Evaluation of Factors Affecting Ability to Engage Linkage in Maize Consumption for Farmer Households in Son La Province

This study aimed to analyze the situation of linkage in maize consumption in Son La province and the factors affecting ability to engage linkage in maize consumption for farmer households. 536 maize production households and 26 local stafts in Son La province were interviewed by using direct investigation tools such as stuctureedquestionairescombined with participatory rural appraisal (PRA). Descriptive statistics was used to analyze the situation of linkage in maize consumption in Son La while econometric model (probit model) was employed to evaluate factors affecting ability to engage linkage for households. The research results showed that therewas asignificant difference in income from maize production among households engaging linkage with households who were not involved. However, the linkage of maize consumption in Son La was employed at the simple levelof oral negotiation. The involvement inthe commitment to linkageimplementationwas not strong enough about the legality, leadingto a lack of sustainability. Another results illustrated that the factors belongingto the characteristics of individual householdsand the headsof household,such as education level, ethnic group, social position,andscale maize production hadsignificant positive impact on maize household’s ability to engage in the linkage in maize consumption, whereas some other factors hadsignificant negative effects, including number of household members and houshold’s processing activities.