Potential for Commercialisation of Value-Added Products: A Case Study of Banana Value Addition in Embu, Tharaka-Nithi and Meru Counties in Kenya

Despite being Kenya's leading fruit crop, contributing 35.6% of total fruit production, the minimal value addition in bananas significantly limits their potential as a vital source of income for many growers. This study assessed the extent to which value addition is done for bananas in Kenya, as well as explored the potential for commercialization of banana-value-added products. It was done in Embu, Tharaka-Nithi, and Meru, which are banana-rich counties in Kenya. A structured questionnaire was administered to 509 respondents to collect data, which was subjected to χ2 and logistic regression analyses. Results revealed that majority (63.3% and 79.1%) of the farmers were female and over 40-years-old, respectively. A proportion of 27.1% had not completed primary education, 38.1% had completed primary education, and 24.2% had completed secondary education. The length of time spent on banana farming varied significantly by county (χ2 = 40.9, P<.001), with Tharaka-Nithi having the highest proportion (63.0%) with over 30 years. Similarly, contribution of bananas to household income differed significantly by county (χ2 = 48.6, P<.001), with 54.6% of Meru farmers reporting 76-100% contribution. The uptake of value addition was significantly (P<.001) low (2.4%). Value addition was only reported in Tharaka-Nithi (5.9%), where products included crisps (0.6%), flour (0.8%), ripened (0.8%), and roasted (0.4%) bananas. The dry products have long shelf-life, earn farmers more income than fresh produce, and are commercialisable through direct marketing, shops, supermarkets, and niche institutions. Age (P=.772), education level (P=.536), and gender (P=.335) did not significantly influence uptake of value addition. Nonetheless, males were 2.09 times more likely to add value, as compared to females. Farmers who had acquired secondary and tertiary education were 1.76 and 1.67 times more likely to add value, as compared to those who had no formal education. A significant association was found between counties and responses on whether processing facilities and quality control training were incentives for increased value addition (χ2 = 21.7, P=.006), with Embu showing the strongest agreement (77.6%). These results highlight the need for targeted interventions such as establishment of processing facilities, training on banana processing and quality control, addressing infrastructural challenges, and creating better market access, to promote value addition in the banana value chain.