Socio-economic factors affecting profitability of sorghum farming in Siaya County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite the nutritional benefits of sorghum and its ability to thrive in the low and unpredictable rainfall conditions in Siaya County, farmers in the area have not widely adopted it as a viable enterprise. In this paper, we study profitability of sorghum production and its determinant factors in Siaya County, Kenya. By randomly sampling 310 farmers, the paper shows that sorghum farming in Siaya County is profitable, with an average gross margin of Kshs. 4,286 per acre and the most profitable farm having a gross margin of Kshs. 24,000 per acre. Moreover, the factors such as the age and education level of the household head, household size, household income, access to extension services, the number of crops intercropped with sorghum, and the nature of farming have significant impacts on gross margins. Thus, the study recommends improving extension services; encouraging farmers to embrace sustainable farming practices such as mixed farming; and incentivizing farmers into sorghum farming.