African Journal of Agronomy

African Journal of Agronomy ISSN 2375-1177 Vol. 5 (1), pp. 293-300, January, 2017. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

A study of factors that determine decision to participate in grain amaranth marketing and factors which influence the level of participation

James Rugunda, Peters Basudde and Mayiga Kigozi

School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Zambia, Lusaka, Zambia.

Accepted 03 November, 2016

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].

Abstract

Grain amaranth plays an important role in improving household nutritional and economic status. Grain amaranth is still a new crop in Uganda’s farming system, after being introduced by Volunteer Efforts for Development Concerns in 2005 to curb malnutrition in Kamuli district. Production and consumption of the crop is still limited mainly due to lack of market; this has limited the purpose of production to domestic consumption with no incentive of producing a marketable surplus. A cross sectional study was conducted in Kamuli district to assess the determinants of small holder participation in grain amaranth marketing. A total of 150 grain amaranth farmers obtained through a multistage sampling technique, constituted the study sample. The decision to participate in grain amaranth marketing was positively influenced by gender of household head, education levels of the household head, grain amaranth yield, selling price, and membership in a farmer group. The results further reveal that the education status of the household head and the quantity of grain yield positively influenced households to sell more grain amaranth. Yield improvements are critical if increased market participation is to be realized. Therefore, research efforts should be directed towards generation and dissemination of grain amaranth varieties that will determine participation of smallholder farmers in Uganda.

Key words: Grain amaranth, small holder farmers, market participation.