Adoption of On-Farm Tree Planting in Kibaale District, Western Uganda

Abstract

Using logistic and multiple regression analyses, this article examines the socioeconomic factors that influence farmers’ decisions to adopt on-farm tree planting, one of the agroforestry techniques promoted by government agencies and research institutions for use in the farming systems of Uganda. A household survey involving 200 farmers was carried out in the Subcounties of Kabamba, Mugarama, Kagadi, and Kiryanga in Kibaale District, western Uganda. From the analyses, we found out that a farmer's decision to adopt on-farm tree planting is influenced by household and field characteristics. Gender, tree tenure security, availability of seed and supply, guidance by extension and research Institutions, size of landholding per household, fuelwood scarcity, and main source of family income were the factors that significantly influenced the decision to adopt on-farm tree planting. We recommended that in order to promote increased adoption of on-farm tree planting, appropriate socioeconomic characterization should be explored in order to target areas with better adoption potential for optimal realization of the intended objectives by government agencies and research institutions.

Keywords:

• agroforestry
• promotion
• landholding
• wood supply
• socioeconomic
• technologies

Acknowledgments

This article is an output of on-farm assessment fieldwork funded by the Agricultural Technology and Agribusiness Advisory Services (ATAAS) Project that is jointly financed by the Government of Uganda (GoU), and other Development Partners including IDA, GEF, IFAD, EU, and DANIDA. The authors are indebted to the farmers who participated in the survey and Ms. Catherine Kente and Nyakaisiki Julia, both internship students from Uganda Christian University, Mukono for their participation in data collection.