Commercialization Strategies On Performance Of Dairy Enterprises In Nandi County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

The study investigated the shortcomings of dairy entrepreneurs management practices strategies and the effect of these on performance of their dairy enterprises in Nandi County. The overall aim of the research was to investigate the influence of commercialization strategies on performance of dairy enterprises. The study sought to determine how commercialization strategies; that is feeding, breeding, disease control and husbandry, as they are currently practiced contribute to the performance of the various levels of dairy enterprises. The study will be important to farmers and key extension service and input providers who can promote and adopt the recommended strategies amidst emerging effects of climate change so as to improve the performance of the dairy business. This study was motivated by the resource based view theory, Churchill and Lewis grow model and anchored on the psychological field of inhibiting and driving forces model. Descriptive research design was used with the target population being 3,213 dairy entrepreneurs of Biribiriet location. Simple random sampling technique was used in selection, 184 respondents forming the study sample. Data was collected using structured questionnaires that were dropped and picked later while key informants were interviewed. Data was subjected to descriptive and inferential analysis to test hypotheses using SPSS version 23 software and presented using frequency tables, pie charts and bar graphs. Results indicated that: Feeding strategy had (β = 0.040, p = 0.552). Breeding strategy had (β = 0.069, p = 0.000). Disease control strategy had (β = 0.023, p = 0.780) and finally Husbandry strategy had (β= 0.320, p = 0.000). The null hypothesis HO1 and HO3 were accepted but HO2 and HO4 were rejected. The study concludes that breeding strategy of farmers in Biribiriet location directly influence the performance of their dairy animals; Feeding strategy adopted by farmers in Biribiriet location has no significant impact on the performance of their dairy animals; Disease control strategy has no significant impact on the performance by dairy animals and Husbandry strategy has a significant positive impact on the performance of dairy animals. The researcher recommends that famers should consider establishing effective strategies that will enhance the performance of their animals to increase the quality of their produce and their marketability. The government on the other hand should strive to build the capacity of the farmers with regards to agribusiness improvement.