The Role of Social Networks in Community Development among Smallholder Farmers in Western Kenya

Developing rural communities remains a critical challenge in developing countries, where smallholder agriculture is the main source of rural livelihood, particularly in strengthening food security. However, reliance on agriculture alone has often failed to provide the requisite economic resources to fortify rural economies. This study introduces a novel perspective by exploring alternative social network factors beyond agriculture that contribute to community development in Western Kenya. Utilizing a mixed-methods sequential design, a survey questionnaire was administered to a random sample of 245 rural households engaged in both on- and off-farm activities, followed by four purposively selected focus group discussions (FGDs) comprising 28 participants. A binary logistic regression model was employed to analyze quantitative data, identifying age (p = .07), education (p = .10), and off-farm income (p = .08) as significant predictors of community development. The qualitative phase employed thematic analysis of FGDs to capture subjective farmer perspectives on alternative development sources. Findings reveal that engagement in off-farm activities, often overlooked in rural development discourse, plays a pivotal role in fostering community growth. This dual-method approach provides comprehensive insights into the socio-demographic drivers of development, emphasizing the interplay between quantitative metrics and qualitative narratives. The study provides an integrative analysis of the role of social networks and off-farm activities as catalysts innovates by offering new pathways for policy interventions that sustainable community growth in rural agricultural communities.