Abstract:
Production and sale of livestock in Kenya has been changing in terms
of quantity over time. As population, urbanization and income growth
increases, pastoral livestock keepers should be able to respond to
potential increases in demand for livestock and livestock products
by releasing small ruminants into the market. This study critically
examines the sales decisions of the rural livestock keepers in the arid
and semi arid lands (ASALS) of Kenya by analyzing the significant
determinants of the market participation decisions in small ruminants
market by the pastoral livestock keepers. The study was carried out in
Isiolo and Marsabit Districts where data were drawn by interviewing
a sample of 250 livestock keepers through administration of structured
questionnaires in July 2010. These were supplemented with secondary
data from libraries and government offices in the study area. The two
step selectivity model was used to analyze the data collected from the
study.
The study results show that road conditions to the markets, price for
small ruminants, group membership, cash relief, credit facilities and
the herd size are the significant determinants of market participation
decisions by livestock keepers. The study recommends that in order
to increase participation of livestock keepers in the small ruminant
market, it is imperative to improve the conditions the of the roads,
discourage reliance of pastoralists in relief by promoting diversification
of activities in the ASALS and motivate pastoralists to be commercially
