Factors influencing cattle market participation in Mangeti Block, Oshikoto region, Namibia

Abstract

This study investigates the socio-economic and institutional factors influencing cattle marketing decisions among smallholder farmers in Mangeti Block, Oshikoto Region, Namibia, with the objectives of (i) identifying key determinants of livestock marketing and (ii) assessing the constraints to participation in formal cattle markets. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed using primary data collected from 46 randomly selected farmers. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used to examine household characteristics and variable associations, while multiple regression analysis quantified the effects of explanatory variables on participation across auction, open market, and farm-gate channels. A multinomial logistic regression model, with auction as the base outcome, was further applied to analyse determinants of market channel choice, complemented by likelihood ratio tests to assess differences across outlets. The results show that community auction participation and labour availability significantly increase auction sales. Open market participation is significantly influenced by community auction participation, education, gender, and farm size, while farm-gate sales are positively influenced by labour availability. The multinomial logit results indicate that education, farm size, community auction participation, and remedies significantly influence open market choice relative to auctions. For farm-gate sales, distance to auction, community auction participation, gender, farm size, and non-farm income significantly reduce participation, while labour, education, and borehole access increase it. The model demonstrates strong explanatory power, and predicted probabilities show that auctions are the dominant marketing channel, followed by open markets and farm-gate sales, with likelihood ratio tests confirming significant differences across outlets. The findings demonstrate that market participation is characterised by an interaction of institutional access, household capacity, and infrastructural constraints; therefore, policy interventions should prioritise strengthening collective marketing institutions, improving rural transport and market infrastructure, and enhancing market literacy through 9 education and extension services to promote formal market participation, improve producer incomes, and support sustainable livestock commercialisation.