Determinants of production and innovation of maize processing tools by jua kali artisans in Trans-Nzoia County, Kenya

Abstract

About 82 percent of Sub-Saharan Africa’s people still live in rural areas, earning their living primarily in farming. Relative to other world regions, the informal labor market and the number of informal enterprises is the largest and have been most prevalent. In Kenya, Jua kali industry is part of small enterprises that provide employment and serves as a pivot for economic growth and development of an industrial base in Kenya. Despite this critical role, the industry is faced with many challenges that inhibit the realization of its full potential, the key challenge being lack of access to diffusing technology to enhance their productivity. Large scale farmers of the products such as maize have suffered losses which could have been avoided. Failure to use tools of technology contributes to unavailability, affordability and lack of knowledge among farmers on their use in maize processing. The main purpose of the study was to find out the determinants of Jua kali artisans production on innovation of tools for maize processing in Trans-Nzoia County. The study was guided by the following specific objective; find out how skills and competences influence innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing, establish how training and outreach influence innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing, analyze how access to financial resources influence innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing and examine how policy and regulations influence innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing in Trans Nzoia County. The study was guided by the Resource Based View Theory. This study adopted a survey research design.The target population consisted of 400 Jua kali artisans and 457 large scale farmers. The total target population was 875 respondents. The study employed stratified sampling and simple random sampling to pick a sample of 196 artisans and 210 farmers as respondents to the study. The total sample size was 406 respondents.The study employed the use of questionnaires to collect the data for the study. Data analysis was done through descriptive and inferential statistics. The study results indicated that there was a significant relationship between skills and competences and innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing in Trans Nzoia County (β = 0.192, p = 0.002), a significant relationship between training and outreach and innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing in Trans Nzoia County (β = 0.143, p = 0.000), no significant relationship between access to financial resources and innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing in Trans Nzoia County (β = 0.063, p = 0.118) and a significant relationship between policy and regulations and innovation of Jua Kali tools for maize processing in Trans Nzoia County (β = 0.321, p = 0.000). The study concluded that, on objective one, how skills and competences influence innovation, development of skills and competencies requires some form of training. On training and outreach, the study concluded that farmers teach each other on how to use tools and technologies in maize farming. In terms of accessing financial resources, the study concluded that the county has a kitty for us to help Jua Kali artisans operate and then return funds issued and in relation to policy and regulations to the industry, the final objective, the study concluded that there are high taxes on their products on their products. The study made the following research recommendations; County governments and national governments should continue providing TVETs, bursaries and other forms of support to technical institutions in counties to ensure that the TVETs are able to enroll, train and graduate as many youths with special skills and with the required competency levels.