Adoption of Conservation Agriculture in Uganda: A Case Study of the Lango Subregion

Sara Kaweesa, Saidi Mkomwa and Willibald Loiskandl
Additional contact information
Sara Kaweesa: Centre for Development Research, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU), Peter-Jordan-Strasse 76, 1190 Vienna, Austria
Saidi Mkomwa: African Conservation Tillage Network (ACT), P.O. Box 10375, Nairobi 00100, Kenya
Willibald Loiskandl: Institute of Hydraulics and Rural Water Management, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on three principles: minimum soil disturbance, maintaining a soil cover through mulching with crop residues or planting cover crops, and practicing crop rotations. CA is practiced in many parts of the world for its benefits to soil and ability to improve yields, among others. There is little documented information on the status of CA adoption in the Lango region in mid-Northern Uganda. This study aimed at determining the extent of CA adoption in relation to the socioeconomic status of the farming population and suggesting relevant strategies for accelerating CA uptake specific to this region. A non-discriminative snowball-sampling technique was used to gather data from 417 households spread over three districts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using household questionnaires. Farmers’ uptake of CA was related to information gained from training and the benefits that were observed in their fields. Some farm-level constraints in the region included the diminutive ratio of shared tools and equipment; the minimum presence and involvement of extension services; and seasonal rural markets that are dominated by middlemen. The impact that was attributed to the use of CA at the household level was improved yields. The strategy that was used to spread CA information to farmers also played a key role in increasing CA uptake in the region. This information is important for increasing CA adoption in this context given the socioeconomic status of the region.

Keywords: conservation agriculture; information; adoption; socioeconomic; farmers’ perceptions; minimum tillage; crop rotation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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