Factors associated with choice to practice urban farming: a case study of Kulambiro

Abstract

Farming is the cultivation of food and cash crops, animal husbandry, forestry, and the production of flowers and garden plants. It is one of the major economic activities in Uganda contributing greatly to the economy. However, the activity is mostly done by citizens in rural areas who mainly engage for food and income. With time, individuals settled in the urban areas of the country, Kampala inclusive have embraced the activity and have actively taken it up like their counterparts in the rural areas. There is a need to understand why the urban dwellers engaged in the activity thus the interest to research the factors associated with the choice to practice urban farming specifically age, sex, highest educational level and monthly income level. The study was carried out in Kulambiro, a residential area in Kampala. The study employed a cross-sectional survey using purposive sampling, a non-probability technique to collect data. 117 respondents were interviewed using a close-ended questionnaire. The data collected was subjected to cleaning, coding, and analysis using STATA 15. Univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis was carried out on the data using the statistical package, From the findings, it is an educational level that significantly influences the choice to practice urban farming where an individual who attained tertiary education is more likely not to practice urban farming compared to those with no education. With the help of these findings, researchers will be able to identify the limiting factors to practice urban farming and devise ways to promote the activity in the country not only for individual benefit but the economy as well.