Characteristics and impact of rabbit farming on the social-economic livelihoods of households in Rubaga North Division

Abstract

Rabbit farming plays an important role in risk diversification and livelihood security of smallholder and poor households as they are important assets useful in generating income for school fees payment, purchase of farm inputs and covering emergency cash needs. The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of rabbit farming on the social-economic livelihoods of households in Rubaga North Division. The study used a cross sectional survey design in which both qualitative and quantitative research approach of data collection were used. The study revealed that majority of the rabbit farmers were females, on small scale production and reared mainly exotic breeds. The study findings also revealed that there exists a statistically significant relationship between rabbit sales/production and employment of households (0.034), education of households (0.027), health of households (0.038) and asset growth of households (0.014). It was that the government should popularize rabbit keeping since it is both socially and economically beneficial to farmers.