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| Pineapple Growing and Farmer's Welfare in Maziba Sub-County, Kabale District, South Western Uganda
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Friday Christopher, Ntirandekura Moses, Ogwal Harold
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Abstract:
This study was carried out to examine the contribution of pineapple growing on farmer's welfare in Maziba Sub-County, Kabale District. The study was guided by these objectives namely; i) to examine the different pineapple species grown in Maziba Sub-County, ii) to examine the contributions of pineapple growing on welfare of farmers in Maziba Sub-County and iii) to assess the challenges facing pineapple farmers in Maziba Sub-County. The study employed descriptive research design that helped in gathering data. The study used both purposive and simple random sampling to select the respondents. The study used a sample size of sixty-nine (69) respondents selected from six parishes within the sub county. The study was analyzed using simple quantitative techniques of frequencies, percentages and tables. Benefits and constraints were analyzed, findings are carried out and major conclusions are drawn from data analysis showing that pineapple growing still has contributed on the income of the pineapple growers in the study area. Poor means of transport in form of roads, is still a challenge. There should be improvement of roads connecting rural areas to urban centers. It was concluded that there are a lot of contributions of pineapple production in Maziba Sub County, Kabale District of which includes source of food, source of income, source of foreign exchange, source of medicine, helps in environmental protection in that it acts as a cover crop, pineapple peelings are used as animal feeds and source of employment opportunities to the people. Also from research question three, it was found out that there are many constraints faced by pineapple farmers in Maziba Sub County, Kabale District. These include low in put -out put technology, limited market prospects for food, marketing infrastructural constraints, financial problems, pests and diseases, poor means of transport in form of roads, land fragmentation, high degree of risks and uncertainties and un educated farmers. Agricultural programmes aiming at rural development should focus on uplifting the poor through encouraging them to actively participate in productive agricultural group formation. This can help farmer s to easily access agriculture loans from money lending institution such as bank and other microfinance institution. Land fragmentation should be solved by carrying out land consolidation that is combining small plots of land into a large farm land such way that cultivation using machine become possible. This can reduce time, cost of labor and increases total production per hectare. Farmers should be sensitized on the importance of record keeping so that they keep records to help them assess the profitability of pineapple growing compared to other growing crops. Agricultural programs aiming at rural development should focus on uplifting the poor through encouraging them to actively participate in productive agriculture through group formations. Farmers should be provided with new pineapple varieties which adoptive to harsh climatic conditions and resistant to pests and diseases. Farmers should be guided on how to form marketing cooperatives in order to overcome exploitation of middle men who buy pineapples from framers at relatively cheap price and sell them expensively to urban retailers and consumers. There should be improvement of extension services by providing extension centers with man power and enough facilities. There should be improvement of roads connecting rural areas to urban centers. Through this, transportation of the harvested pineapples to market centers becomes possible.
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