Dataset for: The value chain actors in vegetable, root and tuber crops using digital technology: Consumers, Traders and Farmers

Abstract

The arrival of COVID-19 pandemic has had a far-reaching impact along the agricultural value chains in Kenya. The Kenyan government placed drastic impact measures to flatten the curve of COVID-19 infections, which affected the value chain actors differently. As a way to counter the economic mayhem caused by the pandemic, the usefulness of digital platforms has been amplified in agricultural value chains, especially in vegetables, root and tubers. It is not clear if, how and to what extent the existing digital platforms developed by several private companies or supported by donors have contributed and are still contributing to maintaining agri-food chains functional and securing the livelihoods of associated value chain actors in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC) countries during COVID 19 pandemic. It is on the foregoing that CIP implemented a study to understand the role of digital platforms in maintaining the value chains of vegetable, root and tuber crops functional in the face of COVID-19 pandemic in Kenya. Web-based portal, Android mobile App and USSD Short code services were the main digital platforms of focus. A participatory research methodology was used to integrate the desktop research, key informant/expert interviews, focus group discussion and the Surveys involving various value chain actors along the food value chain i.e., traders, transporters, consumers and farmers. The study adopted mixed method approach with concurrent nested option. Both Quantitative and qualitative data collected were useful in triangulating information and drawing current situation of the indicators needed for making valid conclusion and practical recommendations. Quantitative aspects of the study were collected using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews to solicit primary information from 355 consumers, 100 traders and 370 farmers in the targeted sub-counties selected using multistage sampling technique. Quantitative data obtained was analyzed using Stata version 17 and SPSS version 28.0 to generate descriptive statistics. Conversely, qualitative and quantitative data were collected using extensive literature review. For farmers, the study focused one of the major digital platform i.e., ViaziSoko digital platform that support farmers on sourcing quality inputs, farm machinery and providing access to potato markets. The findings indicated that awareness and use of the digital platforms is still low among farmers. Approximately 32% of the interviewed farmers were aware of the digital platforms. Majority (86.55%) of those aware were medium and large-scale farmers. The use of apps through a mobile phone was the most preferred digital platform by roughly 91% of the farmers. The ease accessing input information/service and awareness of digital application was cited as the inspiration to use the digital platforms. Farmers’ attitude and proactiveness influenced perceived usefulness of the digital platforms. Despite being in existence even before the pandemic, most of the farmers started using digital platforms in response to the pandemic. Relatively, majority of farmers (32.05%) started using digital platforms to access quality seeds, while 12.82% started using digital platforms to access extension and advisory services on GAPs as well as access to market/output information in response to the outbreak of the pandemic. The digital intervention contributed significantly to the increase in the frequency of use of digital platforms. The greatest increase in the frequency was observed in the services related to access to market/output information 3.85% (from 19.23% to 23.08%), extension and advisory services on GAPs 6.41% (from 16.67% to 23.08%) as well as pest and disease advisory services 6.41% (from 12.82% to 19.23%) respectively. The digital platform showed a gradual role in bridging the gap in terms of input access by farmers during the pandemic and approximately 95% of the interviewed farmers confirmed their intention to continue using the digital platforms (ViaziSoko) beyond the pandemic. For traders, the study focused on traders who procured roots and tubers, and vegetables from Twiga foods digital platform. Results revealed that most traders had procured their supplies over the mobile phone (91%) and through online platform (81%). On average, a single trader was dealing in 16 different products. More proportions of traders were dealing in vegetables compared to roots and tubers across the three time periods of analysis. Fear or worry of getting infected with COVID-19 and liquidity constrain were the major threat affecting the business. Most of the traders procured their supplies from Nakuru before and during COVID-19 (77.97% and 88.52%). The increase in supplies during COVID-19 for Nakuru was as a result of supplies from Twiga foods. Other traders procured their supplies from Nyandurua, Meru and Narok. The amount of vegetables and fruits sold to direct consumers, brokers/agents and sold to other outlets increased during COVID-19. Most traders (90.12%) started using online platform and 82.35% social media in response to the pandemic. Despite being the most adopted strategy in response to the pandemic, about 15% of traders are likely to cease or reduce the use of mobile phones to procure their supplies.  Major sales and distribution strategies used in response to the pandemic are sales and distribution through social media (54.55%) and online platform (66.67%). Majority of traders (86%) reported to have made payments and financing electronically followed by advancing products as in-kind/trade creditors (73%) and lending cash to business partners (72%). Change in business working hours to avoid curfew and travel restrictions (90%) as well as the use of own savings to support business operation (86%) were the major business adaptation strategies used by traders. For consumers, about 41% of consumers used digital platforms to purchase fruits and vegetables. Out of those who used the digital platform, 97% used mobile application. Convenience (95.86%) and fear of health-related complication (84.83%) were the major motivational factors to use digital platforms. COVID-19 pandemic increased the demand for digital platforms among 85% of the consumers (where 63% started using and 22% increased the use digital platforms). About 81% of consumers were mainly using digital platforms to access market information. Consumer willingness to adopt the digital platform was positively influenced by group membership  and negatively by age, education level of the household head and dependency ratio. Most consumers (76.56%) purchased fruits and vegetables from designated points followed by local retailers in the neighborhood (49.26%). Digital platforms gained popularity with the pandemic compared to the channels (from 13.35% to 38.53%). Also, street car booths (2.83%) was a new channel during the pandemic. Despite reducing popularity during the pandemic, designated markets channel supported about 48% of the proportion of purchase. Users of digital platform experienced fluctuating but above average in the weekly expenditure compared to their counterparts. Change in price of the vegetables and fruits reported by 90.54% was the major contributor to the fluctuation. All consumers used mobile money transfer to make pay for fruits and vegetables purchased.  In terms of entrepreneurial behavior, proactiveness and Innovativeness positively and significantly influenced perceived behavioral control. This implies that the more a consumer acts in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes and use of new ideas or methods, the more they will think of themselves as having the efficacy to use the digital platforms in purchasing vegetables. Attitude positively and significantly influence perceived usefulness implying that the more favorable a consumer’s opinion of the vegetables purchasing digital tool is, the more the consumer will view the tool as useful. Perceived behavioral control influenced perceived usefulness positively implying that the more a consumer considered himself/herself to have the ability to use the vegetables purchasing digital tool, the higher he/she will consider the tool as useful. Subjective norm was also found to positively and significantly influence perceived usefulness meaning that the more positive the consumer’s peers’ opinion about the vegetables purchasing digital tool is, the more the consumer will view the tool as useful.