Consumer Preference for Quality in Three Leafy Vegetables in Kenya

African indigenous vegetables are an important source of nutrition and income for smallholder farmers in Kenya.  There is a growing urban market for these vegetables that is divided between the traditional informal markets (e.g. open air markets) and the rapidly expanding formal markets, or supermarkets.  Though our results suggest that the growing formal market includes fewer smallholder farmers, there is an opportunity for increased profits for growers able to meet the needs of urban consumers.  Though grading of produce and investment in postharvest handling is limited, this study showed a strong consumer preference for high quality leafy vegetables at a premium price.  A choice experiment approach was used to evaluate consumer preference for high quality in three Kenyan cities for three vegetable species: nightshade (Solanum spp.), spider plant (Cleome gynandra), and amaranth (Amaranthus spp.).  Female consumers and those who generally spend more on produce were more likely to select high quality vegetables, but this tendency varied depending on the species of vegetable being purchased.  Consumers were more likely to choose high quality nightshade in the market if they also had a home garden.  Preference for high quality spider plant varied between surveyed cities to a greater extent than for either nightshade or amaranth.  Contrary to previous literature reports, no differences occurred in preference patterns among consumers in informal and formal markets.  These results suggest that growers who invest in postharvest handing or grading produce may be able to charge a premium for these indigenous vegetables.  Growers should also consider the differences between consumer preference for each of these vegetables when marketing their product in order to best address these market gaps.  Overall, our results show that 71% of consumers surveyed chose at least one high quality vegetable at a premium price, indicating that urban consumers in Kenya are willing to pay more for African leafy vegetables of the best quality.  If smallholder farmers can fill this unmet demand, they may be able to increase their profits and avoid exclusion from the changing urban market for fresh produce.