Determinants of farmers' participation in oyster mushroom production in Swaziland: Implications for promoting a non-conventional agricultural enterprise

Despite receiving substantial support from the public and private sectors, the mushroom industry in Swaziland is still characterised by extremely low production volumes largely because few farmers have opted to include the mushroom enterprise in their farming systems. Considering the prevailing conditions that favour oyster mushroom production, there is a need to understand why many farmers are not engaged in this enterprise. This study uses cross-section data to identify factors that influence farmers' decisions of whether or not to participate in oyster mushroom production. Using two-stage probit least squares and two-stage conditional maximum likelihood estimation procedures, the results indicate that apart from the level of farm diversification and farmers' perceptions towards mushrooms, decisions of whether or not to produce are influenced mainly by institutional factors. Bearing in mind that mushrooms are not plants but fungi, farmers are bound to have mixed perceptions towards the enterprise and these perceptions are likely to have an influence on its acceptability. However, as established from the results, with improved awareness, training and mentoring, farmers are likely to develop positive attitudes as they would understand the circumstances associated with the production of edible mushrooms. Evidence drawn from this study suggests that policy interventions aimed at creating an enabling environment for the enterprise may remain ineffective unless they are paralleled by improvements in rural infrastructure and access to markets.