Evaluation of the Challenges of Sunflower Production on Livelihoods of Farmers in Kaberamaido District a Case Study of Kaberamaido District in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

This study sought to analyze the prevailing conventional sunflower production challenges and how the small holder farmer is coping up with these challenges.

The general objective of this study was to evaluate the challenges of sunflower production on livelihoods of farmers in Kaberamaido with specific objectives also examine the challenges of sunflower production towards household incomes; to find out the challenges of sunflower production on farm acreage; and to identify the challenges of sunflower production on the nutritional values. The research questions in this study were what are the challenges of sunflower production played towards the household incomes of the farmers in Kaberamaido? What are the challenges of sunflower production on the farm acreage of farmers of Kaberamaido? What are the challenges of sunflower production on the nutritional values of farmers in Kaberamaido?

The study adapted the cross-sectional research design. The choice of this method is guided by the understanding that it allowed the collection of data on more than one case and at a single point in time, in order to gather a body of quantitative and qualitative data. The population of the study constituted the farmers and district agricultural administrative officers in four sub counties of Kaberamaido District.

The study established and concluded that market, price variations and production constraints were the main production challenges faced by the farmers in the district. However, the study also identified other factors such inadequate funding and technical support as other factors that influence and impact on the livelihood of farmers as a result of declining production.

In conclusion, the study recommended that sunflower farmers in Kaberamaido and agricultural extension workers should organize frequent short farmer training programs to equip them with necessary skills that will help address the challenges of production, the study also recommended that the District production officer should adopt supervisory practices that are fully linked to production performance at both production and post-production levels, but to attain this, timeliness and objectivity ought to be evident to the farmers themselves and farmers need to receive formal training on best production practices. This will help address the prevailing production challenges in the district.

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