Maintaining sustainable livelihoods: effects of Utz certification on market access, risk reduction and livelihood strategies of Kenyan coffee farmers

Since the turn of the century, a renewed focus on agriculture and rural development has become visible. For 500 million rural households, representing an estimated 1.5 to 2 billion people worldwide, agriculture remains the main opportunity to find their way out of poverty (Hazell et al., 2010; World Bank, 2007). In order to make development through agriculture happen, farmers need to be able to market their produce at local or global markets. These represent opportunities for income generation, professionalisation and diversification (Ruben et al., 2006). However, risks such as price uncertainties and the requirements and high standards of international markets might raise new barriers for small-scale producers to find suitable outlets (Fafchamps, 2004; Shiferaw et al., 2008; World Bank, 2011).