Abstract

This study analyzed the role of Global-GAP policy, on smallholder French beans farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies in, fruit and vegetables farming. It considered: (1) the prevailing adaptation strategies used by the farmers; (2) regional differences in the farmers’ adaptation strategies; and (3) how Global-GAP policy influence the farmers’ decisions on the use of adaptation strategies. A total of 616 French beans growing households were randomly selected from Central and Eastern regions of Kenya and data collected through semi-structured questionnaire. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and a logistic regression model were used to analyze the data. PCA results showed that, the French beans farmers’ prevailing adaptation strategies were soil conservation, water harvesting, off-farm employment, leasing out of land, changing crop variety, irrigation and livestock rearing. The common study area-wide adaptation strategies to climate change were found to be, soil conservation and leasing out land. The empirical results of the logistical model showed that, Global-GAP policy compliance significantly and positively increased the probability of the farmers to undertake changing crop variety, water harvesting, finding off-farm jobs and soil conservation as adaptation strategies to climate change. The policy implication of this study is that, government and service providers should mainstream such factors as Global-GAP compliance and regional considerations which enhance the probability of adopting adaptation strategies to climate change related projects and programmes in the smallholder fruits and vegetables farming sector.

Key words: Global-GAP policy, climate change adaptation, prevailing adaptation strategies, principal component analysis, logistical regression model, smallholder farming.