| dc.description.abstract | The Shea butter tree (Vitellaria paradoxa) is an indigenous fruit tree of the semi-arid and the sub-humid savannas of Sub-Saharan Africa belonging to the family Sapotaceae. In Uganda, shea trees are mainly found in the Eastern and Northern Region. The tree is iconic to the communities living in the Shea parkland because of its limitless benefits. Over decades, shea trees have been exploited at the subsistence level and managed in the wild under parkland systems. However, with the recent change in socio-economic and demographic situations, the level of exploitation has been commercialized with increasing threats to its conservation. This study aimed at enlisting the utilization and on-farm management strategies for Vitellaria paradoxa in Agago District. The specific objectives were i) to document the main uses and threats to Vitellaria Paradoxa ii) to examine the local on-farm management strategies for Vitellaria paradoxa, iii) to assess the socio-economic and demographic factors influencing the attitude of farmers towards planting and on-farm management of shea trees, iv) to assess the opportunities for on-farm management of shea trees. A cross-sectional research design was employed. Sixty (60) households spread over 3 villages were selected using multistage sampling techniques. Data were collected through household interviews, key informant interviews, photography, and transect walks. Collected data were checked, cleaned, coded, and entered into SPSS for analysis and presented as tables and graphs. Descriptive statistics such as frequency were run and the hypothesis was tested using a chi-square test. Results showed that V. paradoxa has over 12 uses with shea butter/oil and shea fruit being the most dominant. Vitellaria paradoxa is mainly threatened by charcoal burning, forest fires, pests, and diseases. The reported management strategies involved facilitating natural regeneration through weeding, pruning, and fencing. At ∝= 0.05, age and marital status had significant influence (P-value=0.02 & P-value=0.00 respectively) on the willingness to manage shea trees on-farm. People who were in the median age class were more willing to plant and manage shea on-farm compared to other ages. Also, married individuals were more willing to plant shea trees compared to unmarried ones. Opportunities for on-farm management of V. paradoxa include emergence of supportive NGOs, advancement in shea butter processing technology, availability of a ready market for shea trees, and resurgence of peace/security in the area. Therefore, to enhance the sustainable use of V. paradoxa, there is a need to build the capacity of communities on how to better manage shea trees on farms. Furthermore, the underlying drivers of shea tree loss like poverty and lack of alternative economic opportunities need to be addressed by providing communities with access to education, healthcare, and other essential services to reduce their reliance on shea trees for income through charcoal business as a way of generating household income. | en_US |
