Determinants of Maize Production Income in Western Uganda
Abstract
Many smallholder farmers produce maize for both consumption and income purposes. Despite the role played by maize, its income production is low, especially in developing countries. In order to formulate policies targeting maize productivity, it was necessary to have knowledge of the determinants of maize production income. As such, this study aimed at determining the level of income and its determinants from maize farmers. Consequently, data was collected from 220 maize farmers using structured questionnaires. The ordinary least squares model was used to determine the determinants. The results showed that the farmers earned a mean of 372,207 Ugandan shillings (105.18 USD) from maize production. Accordingly, farm size, access to credit and household size had a significant positive influence on income from maize production, while gender (female) of the household heads had a significant negative relationship with income from maize production. It is based on these results that this study recommended that the government should offer training programs targeting female-headed households. These trainings should incorporate farm production as well as marketing. Additionally, farmers should be encouraged to access various sources of agricultural credit including financial institutions that offer agricultural loans at low-interest rates.
Downloads
References
Abdallah, A. H., Ayamga, M., & Awuni, J. A. (2018). Impact of agricultural credit on farm income under the Savanna and Transitional zones of Ghana. Agricultural Finance Review, 79(1), 60–84. https://doi.org/10.1108/AFR-02-2018-0009
Amone, W. (2014). Agricultural productivity and economic development in Uganda: An inclusive growth analysis. Doctoral dissertation. Mbarara University of Science & Technology.
Anderson, J., Learch, C. E., & Gardner, S. T. (2016). National Survey and Segmentation of Smallholder Households in Bangladesh. Understanding Their Demand for Financial, agricultural and digital solutions. CGAP Working Paper April 101.
Ashraf, M., Qasim, M., & Gul, F. (2019). Impact of education on farmers earning: a house hold survey data analysis. Educational Research, 10(1), 200-213.
Bamwesigye, D., Doli, A., Adamu, K. J., & Mansaray, S. K. (2020). A Review of the Political Economy of Agriculture in Uganda: Women, Property Rights, and Other Challenges. Universal Journal of Agricultural Research, 8(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.13189/ujar.2020.080101
Daly, J., Hamrick, D., Gereffi, G. & Guinn, A. (2016). Maize Value Chains in East Africa. International Growth Centre.
Danso-Abbeam, G., Ehiakpor, D. S., & Aidoo, R. (2018). Agricultural extension and its effects on farm productivity and income: insight from Northern Ghana. Agriculture & Food Security, 7(1), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40066-018-0225-x
Das, V. K., & Ganesh-Kumar, A. (2017). Drivers of farmers’ income: The role of farm size and diversification (No. 2017-013). Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
De Beurs, K. M., & Brown, M. E. (2013). The effect of agricultural growing season change on market prices in Africa. Climate Variability-Regional and Thematic Patterns.
Diao, X., Hazell, P., & Thurlow, J. (2010). The role of agriculture in African development. World development, 38(10), 1375- 1383. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2009.06.011
Dong, F., Lu, J. & Featherstone, A. M. (2010). Effects of Credit Constraints on Productivity and Rural Household Income in China. Working Paper 10-WP 516, October.
Doti, A. G. (2017). Causes and Effects of Land Size Variation on Smallholder’s Farm-Income: The Case of Kombolcha District of East Hararghe, Oromia, Ethiopia. Open Access Library Journal, 4(01), 1. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1103312
Eisenhauer, J. G. (2003). Regression through the origin. Teaching Statistics, 25(3), 76–80. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9639.00136
Ekepu, D., & Tirivanhu, P. (2016). Assessing socio–economic factors influencing adoption of legume-based multiple cropping systems among smallholder Sorghum Farmers in Soroti, Uganda. South African Journal of Agricultural Extension, 44(2), 195- 215. https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3221/2016/v44n2a421
Epule, T. E., Dhiba, D., Etongo, D., Peng, C., & Lepage, L. (2021). Identifying maize yield and precipitation gaps in Uganda. SN Applied Sciences, 3(5), 1- 12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-021-04532-5
FAO. (2002). The Role of Agriculture in the Development of Least-developed Countries and their Integration into the World Economy. FAO. http://www.fao.org/3/a-y3997e.pdf
FAO. (2005). The state of food insecurity in the world. Eradicating world hunger - Key to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
Fowler M (2020). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Uganda’s agricultural sector. Usad, September 1–11.
Gebre, G. G., Isoda, H., Rahut, D. B., Amekawa, Y., & Nomura, H. (2021). Gender differences in agricultural productivity: Evidence from maize farm households in southern Ethiopia. GeoJournal, 86(2), 843- 864. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-019-10098-y
Gichangi, A., Birachi, E., Wambua, S., Kavoi, J., Karanja, D., Muriithi, F., & Mutua, M. (2019). Factors influencing smallholder farmers’ inputs use in major bean production corridors in Kenya. Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences, 17(1), 136-147.
GIEWS. (2020). Monthly reports on food price trends-Food Price Monitoring and Analysis 3. GIEWS
Hyuha, T. S., Bashaasha, B., Nkonya, E., & Kraybill, D. (2007). Analysis of profit inefficiency in rice production in Eastern and Northern Uganda. African Crop Science Journal, 15(4), 243–253.
Imam, E., & Kushwaha, S. P. S. (2013). Habitat suitability modelling for Gaur (Bos gaurus) using multiple logistic regression, remote sensing and GIS. Journal of Applied Animal Research, 41(2), 189- 199. https://doi.org/10.1080/09712119.2012.739089
Justin, K. U. (2015). Factors influencing maize crop production at household levels: A case of Rukwa Region in the southern highlands of Tanzania. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 10(10), 1097– 1106. https://doi.org/10.5897/ajar2014.9262
Kadzere, C. T., Poswal, M. A. T., Ngada, L. L., Dayimani, B., Coetzee, L., & Bese, D. L. (2016). The crucial role of agricultural development in economic growth and industrialization of Africa and the call for integrated services delivery. In Fifth African Higher Education Week and RUFORUM Biennial Conference 2016 (pp. 177-183). RUFORUM.
Kaiser, T. (2015). UNHCR’s withdrawal from Kiryandongo. Anatomy of a handover Working Paper No.32 UNHCR’ s withdrawal from Kiryandongo. Anatomy of a handover. January 2002.
Kiryandongo District Development Plan for FY 2015/2016 – 2019/2020.
Korgitet, H. S. & Biru, M. W. (2019). The Effect of Farmers Education on Farm Productivity: Evidence from Small - Scale Maize Producing Farmers in North Bench District, Bench Maji Zone. Research on Humanities and Social Sciences, 9 (17), 26- 34. https://doi.org/10.7176/rhss/9-17-04
MAAIF. (2020). The Republic of Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries Draft Anual Report. Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries
MAAIF Performance Report. (2017). The Republic of Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industries and Fisherise: Performance Review Report 150. https://www.agriculture.go.ug/
Mozumdar, L. (2012). Agricultural productivity and food security in the developing world. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics, 35(1/2), 53–69.
Nientao, A, Mwangi, D., Ayuya, O. I. & Kergna, A. O. (2019). Resource Optimization in Crop Livestock Integrated Production System among Small-Scale Cotton Farmers in Southern Mali. Advances in Agricultural Science, 7(1), 85–98.
Nkari, D. I. M., & Kibera, P. F. N. (2016). The influence of farmer characteristics on performance of commercial farmers in Kiambu County, Kenya. European Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 5(03), 63-78.
Noack, F., & Larsen, A. (2019). The contrasting effects of farm size on farm incomes and food production. Environmental Research Letters, 14(8), 084024. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab2dbf
Oduro-Ofori, E., Aboagye, A. P., & Acquaye, N. A. E. (2014). Effects of education on the agricultural productivity of farmers in the Offinso Municipality. International Journal of Development Research, 4(9), 1951–1960.
Ogundeji, A. A., Donkor, E., Motsoari, C., & Onakuse, S. (2018). Impact of access to credit on farm income: Policy implications for rural agricultural development in Lesotho. Agrekon, 57(2), 152-166. https://doi.org/10.1080/03031853.2018.1483251
Okello, D. M., Bonabana-Wabbi, J., & Mugonola, B. (2019). Farm level allocative efficiency of rice production in Gulu and Amuru districts, Northern Uganda. Agricultural and Food Economics, 7(1), 1- 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40100-019-0140-x
Palacios-López, A., & Lopez, R. (2014). Gender Differences in Agricultural Productivity: The Role of Market Imperfections (No. 164061). Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, the University of Maryland.
Pawlak, K., & Kołodziejczak, M. (2020). The role of agriculture in ensuring food security in developing countries: Considerations in the context of the problem of sustainable food production. Sustainability, 12(13), 5488. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12135488
Posadas-Domínguez, R. R., Arriaga-Jordán, C. M., & Martínez-Castañeda, F. E. (2014). Contribution of family labour to the profitability and competitiveness of small-scale dairy production systems in central Mexico. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 46(1), 235-240. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-013-0482-4
Safa, M. S. (2005). Socioeconomic factors affecting the income of small-scale agroforestry farms in hill country areas in Yemen: A comparison of OLS and WLS determinants. Small-scale Forest Economics, Management and Policy, 4(1), 117-134.
Sedem, E. D., William, A., & Gideon, D. A. (2016). Effect of access to agriculture credit on farm income in the Talensi district of northern Ghana. Russian Journal of Agricultural and Socio-Economic Sciences, 55(7), 40–46. https://doi.org/10.18551/rjoas.2016-07.06
Seed Company Group (2017). Maize Growers Guide. Department of Agriculture and Obtainable from Resource Center 19. http://www.seedcogroup.com/sites/default/files/Maize Growers Guide.
Serin, V., Bayyurt, N., & Civan, A. (2009). Effects of formal education and training on farmers income. European Journal of Social Sciences, 7(3), 52-62.
Sexsmith, K., Smaller, C. & Speller, W. (2017). How to Improve Gender Equality in Agriculture. Policy Brief 5. 1–8.
Singer, H. W. (1971). The Role of Agriculture in Economic Development. The Economic Journal, 81(323), 673- 676. https://doi.org/10.2307/2229883
Tolno, E., Kobayashi, H., Ichizen, M., Esham, M., & Balde, B. S. (2015). Economic analysis of the role of farmer organizations in enhancing smallholder potato farmers’ income in middle Guinea. Journal of agricultural science, 7(3), 123. https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v7n3p123
UBOS. (2018). The 2018 Statistical report. 345. Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
UBOS. (2020). Uganda Bureau of statistics 2020 statistical abstract. Uganda Bureau of Statistics.
UNDP (2014). Poverty Status Report. 53(9): 1689–1699.
Vu, H. V., Ho, H., & Le, Q. H. (2020). Impact of Farmers’ Associations on Household Income: Evidence from Tea Farms in Vietnam. Economies, 8(4), 92. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies8040092
Walaga, C., & Hauser, M. (2005). Achieving household food security through organic agriculture? Lessons from Uganda. Journal Fur Entwicklungspolitik, 21(3), 65– 84. https://doi.org/10.20446/JEP-2414-3197-21-3-65
Xaba, B. G., & Masuku, M. B. (2013). Factors affecting the productivity and profitability of vegetables production in Swaziland. Journal of Agricultural Studies, 1(2), 37-52. https://doi.org/10.5296/jas.v1i2.3748
Yassoungo, T. I., Olarewaju, A. O., & Emmanuel, A. A. (2018). Factors influencing maize production in Sikasso Region of Mali. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 22(3), 31-39.
Copyright (c) 2022 Midamba Dick Chune
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
