Public-Private Partnerships and Agriculture: A Review of Sorghum Production in Meru County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite being a major source of income and the basis of economic development, agriculture still faces many challenges that have led to low yields. Inadequate access to extension services, low funding, and lack of markets, among others, explain the yield gaps in many developing countries. It is for this that many countries are resulting in Public-Private Partnership in trying to boost agricultural production.  This study sought to establish the effect of public-private partnerships on sorghum production in Meru County. The study sought to achieve four objectives: to establish the role of farmer groups, farmer training, private markets, and provision of farming inputs for sorghum production. A descriptive research design was adopted for the study. A randomly selected sample of 134 farmers and seven key informants from PPP actors were engaged during the study. The study findings indicated that the majority of the participants had received farming training, inputs, and credit/financial support through the public-private partnership. The study also showed that there were new markets because of the public-private partnerships. The participants indicated that the farming training, inputs, and availability of markets led to an increase in sorghum production. The findings further showed that farmer training had the greatest effect on sorghum production, followed by private markets, followed by farmer groups, and lastly provision of farming inputs. The study concluded that, through public-private partnerships, small-holder farmers improved their sorghum production. The study recommended the need for the development of a framework that would encourage the formation and implementation of more public-private partnerships in the agriculture sector.