Risk Factor Assessment of the Smallholder Baby Vegetable Production in Eswatini

Abstract

The transition from subsistence to commercial production poses uncertainty and risks that require putting in place adaptive systems. Such systems are imperative for agricultural production where weather and food markets are always changing. Disregarding risk factors has a cumulative negative impact on the intended outcomes. The marginality of smallholder farmers’ operational environment renders them limited to strive without government interventions. Research has proven that smallholder farmers face numerous challenges in vegetable value chains. The study sought to identify and characterise smallholder growers risk factors when producing for this value chain. A sequential mixed-method research design was adopted, and data collected from fifty-eight growers from three producer groups in the Manzini and Hhohho regions. Discriminant analysis validated the heterogeneity of respondents using the experience on risk factors. The growers were significantly affected by market and production risks. The clustered growers had a high probability of losses in the value of the harvest whereas the private growers had a high probability of yield changes. Fruit size and postharvest handling contributed to changes in the value of the harvest. An improved cold chain system could enable symmetry in the harvest scheduling and grade information as well as prompt payments. Interventions toward enabling access and use of quality farm inputs would curb yield variations. Future research could quantify yield losses at each stage of postharvest handling toward informing the risk management strategy.