DETERMINANTS OF THE INFILTRATION OF COUNTERFEIT AGRO-BASED PRODUCTS IN KENYA: A CASE OF SUPPLIERS IN NAIROBI

Agnes Warigia Karingu

School of Human Resource Development, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

Dr. Patrick Karanja Ngugi

School of Human Resource Development, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

ABSTRACT

Counterfeiting involves infringement of intellectual property rights which are private property rights conferred by statutory or common law. These rights include among others patents, trademarks, industrial designs, as well as the artistic and literary works. Counterfeiting affects the fast moving consumer goods and agricultural products are not spared either. This includes counterfeiting of seed, pesticides and fertilizers. This study broadly sought to explore the determinants of the infiltration of counterfeit agro-based products case of Nairobi, Kenya. The study specific objectives were to establish the effect of supply chain dynamics, information flow, consumer characteristics and dynamic technology on infiltration of counterfeit agro-based products. The sample size is drawn from the population of 32 possible enterprises through stratified and simple random sampling. A sample of 16 enterprises is selected and for each 4 respondents interviewed to arrive at 64 respondents. The primary data was collected by use of a questionnaire which was used to record respondents’ responses. The data that was collected is quantitative in nature. The collected data was taken through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The coded data was then analysed using statistical measures such of percentages and mean scores. The results are presented using frequency tables, charts and graphs, the study found that there is relationship between government policies, supply chain dynamics, flow of information on counterfeiting, consumer characteristics and technology based factors on infiltration of counterfeit agro-based products. This study recommends that there is need for the government to strengthen the laws governing counterfeits and ensure their enforcement for more effective control of counterfeits. The study further recommends that agrobased products suppliers need to re- strategize and come up with internal policies that address issues in their supply chains, as well as information flow within the chain and to the users of products.

Full Text PDF Format