Agricultural commercialisation in Meru County, Kenya: What are the policy implications?

Abstract

Our study aimed to engage these debates. The study was carried out in Kenya’s Meru County and examined three agricultural farming models: outgrowers, medium-scale commercial farms and a plantation. This was part of the ‘Land and Agricultural Commercialisation in Africa’ research project conducted in Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. The study provides a comparative perspective across the models on land, labour, employment, livelihoods and economic linkages. It used a mixed methods approach, including qualitative and quantitative methods and detailed life histories.