:ageconsearch.umn.edu:117712$$pGLOBAL_SET
000117712 912__ $$nSubmitted by Julia Kelly (jkelly@umn.edu) on 2011-11-10T16:00:32Z
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  Previous issue date: 2008-08
000117712 913__ $$aLicense granted by Julia Kelly (jkelly@umn.edu) on 2011-11-10T15:55:22Z (GMT):

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000117712 980__ $$a634
000117712 982__ $$gCollaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics>Research Theses