Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda

Potato is a key food and cash crop in Uganda, mainly produced by smallholder farmers in the eastern and southwestern highlands of the country. This study assessed different factors influencing the choice of storage technologies by Ugandan potato farmers. Data were collected from 240 potato farmers u...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Akello, R., Turinawe, A., Wauters, P., Naziri, D.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: MDPI 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118066
_version_ 1855526545864523776
author Akello, R.
Turinawe, A.
Wauters, P.
Naziri, D.
author_browse Akello, R.
Naziri, D.
Turinawe, A.
Wauters, P.
author_facet Akello, R.
Turinawe, A.
Wauters, P.
Naziri, D.
author_sort Akello, R.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Potato is a key food and cash crop in Uganda, mainly produced by smallholder farmers in the eastern and southwestern highlands of the country. This study assessed different factors influencing the choice of storage technologies by Ugandan potato farmers. Data were collected from 240 potato farmers using structured questionnaires in key potato producing districts in eastern and southwestern Uganda. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the multinomial probit regression model. Results indicate that potato farmers have limited access to credit and adequate extension services. Furthermore, most of the potato production is sold immediately after harvest. Although significant quantities of potato are stored as food for the household and seed for the next season, very few farmers store ware potato for later sale at a higher price. The farmer households generally use light storage technologies designed for seed storage, while dark stores required for proper ware potato storage are rarely used. Results for factors influencing the choice of storage technologies were mixed, and the extent and direction of influence varied with technology. The predominant factors that positively influenced the choice of dark storage technologies or a combination of different storage technologies included monthly income from sources other than potato sales, access to storage management advice and access to credit. This study recommends enhancing farmers’ access to adequate extension services and credit to promote good ware potato storage conditions.
format Journal Article
id CGSpace118066
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2022
publishDateRange 2022
publishDateSort 2022
publisher MDPI
publisherStr MDPI
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1180662025-12-08T10:29:22Z Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda Akello, R. Turinawe, A. Wauters, P. Naziri, D. potatoes storage smallholders farmers Potato is a key food and cash crop in Uganda, mainly produced by smallholder farmers in the eastern and southwestern highlands of the country. This study assessed different factors influencing the choice of storage technologies by Ugandan potato farmers. Data were collected from 240 potato farmers using structured questionnaires in key potato producing districts in eastern and southwestern Uganda. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and the multinomial probit regression model. Results indicate that potato farmers have limited access to credit and adequate extension services. Furthermore, most of the potato production is sold immediately after harvest. Although significant quantities of potato are stored as food for the household and seed for the next season, very few farmers store ware potato for later sale at a higher price. The farmer households generally use light storage technologies designed for seed storage, while dark stores required for proper ware potato storage are rarely used. Results for factors influencing the choice of storage technologies were mixed, and the extent and direction of influence varied with technology. The predominant factors that positively influenced the choice of dark storage technologies or a combination of different storage technologies included monthly income from sources other than potato sales, access to storage management advice and access to credit. This study recommends enhancing farmers’ access to adequate extension services and credit to promote good ware potato storage conditions. 2022-02-08 2022-02-11T17:25:58Z 2022-02-11T17:25:58Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118066 en Open Access MDPI Akello, R., Turinawe, A., Wauters, P., & Naziri, D. (2022). Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda. Agriculture, 12(2), 240.
spellingShingle potatoes
storage
smallholders
farmers
Akello, R.
Turinawe, A.
Wauters, P.
Naziri, D.
Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda
title Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda
title_full Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda
title_fullStr Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda
title_full_unstemmed Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda
title_short Factors Influencing the Choice of Storage Technologies by Smallholder Potato Farmers in Eastern and Southwestern Uganda
title_sort factors influencing the choice of storage technologies by smallholder potato farmers in eastern and southwestern uganda
topic potatoes
storage
smallholders
farmers
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118066
work_keys_str_mv AT akellor factorsinfluencingthechoiceofstoragetechnologiesbysmallholderpotatofarmersineasternandsouthwesternuganda
AT turinawea factorsinfluencingthechoiceofstoragetechnologiesbysmallholderpotatofarmersineasternandsouthwesternuganda
AT wautersp factorsinfluencingthechoiceofstoragetechnologiesbysmallholderpotatofarmersineasternandsouthwesternuganda
AT nazirid factorsinfluencingthechoiceofstoragetechnologiesbysmallholderpotatofarmersineasternandsouthwesternuganda