Factors influencing the adoption of value addition in banana among smallholder farmers in Ruhumuro sub county, Bushenyi district, Uganda

Abstract

Banana value addition caters for the increased banana production, price increase, postharvest losses as well as creating employment to the farmers. Value addition to banana transforms its original form to a more valuable and convenient form to prolong its shelf life and ensure quality. The study focused on the factors influencing the adoption of Banana value addition among smallholder Banana farmers in Ruhumuro Sub County Bushenyi district, Uganda. These farmers have failed to adopt Banana value addition and still suffer the problems of low prices during peak harvest periods, price fluctuations and post-harvest losses. However, previous studies focused on the effects of not adding value to banana instead of looking at the factors that influence the adoption of banana value addition. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 80 banana farmers. The study involved all (33) banana farmers who add value to their banana and (47) who do not add value to the banana. Well-designed questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data from farmers. Quantitative data were analyzed using Stata15. The results revealed that factors such as extension services, cropping system and sex of the farmer influence farmers to add value to their produced banana. These farmers added value to their banana to produce the following products; banana local brews such as tonto, waragi, Crisps, banana flour, yellows and roasted gonja. The main challenge was the lack of capital and limited extension work that affected the level of adoption in banana value addition. Providing extension services about banana value addition to farmers would improve its shelf life and ensure banana product quality which fetches better prices in the market that leads to better farmers’ livelihood