Thesis:

Influence of strategic business collaboration on Performance of small-scale coffee farming in Kisii county, Kenya

Strategic business collaboration among small –scale farmers can lead to enhanced production efficiency. By pooling resources, sharing knowledge, and collectively investing in better farming practices, farmers can significantly improve their yield. These collaborative approaches allow for the optimization of the coffee production process, from prating to harvesting which directly influence overall performance of farms. Strategic business collaborations have been one way organizations can overcome some or all of the difficulties and remain in business while maintaining competitive advantages in positioning the market. Current research aimed to ascertain influence of strategic business collaboration on performance of small-scale coffee cultivation in Kisii County Kenya. This study was anchored on four theories including resource based view theory, social capital theory, stakeholder theory and trait theory and how they relate to strategic business collaboration and performance. The study adopted descriptive study design. The target population was all managers and farmers in Kisii County members of Gusii Coffee Farmers’ Cooperative Union (GCFCU). The study adopted a census sampling where all members of the population were studied in an attempt to gather information about every member of the population. Where there is very small population there is need to deliver the most accurate result the sample was arrived by dividing the population into two strata: farmers and managers. The research was randomly selected one of farmers from each of the 28 primary cooperatives within the GCFCU based on register provided by manager. All cooperative managers were included since they were key informants. This approach ensured a diverse representation from each cooperative and included the perspectives of both farmers and managers. Final sample was 56. The major findings were that strategic alliance, joint ventures innovative networking and structural adaptation have a positive impact on various aspects of small-scale coffee in Kisii County. The study vi concluded that strategic collaboration strategies support performance in agriculture, including financial incentives and technical assistance. The research recommended that; the government and non-governmental organizations need to be encourages; there is a need to encourage the formation and strengthening of strategic alliances amongst small-scale coffee farmers to continue reaping the benefit of improved. Encourage more small-scale coffee farmers to enter into joint ventures to leverage the benefits of improved prices, market access and enhanced reputation.