Demystifying Firm Capabilities of Agri-Supply Chain Stakeholders; Elucidating Strengths and Limitations: An Empirical Study of Irish Potato Producers in Kenya.

Abstract

Employment of firm capabilities by agripreneurs has the potential to alleviate persistent challenges and poor performance synonymous with agri-supply chains in Sub Saharan Africa. The augmentation of firm capabilities is more so needed by Kenyan potato producers who face persistent production and marketing challenges. However, there is little to no information on the firm capabilities of agri-supply chain actors in Sub Saharan Africa and specifically, smallholder farmers in Kenya. In this regard, this study sought to explore agrienterprise firm capabilities of smallholder potato farmers in Kenya and identify the types and levels of their agrienterprise firm capabilities. Data was collected through multistage sampling by cross sectional survey using a sample of 249 smallholder potato farmers and the data was analyzed using Principal Component Analysis. Based on the findings, agrienterprise firm capabilities that were found to be exhibited by the farmers ranked from the highest to lowest in terms of levels possessed are as follows; networking capability followed by technology management capability, followed by market linking capability and finally, technology integration capability and marketing capability scoring the lowest. It can be concluded that most farmers were limited in adoption of improved technologies in potato production, orienting their production to market trends and being able to decipher the needs of different market segments and communicate their value proposition to address these needs. It is therefore recommended that potato producers be provided with bundled agribusiness support services that will facilitate the potato producers to institutionalize improved technology adoption and enhanced market participation.

Keywords: Firm capabilities, Agripreneurship, Agri-supply chains

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/14-3-04

Publication date: September 30^th 2024