Stated Farmers’ Preferences and Willingness to Pay for Climate Resilient Potato Varieties in Kenya : A Discrete Choice Experiment

Despite sustained efforts by various research organizations in developing and disseminating climate resilient varieties, adoption of climate resilient potato varieties (CRPVs) remains low in Sub-Saharan Africa. This has been majorly attributed to limited coordination between formal research institutions and farmers hence sidelining farmers’ preferences especially smallholder farmers. Considering farmer preferences in the breeding process may yield optimal combination of varietal attributes hence increasing adoption. Therefore, this study used a discrete choice experiment to investigate farmers’ preferences and mean Willingness to Pay (WTP) for various attributes of CRPV. Results indicate that farmers have a strong preference for high resistance to pests and diseases as compared to other attributes which include low water requirements, short maturation period and high yield. Despite farmers preferring low prices for CRPV attributes, we also note that they were low price responsive. This study emphasizes on the need for participatory breeding efforts that embed traits preferred by farmers hence satisfying the demands of different population segments based on age, gender and education level