Department of Agro-business and Extension Agriculture

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16,000 farmers' group registered.
(New Vision, 2017-08-16) Kitubi, Martin
A total of 16,000 farmers' groups were registered by the Uganda Co-operative Alliance (UCA), on behalf of Ministry of Agriculture, Animal, Industry and Fisheries in just concluded farmers' registration. The list also includes distributors of farm inputs such as machinery,
200 jobless as company shuts down
(Daily Monitor, 2018-02-08) Omollo, Joseph
More than 200 employees of Agro Trust Seed processing company in Tororo District have been rendered jobless after the Ministry of Agriculture directed it's closure.
A study of consumer preferences and market potential for poultry products in Kumi district of Uganda.
(Excellent Publishers, 2017-10-10) Augustine, Iisa; Shukla, Ruchira
A study was conducted to understand consumer preferences and market potential for the backyard poultry rearing system in Kumi district of Uganda. This study revealed that 70% of the consumers included poultry products in their menus often and 10% included daily. Poultry traders in Kumi district dealt mainly with indigenous chicken breeds as their customers preferred them to others due to taste and less chemical residues.70% of individual consumers considered taste as first priority when choosing chicken.80% of individual consumers preferred backyard chickens to other chicken or poultry breeds. 57.5% of the consumers preferred consuming chicken once in a week, 32.5% preferred consuming it fortnightly and only 10% preferred consuming it every day.100% of the consumers preferred eggs from backyard chickens. However, due to scarcity of the backyard chicken eggs, 75% of the consumers bought exotic layers eggs. A market potential within Kumi District alone for poultry was computed to be 3,290,588 birds per year, for which 20% is for broilers (i.e. 658,118 birds) and the rest being for backyard poultry, (i.e. 2,632,470 birds). Key words: Poultry, Market, potential, Consumer preference
Agribusiness to benefit from yield fund
(Daily Monitor, 2018-05-09) Karungi, Zuurah
The fund seeks to support businesses with a clear competitive advantage and ambitious local management.
Agricultural insurance gaining ground
(New Vision, 2017-07-20) Ojiambo, Benon
The finance ministry has created a public private partnership with some insurance companies to introduce an agricultural insurance subsidy scheme.
Agriculture : has the NRM kept promises to farmers?
(New Vision, 2018-05-18) Kato, Joshua
If one was to go by the promises made by the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Government in its 2016manifesto, farms would be as beautiful as the biblical Garden of Eden. It has been two years since these promises, that spans 2016-2021, were made and while some have been fulfilled, a lot more still needs to be done.
Agriculture sector continues to develop amid challenges.
(Daily Monitor, 2017-10-09) Afedraru, Lominda
As Uganda celebrates 55 years of Independence, agriculture is one of the sectors that have registered growth. Currently, many farmers are adopting modern methods of farming of farming as well as applying innovations. This include, improved agronomy practices for improved yields.
Agro-processing, road projects transform Rubirizi communities
(Daily Monitor, 2018-02-08) Ainebyoona, Felix
Farmers and residents of Rubirizi District have reason to smile following the installation of Agro-processing facilities in the area.
Aldrine Nsubuga not cowed by the passion fruit virus.
(Saturday Monitor, 2017-09-23) Bbosa, Denis
Until one month age, renown market and sports enthusiast Aldrine Nsubuga was making money from his two-acre passion fruit farm in Kiboga, only for the deadly woodiness virus to set in. Nsubuga, the star times marketing manager, ventured into passion fruit farming one and half years ago as part of his retirement plan.
An analysis of financial accessibility for groundnut production by smallholder farmers in Magada sub-county, Namutumba district, Uganda.
(Busitema University, 2026) Naigaga, Winnie
This study looked at financial accessibility for smallholder groundnut farmers in Magada Subcounty, Namutumba District, Uganda. Groundnut production plays an important role in household income, food security, and rural livelihoods. A cross-sectional survey design using a quantitative research approach was used. Data was collected electronically through Kobo Collect from 98 randomly chosen smallholder groundnut farmers with a structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using SPSS Version 26. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, summarized the findings, while simple regression analysis examined how financial literacy affects financial accessibility. The results showed that Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) were the main sources of finance at 56.0%. This was followed by friends and relatives at 30.8%, microfinance institutions at 8.8%, money lenders at 3.3%, and commercial banks at 1.1%. Regression analysis showed that financial literacy significantly improved financial accessibility (β = 0.286, p = 0.004). The main barriers to accessing financial services included high interest rates, lack of collateral, long loan application processes, low financial literacy, and the distance to financial institutions. The study concludes that increasing financial literacy and strengthening community-based financial institutions can improve financial accessibility for smallholder groundnut farmers.
Analysis of genotype by environment interaction of improved Pearl millet for grain yield and rust resistance.
(Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2017-01-15) Lubadde, Geofrey; Tongoona, Pangirayi; Derera, John; Sibiya, Julia
Pearl millet is grown by inhabitants of the semi-arid zones. Due to the unpredictable climatic conditions the genotype-by-environment interaction (GEI) makes it hard to select genotypes adapted to such conditions. The study objectives therefore were to analyse the patterns of GEI and to identify superior genotypes for grain yield and rust resistance. Seventy six genotypes were planted in four environments in 4×19 alpha design with two replications. The ANOVA results showed that main effects of environments were significant (p = 0.05) for grain yield and highly significant (p = 0.001) for rust resistance while the main effects of the genotypes and their interactions with environments were also important for grain yield and rust severity at 50% physiological maturity. The GGE biplot analysis revealed that environments associated with more rains received during vegetative phase performed better than those receiving more rains during post-anthesis phase. The winner in the best environment for grain yield was ICMV3771×SDMV96053 while Shibe×CIVT9206 and Shibe×GGB8735 were the best for rust resistance. Keywords: GGE biplot, grain yield, pearl millet, rust resistance, Uganda
Armyworm back
(New Vision, 2017-08-17) Kwesiga, Pascal; Nandudu, Prossy; Bahikaho, Caleb; Okethwengu, Benedict; Bita, George; Nyamahunge, Priscillar; Buregyeya, Dismus; Mafaranga, Hope; Oplo, Emmanuel; Naulele, Simon; Watala, Paul; Ariaka, Robert
The deadly fail armyworms that razed maize fields in 75 districts in the last season have resurfaced and are now ravaging the crop in the second season in various parts of the country. The agriculture ministry yesterday said the toxic pests have been detected in several parts of the country,
Assessing climate smart agriculture adaptation strategies of smallholder farmers in Busano sub county Mbale district.
(Busitema University, 2026) Mbaga, Hussien
In Uganda, coffee is a major cash crop and source of household income but climate change notably erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, pests, diseases, and soil degradation immensely affects its production. This study identified the main climate-smart agriculture adaptation strategies among smallholder coffee farmers and determined the factors influencing their adoption. The study employed a cross-sectional survey research design using a quantitative approach. A sample of 150 smallholder coffee farmers was selected. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 26). Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations, were used to analyze the adaptation strategies employed by farmers, while a multivariate regression model was used to determine factors influencing the choice of climate-smart agriculture adaptation strategies. The findings revealed that farmers adopted a wide range of climate-smart agriculture practices categorized as cultural, mechanical, chemical, biological and agronomic strategies. The most adopted practices included intercropping (98.0%), timely weeding (96.0%), inorganic fertilizer application (95.3%), pruning (90.7%), moisture retention practices (90.7%), planting cover crops (88.7%), pesticide application (86.7%), and selective harvesting (85.3%). However, adoption of advanced practices such as irrigation equipment (10.7%), soil amendments (14.0%), soil moisture management (16.7%), soil testing (34.0%), and bio-pesticides (30.7%) were low. The regression results indicated that age, household size, farming experience, farm size, and access to credit significantly influenced farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies. The model explained 76.0% of the variation in adaptation choices (R² = 0.760), indicating strong explanatory power. The study concludes that smallholder coffee farmers in Busano Sub-county are actively adopting climate-smart agriculture practices to cope with climate variability and climate change. However, their adaptive capacity remains constrained by limited access to financial resources, agricultural technologies, and extension services. The study recommends strengthening agricultural extension services, improving access to affordable agricultural credit, investing in irrigation and other climate-resilient technologies to enhance sustainable coffee production and improve farmers’ resilience to climate change. I recommend further studies on Evaluating whether these adopted CSA practices actually lead to measurable improvements in coffee yields, household income, and long-term climate resilience over time, Investigating the specific financial, institutional, and technical bottlenecks preventing farmers from adopting higher-cost or knowledge-intensive practices like soil testing (34.0%), bio-pesticides (30.7%), and irrigation equipment (10.7%).
Assessing consumer preference for different fish types in Soroti city east, Aloet ward.
(Busitema University, 2026) Ameciti, Thomas Vuzi
Fish is a vital source of animal protein and contributes significantly to household nutrition, food security and income in Uganda. However, fish demand varies by type’s preference, product form and socioeconomic characteristics of consumers. This study assessed consumer demand for fish types and fish products in Aloet Ward, Soroti City East. The specific objectives were to determine the preferred fish types (Tilapia, Nile Perch, African Catfish and Silver Fish) and product forms; to examine socioeconomic factors influencing quantity of fish purchased and to examine willingness to pay (WTP) for high quality and value-added fish products. A cross-sectional survey design was used. Data were collected from 201 fish consumers using structured questionnaire through face to face interviews and simple random sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson chi-square tests and multinomial logistic regression. Results showed Tilapia was the most preferred types 57.7% followed by, Nile Perch 25.4%, Silver fish (Mukene) with 10.4% and African Catfish 6.5%. Fresh fish was the most preferred form 46.3%, followed by smoked fish 38.3%, fried fish 9.5%, and dried fish with 6.0%. Acceptance of value-added products was low with 75.6% reporting no preference, smoked fish at 17.4%, fish fillet at 7.0% and fish powder at 0%. Most consumers purchased low volumes of ≤1 kg per week (93.0%) with average weekly expenditure of UGX 13,696.52, Median = 12,000. The multinomial logistic model had strong explanatory power (Nagelkerke R² = 0.753). Significant predictors of purchasing 2 kg and above were disposable income (p=0.011) and tertiary education (p=0.010, Exp (B) =17.29). Household size, occupation and food expenditure were not significant. WTP for high-quality fish (premium of UGX 2,000-3,000) was significantly associated with income (χ²=35.214, p<0.001). Occupation was not associated with WTP for value-added fish (p=0.929) and age was not associated with WTP for high-quality fish (p=0.413). The study concludes that demand in Aloet Ward is type-specific and form-specific, dominated by Tilapia and fresh fish, low-volume, and driven by income and education.
Assessing entrepreneurial intentions among final year students at Busitema university, Arapai campus.
(Busitema University, 2026) Awor, Joanita Mercy
Despite the inclusion of entrepreneurship education in many university programmes, there remains a noticeable gap between the expected and actual entrepreneurial behavior of graduates, thus graduate unemployment continues to rise, limiting the contribution of university graduates to entrepreneurial development .This study assessed entrepreneurial intentions among final-year students at Busitema University, Arapai Campus, with particular emphasis on the influence of entrepreneurial attitude and other determinants of entrepreneurial intentions. The study was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and adopted a cross-sectional research design. Data was collected from 285 final-year students drawn from various agricultural academic programmes including Certificate, Diploma, and Bachelor’s Degree programs, using a structured questionnaire. The findings revealed that the overall level of entrepreneurial intentions among the students was low (Mean =1.7102, SD= 0.74043), indicating relatively weak commitment among respondents to establish businesses after graduation. Despite this, the majority of the students had considerable entrepreneurial exposure, with 69.1% reporting parental business ownership, 63.2% having received entrepreneurship training, and 82.8% having previously attempted a business activity. Agribusiness students stood out with the highest percentages for both business training and business attempts constituting 80%, although Bachelor of Science in Agriculture students had very high exposure to business (93.8%), the proportion who attempted business accounted for 62.5% and was lower than that for Bachelor of Agribusiness students. Animal Production and Management students recorded lowest levels of business training (72.2%) and business attempts (61.1%) compared to other bachelor’s programmes. The study further established that entrepreneurial attitude was the strongest predictor of entrepreneurial intentions (β=0.789, t=21.597, p<0.001), implying that students who hold positive perceptions toward entrepreneurship are more likely to develop intentions to start businesses. Subjective norms also had a positive and statistically significant influence on entrepreneurial intentions (β=0.276, t=4.716, p<0.001), suggesting that encouragement from other significant individuals plays an important role in shaping entrepreneurial aspirations. The study recommends future research should move beyond entrepreneurial intentions to examine how access to finance, practical entrepreneurship education, university incubation, mentorship and digital opportunities influence the transition from intention to actual business creation. Longitudinal studies could also assess whether graduates’ entrepreneurial intentions develop into sustainable enterprises after completing university.
Assessing factors influencing the choice of banana- coffee production system in Buyobo sub- county Sironko district.
(Busitema University, 2026) Ecun, Daniel
This study assessed the factors influencing farmer’s choice of banana-coffee production systems in Buyobo Sub-county, Sironko District, Eastern Uganda. The study was guided by two specific objectives: to characterize the banana-coffee production systems used by farmers and to determine the factors influencing farmers’ choice of production system. A cross-sectional research design using a quantitative approach was used. The target population comprised 2,737 smallholder farmers involved in banana and/or coffee production. Using Yamane’s formula, a sample size of 349 farmers was determined. Primary data was collected using structured questionnaires. Data was cleaned, coded and analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft excel. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, was used to characterize the production systems, while multinomial logistic regression was used to determine the factors influencing farmers’ choice among banana monocropping, coffee monocropping and banana-coffee intercropping. Banana-coffee intercropping was the predominant system (61.9%) followed by coffee monocropping (34.1%) and banana monocropping (4.0%). The study concluded that banana-coffee intercropping is the dominant production strategy among farmers in Buyobo Sub-county and that production-system choice is associated mainly with farm resources, farmers’ socio-economic characteristics, training and access to credit.
Assessing market participation among groundnut producers in Oculoi sub-county, Soroti district.
(Busitema University, 2026) Esou, James Elasu
Market participation refers to the extent to which farming households engage in output markets through the sale of agricultural produce and is an important pathway toward agricultural commercialization and improved household incomes. This study assessed market participation among groundnut producers in Oculoi Sub-County, Soroti District. Specifically, the study examined the characteristics of farmers based on the forms of groundnuts sold, determined the level of market participation, and identified factors associated with the level of market participation. A cross-sectional study design was employed, and data were collected from 120 groundnut farmers using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, including frequencies, percentages, means and standard deviations, were used to summarize farmer characteristics and market participation. The Market Participation Index (MPI) was used to determine the proportion of output sold, while binary logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with high and low levels of market participation. The findings showed that males constituted 53.3% of the respondents, while females accounted for 46.7%. The mean age of farmers was 39.62 years, with an average groundnut farming experience of 9.56 years and mean land owned or accessed of 3.4 acres. Groundnut income was the most reported household income source, reported by 86.7% of farmers. Shelled groundnuts were the most sold form (40.8%), followed by unshelled groundnuts (37.5%), roasted groundnuts (14.2%) and groundnut paste (7.5%). Farmers produced an average of 215.36 kg of groundnuts and sold an average of 116.60 kg. The Market Participation Index had a mean of 51.63%, ranging from 4.27% to 87.5%. Based on the mean MPI as the cut-off point, 53.3% of farmers had high market participation, while 46.7% had low market participation. Binary logistic regression results showed that total land owned/accessed, land under groundnut cultivation, on-farm storage, and estimated yield per acre were significant predictors of the likelihood of attaining a high level of market participation (p < 0.05). The study concluded that groundnut farmers in Oculoi Sub-County had a high level of market participation, influenced mainly by farm resources and production capacity. The study recommended supporting farmers to expand economically viable groundnut production, strengthening extension and market-oriented support services, and improving access to land, on-farm storage, and productivity-enhancing inputs.
Assessing the challenges faced by smallholder maize farmers in accessing markets in Wairasa sub-county, Mayuge district.
(Busitema University, 2026) Dada, Anthony
The purpose of this study was to assess the challenges faced by smallholder maize farmers in accessing market for their maize produces in Wairasa sub-county, Mayuge district. A cross-sectional survey design was used, employing multi -stage probability sampling were 133 respondents were randomly selected from three different parishes. The objectives of this study were to characterize the socio-demographic characteristics of smallholder maize farmers, to identify factors that determine market access among maize famers and to prioritize the primary market access and transaction challenges faced by smallholder maize farmers based on their prevalence in Wairasa sub-county in Mayuge district. Primary data was later used for analysis and the researcher used descriptive statistics involving mainly quantitative methods of data collection to capture data, probit regression was used to determine market access factors and frequency and percentage ranking was employed on the prioritizing of the primary market access and transaction challenges faced by farmers. Data was collected using kobo toolkit were research questions were uploaded on softcopy. The findings revealed that respondents averaged 37.96% years of age, were predominantly male (76%), ha low-to-moderate education, and cultivated an average of 0.99 acres of maize. Market access was significantly influenced by age, education level, maize variety, distance to market and buyer availability (p˂0.05), while gender, marital status, farming experience, market information, extension contact showed no significant effect. The most prevalent combination of challenges-price fluctuations, lack of credit, and weighing scale cheating-affected 31.6% of farmers, followed closely by low prices, price fluctuations, and weighing scale cheating (30.8%). Smallholder maize farmers in Wairasa sub-county face structural, institutional barriers that constrain market access and income. Addressing these require improving rural infrastructure and storage, standardization of weighing systems, market-oriented extension support and improving rural infrastructure and storage.
Assessing the climate-smart agriculture practices utilized among smallholder farmers in Nakigo sub-county, Iganga district.
(Busitema University, 2026) Rushitana, Sumaya
Climate change is increasingly affectingposes smallholder agricultural production through changes rainfall patterns, drought and other climate-related stresses. These changes can reduce crop productivity and negatively affect household livelihoods. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) provides an approach through which farmers can improve agricultural productivity while strengthening their ability to cope with climate-related challenges. However, there is limited information on the specific CSA practices utilized and the reasons for using them in Nakigo Sub-County. This study assessed the Climate-Smart Agriculture practices utilized by smallholder farmers in Nakigo Sub-County, Iganga District, together with their reasons for their utilization. Specifically, the study characterized the socio-demographic characteristics of the farmers, identified the CSA practices they utilized, and examined the reasons for using specific CSA practices. A quantitative research approach and cross-sectional survey design were employed. Data were collected from 148 smallholder farmers using a structured questionnaire administered through face-to-face interviews. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, particularly frequencies and percentages. The findings indicated that respondents had a mean age of 38.8 years, an average household size of 5.8 persons, mean farming experience of 8.9 years, and an average farm size of 2.21 acres. CSA utilization was widespread, with 147 (99.3%) respondents reporting they utilized at least one CSA practice. Improved seed varieties were the most commonly utilized practice (82.3%), followed by intercropping (81.0%), crop rotation (55.8%) and mulching (46.3%). Minimum tillage (9.5%), rainwater harvesting (5.4%) and soil conservation structures (3.4%) were the least utilized. increased yields was the leading reason for utilizing CSA practices, reported by (98.6%) of the farmers, followed by advice from extension workers (42.9%), environmental protection (17.7%), reduction of drought effects (11.6%) and reduced production costs (5.4%). The study concludes that CSA utilization among smallholder farmers in Nakigo Sub-County is widespread, although the extent of utilization differs across practices. Farmers mainly use CSA practices because of their perceived contribution to increased yields. The study recommends strengthening agricultural extension services, improving farmers’access to appropriate agricultural inputs, and increasing practical training on less-utilized soil and water conservation practices.
Assessing the contribution of women to food availability in Namalu sub-county, Nakapiripirit district, Karamojor sub-region.
(Busitema University, 2026) Anyakun, Thomas
Agriculture is an important source of livelihood and food availability in rural communities of Uganda, particularly in the Karamoja sub-region where women play an important role in agricultural production and household food management. The study aimed at assessing the contribution of women to food availability in Namalu Sub-county, Nakapiripirit District. The specific objectives were to identify the general agricultural activities carried out in Namalu Sub-county, determine the level of women’s involvement in agricultural activities, and identify the factors influencing women’s involvement in agriculture. A cross-sectional research design using a quantitative research approach was employed. The study targeted 7,604 people aged 18–59 years practicing agriculture in the four parishes of Namalu Sub-county. A sample size of 99 respondents was obtained using Yamane’s formula (1967). Stratified random sampling and simple random sampling techniques were used to select respondents. Data were collected using structured questionnaires and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, and ordinal logistic regression were used in data analysis. The findings revealed that all respondents (100%) practiced crop farming, while 98% practiced subsistence farming. Maize was the major crop grown for home consumption(99%) and sale (43.4%),pigs(46.5%) and goats (30.3%) were the most commonly kept livestock, women were highly involved in agricultural activities, particularly weeding and thinning (97%),post-harvest handling (96%),harvesting (87.9%) and planting and sowing. Most respondents (64.6%) rated women’s involvement in agriculture as very high, while 62.6% strongly agreed that women contributed significantly to household food availability. The ordinal logistic regression model was statistically significant, χ²(4) = 11.394, p = 0.022. Access to agricultural loans or credit was the only statistically significant factor influencing women’s involvement in agriculture (B = 1.344, p = 0.006), with respondents reporting access to agricultural credit having approximately 3.83 times higher odds of reporting a higher level of women’s involvement. Ownership of agricultural land, cultural and traditional influences, and challenges limiting involvement were not statistically significant predictors in the model. The study concluded that women played an important role in agricultural production and household food availability in Namalu Sub-county, although their involvement was affected by limited access to productive and financial resources.

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