Variation in Socio-economic Characteristics and Natural Resource Management in Communities with Different Potato Market Linkages in the Highlands of Southwestern Uganda

Abstract

Many countries in Africa have started implementing economic reforms that could lead to rapid growth and improved socio-economic conditions of growing populations. Uganda has been undergoing major economic reforms through stabilization, economic recovery, and structural adjustment programs. Adoption of market liberalization policies has favored growth of private sector in the country demanding increased production at farm level, which in turn favors marketability of farm produce in competitive manner. A study was conducted in Kamuganguzi sub-county to assess variation in socio-economic characteristics among households and level of natural resource management in potato production using two communities with and without farmer field schools. Farmers used livelihood indicators to place households in different wealth categories. It was observed that most female-headed households were in wealth categories III and IV. Most main houses were semi-permanent and farmers strived to use iron sheets to roof their houses due to scarcity of thatching material. It was in community without farmer field school that had grass thatched household in both wealth categories III and IV. Most potato fields had no soil conservation structures to combat land degradation in form of soil erosion. In both communities trenches and newly planted grass bunds were the most common soil conservation technologies. Beans and potato are the two main crops grown for household incomes. Potato and beans production take the biggest acreage in communities with and without farmer field school, respectively, and level of production and utilization depends on the market drives. It was observed that communities with farmer field school had higher potato yield disintegrated into different usages and applied more fertilizers on potato enterprise as compared to community without farmer field school. The demand of the market to be supplied with potato tuber of not more than 80 cm in girth and the higher price offered to farmers compared to open market is an incentive for farmers to invest in soil fertility management.