The influence of market access on grain legume adoption and intensity in African small-holder households

Barnes, A.P., Hammond, J., Muoni, T. and Duncan, A. 2026. The influence of market access on grain legume adoption and intensity in African small-holder households. Agricultural Systems 233:104647.

Context: Grain legumes have been promoted to support nutrition, soil quality and income growth. However, uptake is generally low across African smallholders and a number of studies have identified lack of market access for legumes as a main constraint.

Objective: The study employs a cross-sectional dataset of 20,218 smallholder households across 10 African countries to explore the level of legume intensity and the characteristics and determinants of adoption.

Methods: An indicator of grain legume intensity is derived on individual plot areas. To accommodate both the high amounts of non-adoption and the differences in the distribution of intensity observed by country we employ a zero-inflated beta regression.

Results and conclusions: There is little diversity in grain legume species planted, though Kenya has the most diversity in legumes grown. Mean legume cultivation intensity ranges from 8% of total cropping area to over 25% in Zambia and Ethiopia. The influence of market access for legumes is a strong and significant predictor of intensity. Conversely, we find the presence of markets for cash crops reduces the incentive to adopt legumes.

Significance: Development strategies should combine household-level interventions with broader market-oriented approaches, as improving legume market access is essential for scaling legume production and enhancing food security, income diversification, and ecological resilience across the region. By analysing a large sample of households across diverse agro-ecological zones, we provide generalizable evidence that complements localized studies. Estimating the decision to both cultivate and intensify legumes within the same model reveals a duality that emphasizes the need for targeted interventions to strengthen legume markets.