Constraints to agricultural transformation in Yumbe district, Uganda

Abstract

This book chapter analysed the constraints to agricultural transformation, focussing on Yumbe district in Uganda. Since the 1980s, many resources have been devoted to agricultural sector by the government and donor community with the aim of transforming it from predominantly subsistence to one where farmers produce for the market. This was expected to take place with increased farmers’ adoption of modern farming technologies. Scientists developed a number of technologies with a hope that once they are introduced to the farmers,they would be readily adopted. This has not been the case. The uptake of the modern technologies has not been impressive. Even where adoption has taken place, it is on a piecemeal basis. Therefore there is a need to examine the factors that have led to the low rate of technology uptake and hence limited agricultural transformation in the country. The data collection methods used in this study included questionnaires, interviews, direct observation and document review. The study covered the social and economic conditions of the farming communities that are hypothesised to be limiting the uptake of technologies that would lead to agricultural modernisation. The study analysed the relationship between the socio-economic factors and adoption to modern farming technologies. The chi-square test was used to establish whether there were significant differences in education level, membership to farmer organisations/farmer groups, family size, etc. between adopters and non-adopters of modern farming technologies and hence agricultural transformation. Multiple regression was used to establish the most important factors influencing agricultural transformation in the area. The findings indicated that the most important factors influencing farmers’ adoption of modern farming technologies and hence agricultural transformation are membership to agricultural organisation and cost of inputs. It can be concluded that the government and other organisations promoting agricultural modernisation should encourage farmers to form groups where they learn modern methods. It should also provide subsidies to farm input so that they are affordable to the farmers.