Influence of Agricultural Extension Services on the Adoption of Selected Modern Marketing Practices among Mango Producers in Makueni County, Kenya

Agricultural Extension

Mango yields about 40% of fruit production around the globe; thus, it plays a significant role in enhancing food security and economic growth. Therefore, mango producers need to adopt more efficient and effective marketing practices to boost their profitability. Modern marketing practices (MMPs), though costlier than traditional marketing practices, are more efficient and have a greater market reach. Nevertheless, the adoption of MMPs among mango producers is still very low. The study aimed to determine the influence of agricultural extension service factors on the adoption of MMPs among mango producers in Makueni County. The study employed a descriptive survey research design targeting 28,982 producers. A stratified sampling was utilized, selecting 395 producers from three strata based on farm size (small farm size, medium farm size, and large farm size). A structured questionnaire was used, with face validity from experts and pilot testing, ensuring validity, while Cronbach alpha was used to check reliability, with a coefficient ranging between 0.8 and 0.90. Training types of agricultural extension services (B = -0.319, S.E. = 0.265, Wald = 1.449, p = 0.029, OR = 1.727) and the satisfaction with training sessions (B = 0.054, S.E. = 0.328, Wald = 0.027, p = 0.019, OR = 1.056) influenced the adoption of modern marketing practices significantly (p < 0.05). Farmer-to-farmer direct sales and local market marketing had the highest scores of 73.43% and 98.52%, respectively. Promotional campaigns and product differentiation received low scores due to high transactional costs. Overall, agricultural extension factors have a positive influence on marketers’ adoption of modern practices. The study emphasizes the need to increase and refine training programs needed for the integration of advanced marketing.

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