CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AND PRODUCTS SALES: ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF BAYER LIFE SCIENCE PROJECT ON SALES OF AGRO-PRODUCTS AMONG SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN WEST POKOT COUNTY, KENYA
Anthony Gitonga Maina - Master of Arts in Communication Studies, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Dr. Silas Oriaso - School of Journalism, University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The general objective of this study was to investigate the impact of CSR on sales of company products. Using Bayer Life Science Project 2017, the study sought to achieve the following specific objectives: to examine the impact of the project on the sales of the ‘belt’ insecticide in West Pokot, to establish the impact of the project on the purchase of new hybrid onion seed variety ‘Matahari F1’ among youthful farmers in West Pokot; and to investigate the impact of project on uptake of new animal health product ‘Bayticol Pour-On’ among smallholder farmers in West Pokot. The study relied on evaluation design with a target population comprising of Bayer East Africa’s sales and marketing staff, the Life Science Project team, agrovet retail shops, key dealers and selected project beneficiaries, approximated at 500 people. The study selected a sample of 200 respondents made up of 160 smallholder farmers drawn using stratified random sampling from three groups of farmers based on the project activities, 36 sales and marketing staff from Bayer and the agrovet dealers in West Pokot, both selected using systematic random sampling from registers provided by the project team, and four members of the project team selected using purposive sampling. Quantitative data from smallholder farmers was collected using survey questionnaires while qualitative data from Bayer sales/marketing team, agrovet dealers and the Bayer Project team were collected using interview schedules. Quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics generated by the Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 and presented in tables while qualitative data was analysed using thematic analysis presented in report and quotations extensively used to augment the survey data. The study found out that all the stakeholders involved in the Life Science Project in West Pokot were aware of the Belt Insecticide and were using it to control insects in plantations of smallholder farmers in West Pokot. The farmers were aware of the goals and activities of the Bayer Life Project. The study also found out that Bayer Life Science Project positively influenced the purchase of ‘Matahari F1’ onion seed variety by increasing the rate of purchase of the onion variety among youth in West Pokot County. The demand for the ‘Matahari F1’ onion seed variety among youth was higher than it was before the project launch in 2017. The study also found that most of the smallholder farmers had adopted the use of Bayticol parasiticides especially by recommending it to be sprayed on the leaves of crops to control weeds and other parasites. The study concluded that corporate social responsibility projects are important in behaviour change. Especially, the Bayer Life Project changed the purchase behaviour of smallholder farmers in West Pokot. The study recommended that other projects on new techniques and practices should be run by the same company to enhance sustainable food production in West Pokot, such as horticulture, fish farming and goat farming for diversification purposes.
