SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS INFLUENCING MARKET PARTICIPATION OF HORTICULTURAL SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN THE ALFRED NZO DISTRICT, EASTERN CAPE, SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the socioeco- nomic factors influencing market participation of horticultural smallholder farmers in the Alfred Nzo district. Cross-sectional data was collected by the Agricultural Research Council and the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform in Janu- ary 2014 from 48 horticultural smallholder farmers in Alfred Nzo district using a structured questionnaire. Binomial logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The results showed that market participation was influenced by access to market information, type of road and availability of transport to market. The empirical results will be useful for horticulture farmers, marketers and policy makers in developing efficient production and marketing strategies. The government and pri- vate sector should establish a model specific to the actual needs of smallholder farmers of the Alfred Nzo district, which should include improvement of roads to farming sites and a well- coordinated and efficient transporting system which must be designed specifically for smallholder farmers in the district.

Keywords

• market participation
• binary logistic regression
• horticultural smallholder farmers
• Alfred Nzo District