Constraints to the value chain activities of bambara groundnut, cowpeas and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in Mpumalanga, South Africa

There is a renewed interest in integrating underutilized crops (UC) into the food market to ensure access to nutritious and affordable food. Underutilized crop species are still recognized in the local, national and international communities. Still, they are out of reach due to challenges facing the value chain activities of the crops. Current research in South Africa has mainly been at the production level with limited focus on constraints to the value chain activities of underutilized crops. There is enough literature on the qualitative perceptions of the challenges along the value chain activities of underutilized crops. The quantitative understanding of challenges facing value chain activities of underutilized crops in South Africa remains unknown. This study analysed the constraints to value chain activities of underutilized crops (Bambara groundnut, cowpeas and Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP)) in Mpumalanga, South Africa. One hundred and fifteen (115) value chain actors were selected for the study using the snowballing technique. The study employed the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify important constraints facing the value chain activities of the selected underutilized crops. The PCA results revealed that the most critical constraints to Bambara groundnut, cowpeas and OFSP production were low-quality inputs, storage facilities and adverse weather conditions. The PCA results showed that farmers' most important constraints to UC marketing were poor storage and processing techniques, high cost of processing, high cost of transportation and lack of contractual agreement. The PCA results for constraints to Bambara groundnut, cowpeas and OFSP marketing by traders were improper stall structures, lack of vehicular access to the market, poor marketing channels and irregular/insufficient crop produce. These constraints were evident in the fragmented nature of the selected underutilized crop value chain activities. The absence of other actors like processors and distributors made the constraints obvious, and there is a need for all relevant stakeholders to address these barriers to the value chain activities of the underutilized crops. District, provincial and national governments should invest in raising awareness and promoting the usage of underutilized crops to address food insecurity in the country. Farmers and other value chain actors are encouraged to form cooperatives to strengthen their bargaining power, enhance access to credit and improve their influence on government policies. Key words: Underutilized crops, Value Chain, Constraints, Principal Component Analysis