Private sector responses to public sector policy reforms: The case of fertilizer and maize market development in Kenya

This report by the International Food Policy Research Institute has reviewed factors responsible for the growth of fertiliser use and maize productivity in Kenya since the early 1990s. The results stem from a general liberalisation of the sector and are mixed, showing a complex web of relations between private sector maize producers, smallholder farmers, donors, and policy and regulatory environments. Section four gives a helpful summary of interventions and policy reforms, alongside private sector responses to these reforms. This report is helpful for anyone wanting to understand the impact of investing in market infrastructure and policy reform on smallholder agriculture.