Intensity of participation in cooperatives among smallholder cashew farmers in Kilifi County, Kenya

Cashew nut plays a vital role in the economy of Kenya’s coastal region. This is especially so for Kilifi County, where the majority of farmers grow the crop and rely on it for their livelihood. However, in recent years, cashew nut productivity in the country has significantly declined. Agricultural cooperatives have the potential to address the challenge of declining productivity by enhancing farmers’ technical capacity, improving access to quality inputs and markets, and reducing transaction costs, thereby boosting productivity and livelihoods. Also, within the cashew value chains, cooperatives serve as a platform for disseminating knowledge, best practices and technological innovations, thereby improving production efficiency. Nonetheless, the intensity of participation in cashew nut cooperatives remains low, limiting their transformative impact. This paper determines the key factors that influence the intensity of participation in cashew nut cooperatives in Kilifi County with a view to identifying public policy and developmental interventions to boost participation and hence productivity and general livelihoods of the local communities. Using a multistage sampling technique, a sample of 394 smallholder farmers from Kilifi North was selected and primary cross-sectional data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and Poisson regression were employed to analyze the data. The descriptive statistics revealed that 52% of the cashew nut farmers were cooperative participants while 48% were non-participants. A Zero-inflated Poisson (ZIP) regression showed that age, household size, years of education, experiential knowledge, off-farm income, number of trees owned and market information were positive and significant determinants of the intensity of participation in cashew nut cooperative. Also, distance to market and nearest tarmac were negatively and significantly associated with the intensity of participation in cashew nut cooperative. The study suggests strengthening farmer capacity through institutional support to enhance active engagement in cashew nut cooperatives. Particular attention should be given to social networks, experienced farmers, and those engaged in off-farm activities. The findings also highlight the importance of increasing production scale, such as expanding the number of cashew trees owned, in order to encourage greater participation intensity. Furthermore, public investment in rural infrastructure, especially improving road networks and reducing the distance to markets and main roads, is essential for strengthening farmers’ active participation in cashew nut cooperatives.