Cautious
Independents
24% of Kenyan women farmers | 3.4 million people
cautious, familial, agentic
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SEGMENT OVERVIEW
Cautious Independents,
by the numbers
Cautious Independents are mostly lower to middle income rural married women with high income volatility relying on farming and social support. Approximately 3.4 million (24% of Kenyan female farmers) fall in this segment.
Cautious Independents
Women Farmer Average
AGE (25-44)
42%
58%
SOCIOECONOMIC (SES 1-3)
80%
74%
INCOME FROM FARMING
37%
40%
Driven by their circumstances, Cautious Independents are less financially healthy than female farmers and Kenyans on average. Due to their low and volatile income, they face frequent struggles with expenses and emergencies, as well as planning and saving to build financial cushions. Their economic struggles likely constrain their ability to focus on long-term financial plans and goals.
Financial Behavior & Attitudes
SAVINGS BEHAVIOR & ATTITUDES
Although Cautious Independents save, they save the least frequently due to their high income volatility. They tend to believe that they make too little money to save for the future.
SAVINGS ACCOUNTS
Cautious Independents use fewer savings channels than all other female segments. But they still manage to save at least quarterly or more, saving with family and in the home, driven by their need for liquidity.
BORROWING BEHAVIOR & ATTITUDES
Cautious Independents are active borrowers, likely to cover any shortfalls in earnings and to meet expenses. Yet they perceive themselves as low in dependability and are less comfortable with debt than other segments.
BORROWING ACCOUNTS
Cautious Independents prefer to borrow through family sources, with over three quarters having done so in the past year. Less than a fifth borrow using mobile wallets and one-sixth do so from informal financial groups and friends.
Cautious Independents
Women Farmer Average
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES
How might we create products and services
for Cautious Independents that...
Support Aspirations
to Build Assets
Offer a layaway “investment” product, positioned as a mechanism to protect savings
Smoothen High
Income Volatility
Provide income smoothing loans that provide low minimums and high flexibility
Build Self-Esteem
and Trust
Provide positive reinforcement and recognition and simplify messaging
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This Kenyan Women Farmer segment analysis was completed through the support of Mercy Corps AgriFin Accelerate and Safaricom.