A Study on Measures to Promote Rural Community Empowerment Project for Residents in Jinja, Uganda: Focused on On-Site Investigation on the Feasibility of Creating a Tourism Agriculture Complex

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to strengthen rural community empowerment by creating a tourism farm as a plan to reduce relative poverty and to improve the quality of life by creating jobs and increasing the income of local residents in underdeveloped countries. To do so, literature review, stakeholder interviews, on-site investigations, focus-group interviews, a project meeting for residents and a questionnaire survey were performed and analyzed and the results were as follows. First, Uganda has the potential to increase agricultural production based on its warm climate, fertile land and abundant natural resources. The quality of life of local residents is expected to be improved by realizing high-added values through the convergence of the conventional existing agricultural industry and other industries if the agricultural technology is properly transferred based on abundant labor force and low labor expenses. Opportunities for the success of the project can be spread to other rural villages across the country. Second, since local residents are now cultivating sugar cane, cassava, matoke, banana, coffee and so on as a farm owner, tourism agriculture with high-added values can be promoted by vitalizing communities based on farming technology to be transferred and a cooperative farm. It is also necessary to implement a rural community empowerment project to do so. Third, the university that is the cooperative partner of the project is positively considering to train experts by establishing a community development department, and, if necessary, a technical training center to educate the general public, which is expected to create synergic effects through the convergence of education, agriculture and tourism. Key words: community vitalization, improved quality of life, rural development