Assessing the Factors Influencing Smallholder Farmers' Readiness to adopt Agritourism in, Kichwamba Sub-county, Rubirizi District

Abstract

Agriculture is crucial to Uganda's economy, employing over 72% of the population; however, smallholder farmers still face challenges like low productivity and income instability. Agritourism, a farmer-led, fee-based initiative that attracts and educates visitors, can strengthen economic resilience. Despite its popularity worldwide, the adoption of agritourism in Uganda remains limited. This study explored factors affecting smallholder farmers’ readiness to adopt agritourism in Kichwamba Sub-County, Rubirizi District, through a survey of 50 randomly selected farmers. Results show that while 56% of farmers were aware of agritourism, only 48% were ready to engage in agritourism, mainly due to financial concerns and uncertainty about demand. There were significant associations between readiness to engage in agritourism and factors like age, education, farm size, and commercial orientation, while gender had no effect. To promote agritourism adoption, the study suggests that local government authorities and agricultural extension services launch awareness campaigns and hospitality training; financial institutions and development partners offer financial support and infrastructure investments; and farmer cooperatives and community-based organizations lead collaborative efforts to ensure sustainability and equitable participation.