CAPACITY BUILDING AND WOMEN LEADERSHIP IN FARMERS’ COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN KENYA

Abstract

Kenyan economy predominantly depends on small holder agriculture which supports about 80% of the population. Farmer organizations play a fundamental role in harnessing the capacities of economically weak farmers through collective bargaining power. Women farmers play a critical role in provision of agricultural labor and hence food and nutritional security as well as economic development of their households and communities. Besides, women farmers form a considerable proportion of members of the cooperatives. However, their contribution and benefiting from both agriculture and in the farmer organizations is hindered by various socio-cultural factors. Women often have limited opportunities to participate in governance and management of the cooperatives with reason being lack of capacity to undertake the roles therein. However, development proponents have progressively made different efforts including capacity building aimed at changing this situation in the agricultural sector. The objective of the study is ‘To determine the effect of capacity building programmes on performance of women leadership in farmer cooperative in Kenya.The specific objectives of the study are: to evaluate the effect of governance training on women leadership and to assess the effect of financial management training on women leadership. The study utilized descriptive research design and survey method focusing on farmer cooperative societies in Kericho County. The target population was 15,000 registered members from farmer cooperative organizations in Kenya from which a study sample of 397 respondents selected through simple random sampling. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires and interview schedules while secondary data was collected through literature review of documents such as capacity development reports. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics, thematic and content analysis. Pearson regression test was utilized to establish the relationships between capacity building programmes and performance of women leadership in farmer cooperative societies. The findings indicated that there is a moderately positive association (that is statistically significant) between governance training and women leadership as revealed by a correlation coefficient value (r) = 0.573 and p value =0.001. The results also revealed that there exists a moderately positive association between financial management training and women leadership demonstrated by coefficient value (r = 0.563 and p=0.001). It can be concluded that capacity building has a positive influence on the performance of women leaders in farmer cooperatives.