Challenge 1 – Scale of Production
Most farms – they say up to 70% – that produce everyday food crops – cabbage, carrots, onions, tomatoes, beans, green grams and peas are small-scale. The land holding averages 0.2-3 acres, most of which is family-owned. Crops like maize and wheat may be grown on a large scale in some parts of the country. However, overall, most of the food produced is by smallholders, who farm for subsistence, only selling the surplus.
Some regions specialize in one crop type. For example, the cultivation of rice and other grains such as peas, green grams, beans and chickpeas in mid and lower Eastern Kenya. Those who specialize also tend to consider land leasing options and use a more commercial-oriented approach to farming. They consider the costs of their inputs versus the value of the output compared to the average subsistence farmer who only sells the surplus.
At this scale of operation, mechanization is complex – and most farms utilize human labour for crop production activities like planting, weeding and harvesting. Tractors might be used for initial ploughing and harvesters might be used to harvest crops like rice and wheat. But access is limited by scale.
The use of improved seeds depends on the individual farmer. Some might get certified seeds; others prefer to use seeds from previous harvests. Overall, a lot is invested in the form of capital, labour and time. However, without the benefit of large economies of scale, they are not able to maximize the returns to get the full value of their investment.
Challenge 2 – Over-Reliance on Rain as a Source of Water
They say crops do not need rain, they need water. On small-scale farms, crops are planted to coincide with the rainy seasons. But rains do fail as they have the last few years, and with that, the crops fail too. Irrigation systems are available in some pockets of rural areas, particularly where farmers have organized themselves into groups to source and pipe water to their farms. However, these are far and in between.
Those in peri-urban areas are more likely to have irrigation infrastructure guaranteeing all-year production. They tend to grow vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, cabbage and leafy greens. Peri-urban farmers’ proximity to urban markets where the demand for these types of farm produce is high guarantees better prices and return on investment. Thus, they are more likely to invest in irrigation infrastructure.
Challenge 3– The Rural-Urban Divide
Where a farmer is situated, their proximity to the market and the immediate food needs of that market influence the type of crops grown/livestock kept. The majority of peri-urban farmers focus on growing food for urban dwellers. They might focus on livestock such as poultry to provide eggs and meat as well as indigenous vegetables that have a ready market.
In rural areas, food crops serve immediate family needs, and the surplus is sold or stored. There are poultry and vegetables as well but to a lesser extent than peri-urban farmers. In addition, there are other food crops including bananas, potatoes, beans and maize, to a greater extent than peri-urban farmers.
In rural areas, most farmers grow the same types of crops, so the surplus does not always have a ready market. Thus, aggregators seeking to supply major towns with food often transverse these places collecting produce from farmers. It is a major logistical challenge.
Buyers have to travel long distances often on poor roads to fill up their lorry, pay cess fees across counties and take on the risk of transporting perishable commodities. For example, avocados that ripen and spoil during the transportation process are discarded. The remaining fruits still have to compensate for the cost of transport. All these add up to the cost of food in urban areas.
This dual nature of smallholder agriculture poses additional challenges such as: what market are you farming for and what control does the farmer have over the market? Peri-urban farmers have a better grip on their markets and consumer needs. But are rural farmers the invisible party whose work is to produce while someone else dictates market prices and conditions? Is this not the same problem we have with our tea and coffee?
Challenge 4 – Farming as a Side Hustle
Farming is a side job for most small-scale farmers. The farmers are engaged in other economic activities to support themselves financially. In the rural areas, they might own a business – a small eatery or hardware shop in the shopping centre. In peri-urban areas, they might own similar businesses or be employed at a government or private firm.
The farm is not always perceived as a commercial enterprise with considerations about business expenses and revenues. Splitting time between the farm and other economic activities means they are not able to devote much time or even expect much from it. They employ farm managers and labourers to manage it, often leading to “telephone farming,” with its share of mismanagement and misappropriation of resources.
Without taking the farm as a serious commercial activity worth of dedicated time and investment, it is no wonder resources are poured in without matching outputs to show for it. But can they live on farm incomes of a small-scale enterprise only? Probably not.
Challenge 5 – Transportation and Agricultural Logistics – The Middlemen
As implied above, transportation is a challenge for most small-scale farmers. I have tweeted before on the prerequisites of getting into farming – first have access to an almost-free-to use– van/lorry/pickup for transportation. The means of transport factors in two ways:
Taking your farm produce to the market by yourself can mean a difference in the profit made off the farm produce. Without this, then this is where the middlemen or brokers come in. They swarm at individual farmers’ farms dictating the quantities they want and the prices they prefer. Without alternatives, and staring at already spoiling produce, farmers sell their produce at giveaway prices.
Access to means of transportation gives you some alternatives. While taking the produce to the market is not always a viable option – remember farmers have other things to do – it is still an option when you have transport. Peri-urban farmers have found a way around this – loading up produce in their personal cars and selling in the evenings.
Means of transport also make a difference when the other option is to hire. Hiring farm transport can get expensive, especially with the high cost of fuel. This means it increases the cost of operations, eating up on the already marginal profits. Means of transportation – privately owned or shared among small-scale farmers—can minimize costs and maximize profits.
At a small scale, it is imperative to consider the costs of operations as they can rack up fast, turning losses every year. This has discouraged plenty of farmers.
And despair and hopelessness are common among farmers today. How long can you put in the effort every day but still have failed crops and losses every year?
But without a say in the transport and market aspects of their produce, farmers will always be at the mercy of brokers.
Challenge 6 – The Agrovet Model of Farmer Education
When rural or peri-urban small-scale farmers need information about a particular pest on their crops or livestock, they approach the local Agrovet, who then advises them on which product to buy and apply. The Agrovet is king in these types of contexts. They not only supply products, but vital information regarding pest and disease control and crop and livestock management and productivity.
With the breakdown of public-funded extension services, farmers adopt a product-first approach to addressing pest or disease problems. This is not only expensive but also potentially harmful to the farmer, the produce and the environment. With profit incentives in mind, the Agrovet may not always guide the farmer appropriately in the use of pesticides. They might recommend their own products even where a more conservative approach is sufficient.
Without proper guidance on use, disposal and safety, the result is farm produce with higher than recommended levels of pesticide residues, chemical-damaged soils and other consequences on beneficial insects and other members of the farm ecosystem.
Challenge 7 – Traceability and Food Safety Monitoring
As described above, small-holder farming is too fragmented, and with consequences for food safety. It is almost impossible to monitor the produce from each farm – the amount of pesticide residues, storage and post-harvest processes that affect food quality and safety.
When government agencies monitor food safety, they do it at the market level, after it has been aggregated and sold to retailers. It is difficult to trace produce back to the farm it originated from. The alternative, self-regulation, would be too high of an expectation for individual farmers.
On Twitter, we have regular discussions on food safety. I often say trying to “eat healthily” can cause more harm than good. You try to add more leafy greens; they are contaminated with factory/sewage waste. Add more fruits? They have high pesticide residues. More nuts and grains, there’s probably aflatoxin waiting for you.
Large retailers are able to bypass the fragmented nature of small-scale agriculture and source from farmers directly. This way, they have better control over quality and safety, but at a premium price.
Inequalities such as these can cause harm because you not only have to buy the food, but you also have to pay extra for its safety/quality.
Is there a way out?
I believe small-scale agriculture as is now is too impractical to be profitable. The costs of production and operations are high and a lot of the production aspects are still outside a farmer’s control. Huge investments are made in terms of labour, money and time without outputs to show for it. Unless a farmer is growing food for their own personal use, there should be more deliberate efforts to enhance production, minimize costs and ensure the safety of the produce.
As it is, small-scale agriculture would be difficult to reform. But there is a way – to simulate large-scale operation in small-scale settings.
How?
Look out for Part 2 of this series here – The Challenge of Feeding Ourselves– where we will use an example to show how farming zones can simulate large-scale operations in small-scale settings.
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