An Investigation Into The Factors Inhibiting Entrepreneurial Behaviour Among The Subsistence Maize Farmers: . A Case Of Siaya District

ABSTRACT

80% of the Kenyan Population live in the rural areas and are involved in agriculture on a subsistence basis. This represents a lack of enterprise culture that accounts for the poverty in the rural areas. In order to eradicate poverty in the rural areas the subsistence farmers need be made to adopt an enterprise culture by practicing their main economic activity as a business enterprise. GOK,(2005) To attain this the factors that account for the lack of entrepreneurial behaviour among the farmers must be identified and alleviated. The Government and other stakeholders have carried out a lot of studies and put in much effort towards inculcating of entrepreneurial behaviour among the farmers but this has so far not born fruit as in the case of Siaya District where to-date 80% of the farmers are hooked to maize growing on a subsistence basis. GOK,(2001) This Research investigated the factors that inhibit entrepreneurial Behaviour among the maize farmers. It involved an Interview of The Stakeholders in Agriculture In Siaya District among them the farmers, the Ministry of Agriculture Officers, The Provincial Administration, The Civic Leaders, The Staff of NQps and CB Os, and Research Bodies. A Questionnaire and an Interview Guide were used to collect data. Sampling was done through multi-stage sampling process. It found out that the main reason inhibiting Entrepreneurial Behaviour among them was lack of finance to buy farm inputs as a result of the high poverty levels in the district. The intervention strategies were inadequate and not comprehensive and that made them ineffective. To make Intervention Strategies effective it recommends that they be made more responsive to the farmers' problems, be designed in collaboration with the farmers and be made comprehensive. It recommends further research on better utilization of resources in the rural areas to improve on incomes of the farmers.