Examining the socio-economic factors affecting tea growing in Kyamuhunga sub-county, Bushenyi district.

Abstract

The study aimed at examining the factors affecting tea productivity in Kyamuhunga Sub County, Bushenyi district. The study applied both qualitative and quantitative approaches which included a population comprised farmers. Data was collected using a questionnaire administered by the researcher himself and interviews with the respondents. The study established that the major factors influencing tea growing in Kyamuhunga sub county are land availability as mentioned by 18.3% of the total respondents, farm inputs mentioned by 15%, transport facilities mentioned by

11.7%, while climate and processing facilities were mentioned by 10% each of the total respondents interviewed. Other factors included credit accessibility as mentioned by 3.3%, soils and tea variety as mentioned by 6.7% each, market as mentioned by 8.3% of the total respondents. The recommendations from the study were that the government should try to subsidize farm inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, so as to allow easy access by the farmers and hence increase tea productivity. Other recommendations included regulation of interest rates on loans from financial institutions, mass sensitization of tea growers on the most efficient methods of tea farming and formation of tea grower associations.