Performance of the Single Spine System in Uganda, a Case of Small Holder Crop Farmers in Buhweju District
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Date
2024-09-24
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Uganda Christian University
Abstract
This study was conducted to assess the performance of the single spine system in Uganda, a case of smallholder crop farmers in Buhweju District. Despite, Uganda’s reformation of her agricultural extension system to a single spine system, access to extension system has declined considerably over the years. Therefore, the study sought to establish the availability and accessibility of agricultural extension services to smallholder crop farmers. The study also intended to determine the adoption levels of agricultural technologies and how it could have been be affected by availability and accessibility of agricultural extension services. The study employed a cross sectional survey design and a sample of 393 crop farming households was selected using multistage sampling. The study employed key Informant Interviews and structured interview guides to collect data. Quantitative data was analysed using STATA version 16 to get descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings revealed that whereas extension services are readily available, it is not known to most crop farming households. As such, there is minimal level of accessibility. The Chi-square and Tobit regression model results reveled that, farmers’ socioeconomic characteristics such as household income, labour, group belonging, credit access positively influence the availability and accessibility of extension services which in turn affects adoption levels of agricultural extension services. Therefore, policy makers should encourage collective action among farmers, improve access to credit, provide enough funding to extension service and convince farmers on the importance of agricultural extension services. Farmers need to seek opportunities for continuous learning and skill development.
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Postgraduate research