| dc.description.abstract | This study investigates the persistence of draught animal power (DAP) in Eastern Uganda, with
a comparative analysis of Kumi and Kapchorwa districts. Despite advancements in mechanized
agriculture, draught animal power remains a significant component of farming practices in
these regions. The study aims to investigate the proportions of households that own, access,
and use Draught Animals (DA) to understand the rate of decline in ownership and use
compared to other previous studies as a way of assessing its persistence. It will further explore
the socio-economic, cultural, and environmental factors contributing to the continued use of
DAP. A cross-sectional design was employed mainly utilizing surveys and field observations
to collect data from smallholder farmers in both districts. The findings reveal that ownership
in Kapchorwa of oxen is 30% (30.4%, n =112) and donkeys (10.3%, n = 112) more than in
Kumi district (32.4%, n=188) of farmers owning oxen and (0.0%, n = 112) of donkeys. The
findings showcased the mode of acquisition of DAP, where most farmers acquire ownership
of DAP through purchase and those that don’t own access through hire either way indicating
the importance of DAP as a source of income for the household. The findings reveal that in
Kumi, District, the use of draught animals persists primarily due to Tradition and cultural views
followed by a lack of alternative machinery while in Kapchorwa it is due to the topography
containing steep hills and deep valleys. However, their persistence is threatened by land
fragmentation which either reduces the size of the garden or reduces communal grazing
ground., they are becoming expensive to hire, have rampant disease outbreaks, and high
demand for their use which delays the agricultural season, and the level of poverty of the house
hinders their access to its use, etc. It also showcases a very low level of mechanization adoption
rates among households indicating various factors. The study concludes that there is limited
awareness of mechanization meaning, DAP continues to play a crucial role in the agricultural
landscape of Eastern Uganda, influenced by a complex interplay of economic, cultural, and
environmental factors. The persistence of DAP underscores the need for tailored agricultural
policies that consider the unique contexts of each district, promoting a balanced approach to
agricultural modernization that supports both traditional and modern methods of farming. | en_US |
