Work

Does entrepreneurial orientation influence the adoption intensity of climate-smart dairy strategies? Evidence from smallholder farmers in Central Kenya

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction The dairy value chain in Kenya is important for income generation and food security, yet smallholder farmers face increasing challenges due to climate change. Climate-smart dairy strategies (CSDS), including improved breeds, feed improvement, health, and manure management, offer promising pathways to enhance productivity and environmental sustainability. While studies have focused on socio-economic factors influencing the adoption of these strategies, the role of entrepreneurial orientation remains underexplored. Entrepreneurial orientation is important in decision-making and enabling agripreneurs to capitalize on growth opportunities. Methods This study addresses this gap by assessing the influence of five dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation, namely risk-taking, innovativeness, proactiveness, autonomy, and competitive aggressiveness, on the adoption intensity of CSDS among 385 smallholder dairy farmers in Central Kenya. The study used a cross-sectional research design and a generalised ordered logit model. Results and Discussion The results reveal that autonomy and risk-taking significantly increase the likelihood of adopting CSDS ( P <0.01) and that various control variables shape them. Autonomy enables farmers to make independent strategic choices, while risk-taking allows them to experiment with CSDS despite uncertainty. Policy interventions should strengthen farmers’ entrepreneurial capacity by promoting training and extension programs that build confidence, decision-making autonomy, and willingness to adopt CSDS. These findings offer clear and actionable recommendations to boost CSDS uptake and support sustainable agriculture in Kenya and other Sub-Saharan African countries.

Source: Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

DOI: 10.3389/fsufs.2025.1569193

Authors: Naomi Chebiwot Chelang’a, Mary Mathenge, Dickson Okello Otieno, Maria Sassi

Institutions: Egerton University, University of Pavia

Language: English

Topic: Agricultural Innovations and Practices

Subfield: General Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Zero hunger, Decent work and economic growth

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,353