Department of Economics

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Browsing Department of Economics by Author "Watsemba Mary"

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    Coffee Growing On The Economic Welfare Of Rural Farmers In Ugandacase Study Of Bushika Subcounty, Bududa District
    (Busitema University, 2024) Watsemba Mary
    Coffee is Uganda’s first traded tropical commodity in the world. Coffee is the major cash crop both in terms of foreign exchange and employment opportunities. Uganda ranks the second in Africa after Ethiopia and eighth in the whole world. It contributes 20 to 30% of the foreign exchange earnings. It is vital for both consumers and producers to understand its influence on their welfare. The situation of farmers growing coffee varies from region to region but generally, the farmers are at a disadvantage in international markets and often sell their products at low prices. Farmers have not only to deal with the unpredictable force of Mother Nature, but also with “the boom and bust cycles in prices of commodities,” political control and inadequate income. Often the examination of the market for coffee can be widespread and focused on economic efficiency other than the local influence of market changes which often result in “the marginalization of small scale farmers, increased environmental degradation, and general rural deterioration and poverty”. With market changes, not only are the shifts seen at the economic level but also on lives of farmers at the local level. Farmers growing coffee ought to consider the worth of their crops because their access to social services such as health, education, meals and their entire livelihood is dependent on the production of their crops. Coffee farmers now sell a pound of coffee for the market price of about one dollar globally. Most of the farmers had their own land with the percentage of 80 and the rest rent with a percentage of 20, most of the farmers practice coffee growing on more than an acre with 75% and the rest on less than an acre with 25%, 75% of the farmers were married, few were single with 18% and very few were divorced with 7%, most of the farmers were males with a percentage of 78 and the rest were females with a percentage of 22, most of the farmers reached primary level with a percentage of 40, 19% o level 18% illiterates and others with the lowest percentage as shown above and most of the farmers were in the age range 18 to 30 years with a percentage of 34, followed by those between 31 to 40 years with a percentage of 25 and the rest lie in the remaining percentages. most of farmers strongly agree that there is a higher level of coffee growing among the rural farmers of Bushika sub county Bududa district, most of the farmers strongly agree that indicators of economic welfare among the rural farmers and , most of the farmers strongly agree that there is a relationship between coffee growing and economic welfare in rural farmers of Bushika sub county in Bududa district. Coffee growing has the potential to significantly impact the economic welfare of rural farmers in Uganda. However, several factors need to be addressed to optimize the benefits for farmers. Government support, market linkages, value addition, farmer cooperatives, income diversification, and infrastructure development are crucial aspects that need attention. A holistic approach focusing on these recommendations can contribute to improving the economic wellbeing of coffee farmers, making them more resilient to market fluctuations and improving their overall quality of life.