| dc.description.abstract | The study was carried out to identify the factors that affect fertilizer use by potato farmers in Kabale district. Emphasis was put on establishing the influence of farmers’ social-demographic factors, economic factors and farm characteristics and enabling environment on fertilizer use. Data on all the relevant factors was collected using a well-structured questionnaire adequately tested for it’s for efficacy in collection of the relevant data. This was then issued to a sample of potato farmers selected for the study. Data collected was then analyzed using Stata software and analysis done at univariate, bivariate and multivariate stages.
The results of bivariate analysis of farmers’ socio-demographic factors, economic factors and farm characteristics and enabling environment indicated that the effect of the factors on fertilizer use varies for several factors among the three groups as some factors exhibited a significant relationship while others exhibited no significant relationship with fertilizer use. Those that exhibited a significant relationship include, age, farming experience, gender, wealth status, farm size, distance to closest farm supply shop and land topography. On the other hand, household size, level of education, access to credit, access to extension services and membership in a social group were found to have no significant relationship with fertilizer use.
On the other hand, the results of the multivariate analysis confirmed the variables gender, farm size, land topography, wealth status and distance to closest farm supply shop as the only factors that significantly explain the variations in the use of fertilizer by potato farmers. Based on the findings of the study, the most significant recommendations developed included; The policy makers should make further efforts in improving access to viable off-farm income generating activities to enable small farmers to purchase production inputs like fertilizer, seed of improved maize varieties, pesticides, among others by helping them to afford these technological inputs. Demonstration plots may be used to show the effect of fertilizers to farmers who do not have the space to experiment with new technologies. Providing access to mechanization for women to reduce the burden of agricultural labour in order to increase fertilizer uptake among others | en_US |
