Department of Agricultural Education and Agriculture Economics

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Adoption of cattle manure for banana production by farmers in Mbarara district, Uganda
(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2018-11) Namara, Hope
Bananas are the main staple food crop grown in Mbarara District but production is threatened by Mbarara's declining soil fertility. Cattle manure has a potential of improving soil fertility as it is available and affordable through the good supply from the high cattle population of the area compared to scarce & costly inorganic fertilizers. In addressing the problem, the aim was to find out the rate of cattle manure adoption for increasing banana yields. A sample size of 226 respondents was used for the study consisting of 214 banana farmers randomly selected and 12 change agents deployed in the area taken whole. The four sub counties used were selected through stratified sampling picking the best performing in banana production. Data was collected using interview guides, questionnaires, and focus group discussion guides. Statistical package for social scientists Version 21 .0 was used to compute frequencies, percentages, means and r values. Qualitative data from interviews and focused group discussions was analyzed through open coding according to themes. The findings revealed that 77% of the banana farmers regularly applied cattle manure with more than half (50%) of them applying it with kitchen refuse. The study also revealed a relationship between farmers ' socio-economic characteristics and cattle manure adoption by farmers which was largely determined by farmer's age, education level, marital status, income source and sex of the farmer. Additionally, others were perceived benefits of cattle manure, distance to the road for ferrying manure and produce, desire to improve soil fertility and land ownership. Using Pearson r values, the results further revealed that cattle manure adoption had a relationship at 0.05 alpha with banana bunch size in kg (r=.632*) and with yield in kg ha.1(r=.740*). The associations of cattle manure adoption with socio-economic characteristics gave further r values as age (r=.914*), education level (r=.878*), and distance to the road for ferrying manure and produce (r= .906*). The study concluded that 77% of the banana farmers regularly applied cattle manure. Based on qualitative data and r values, cattle manure adoption by farmers was influenced by key factors such as age, education level, marital status, income source, and distance to the road for ferrying manure/produce. Adoption of cattle manure was certainly an advantage in increasing banana yields. The study recommends more collective efforts by relevant agencies supported by the government in training the fanners to adopt more use of cattle manure.
Farmers' and agricultural advisers' perceptions on the role of education in sweet potato (ipomoea batatas l.) production in Teso, Uganda
(Egerton University (unpublished work), 2003-08) Epeju, William . F;
Poor husbandry, low use of improved inputs and limited access to technical advice are likely to be related to a farmer's education. Forty-six percent of Teso farmers are literate, but the literacy rate of men (66%) is higher than of women (34%). The study investigated the role of education in sweet potato production. Using an ex post facto research design, 24 out of 51 sub-counties were randomly selected based on district county strata and used to determine the perceptions of sweet potato farmers and their agricultural advisers. Through interviews, observations and questionnaires, the survey covered 288 farmers and 33 agricultural advisers, while 329 community leaders and fanners were engaged in focus group discussions. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected and analysed qualitatively using open and axial coding; and quantitatively using means, frequencies, percentages, t-test, ANOVA, and multiple regression at a confidence level of 0.05 alpha. Six sweet potato productivity indicators (output per ha, output per person, output per shilling spent, income per ha, income per person, and income per shilling spent) and their levels were established. Indigenous technical knowledge was the chief source of the farmers' knowledge and skills used in growing sweet potatoes. Farmers with 1-4 years of primary schooling excelled in output per person, output per shilling and income per shilling. Farmers with 13-18 years of formal education and those who had contact with agricultural extension excelled in output per ha, income per ha and income per person. Primary schooling, secondary and college training facilitated in crop production and business management while agricultural extension and university facilitated better soil management. Farmers without formal education achieved lower productivity. Therefore, stakeholders should invest more in relevant farmers' education.
Farmers' knowledge of and attitudes towards the use of inorganic fertilizers for Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) production in Kabale district, Uganda
(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2018-07) Rusagura, Joseph
Irish potato (Solanum tuberosum) is the fourth most significant food crop in the world after rice, maize and wheat. However, Irish potato production in Uganda is low with an average yield of 3 tonnes ha-1 without fertilizer use. This is ascribed to high soil nutrient mining coupled with low inorganic fertilizer use. In Kabale District, for example, farmers apply low rates (41.5kg-67.2kg/ha) compared to the recommended application rate of 120kg - 2 l 5kg/ha. There are a number of reasons for the low inorganic fertilizer use, including farmers' knowledge and attitudes. Therefore, the study assessed the farmers' knowledge and attitudes towards the use of inorganic fertilizer for Irish potato production in Kabale District. The target population comprised 363 farmers randomly selected, and 3 Agricultural officers with 4 suppliers of fertilizers purposively selected providing a sample size of 370 respondents. In testing the instruments, validity was found as 0.91 and reliability was found as 0.81. Validity and reliability coefficients were higher than 0.7, Cronbach Alpha which means that the instruments used were valid and reliable. A cross sectional survey design involving interviews and structured questionnaires was used. The results show that majority of respondents (60 .6%) use inorganic fertilizers. NPK is the most commonly used inorganic fertilizer. In terms of quantity, nearly one half (49%) of respondents applied 50kgs/ha while 65 .8% reported lack of sufficient technical knowledge in the use of inorganic fertilizer. The results revealed that there is a positive relationship between three knowledge variables and Irish potato yield as shown respectively (0.868, 0.684, 0.890, p-value<0.01). The results also show that farmers' attitudes were significantly positive to the use of inorganic fertilizers (r=0.417, p<0.05). The socio-economic variables examined were found to influence positively both knowledge and attitudes of the farmers in the use of fertilizers. Based on these results, it was concluded that farmers in Kabale used low fertilizer application rates and lacked sufficient knowledge but the attitudes were positive towards the use of inorganic fertilizer application needed to achieve high yields. It is, therefore, recommended that more sensitization and provision of technical services on inorganic fertilizer use be done and that the Government of Uganda should develop a mechanism for improving the accessibility of inorganic fertilizers by the farmers.
The relationship between climate variability and smallholder farmers’ common bean yield in northern Uganda
(Kyambogo University [unpublished work], 2022-11) Obong, David
Climate variability poses detrimental effects on both nature and society, it is a global challenge that requires immediate attention if the world's 9 billion people are to be supported by sustainable use of the environment. The study examined the relationship between climate variability and smallholder farmers’ common bean yield in Northern Uganda. The study's specific objectives were to examine common bean smallholder farmers' perceptions of climate variability, assess the relationship between temperature change and smallholder farmers' common bean yield, and assess the relationship between rainfall variability and smallholder farmers' common bean yield in Northern Uganda. The study employed cross-sectional research and mixed methodology designs involving 160 smallholder farmers actively planting common bean. The sample was selected using stratified, random, and criterion-based purposive sampling techniques. To gather primary data for this study, an interviewer-administered paper survey, focus groups, and in-depth interviews were used. To evaluate quantitative data, descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation were used. Qualitative data was used to validate and supplement the narratives based on the quantitative findings. The findings revealed that common bean smallholder farmers are aware of and have experienced a rise in temperature and rainfall amount over the past 12 years that is unfavourable for the production of common beans. The null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between changes in temperature and common bean yield is retained. In addition, the null hypothesis that there is no significant relationship between rainfall variability and common bean yield is retained. Thus, the low common bean yield experienced by smallholder common bean farmers in Northern Uganda is a result of other factors that this study did not focus on, like soil conditions, agronomic practices, pests, and diseases, among others. The investigator recommends that public and private agencies and agricultural extension workers tasked with enhancing the potentials of smallholder farmers should use and tap into the farmers' experiences with climate variability to inform climate variability training programmes. Further, build the capacity of common bean smallholder farmers to adapt and mitigate the effects of climate change and variability on common bean production and productivity. The capacity-building process should be holistic and integrate a host of other factors with a bearing on low yield, like soil conditions, agronomic practices, pests, and diseases, among others.

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