An economic assessment of invasive shrubs and grasses on pastoral grazinglands of ruhaama county, Uganda.
Loading...
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
The need to achieve improved and sustainable range and grazingland conditions is an
ideal to meet pastoralists income in the pastoral economy. Range and grazinglands of
Uganda and Ntungamo district in particular, are of great significance to livestock
production and pastoral economy. Rangelands of Uganda on which grazing activities
are generally based, support about 90% of the national cattle population. However,
massive shrub/grass invasion appears to be. causing severe environmental and
economic loss to the pastoral economy. Based on this ground, the study was
conducted in pastoral communities of Ruhaama county to assess economic effects of
invasive shrubs and grasses onto cattle rearing and pastoralists income. A hundred
twenty pastoral households were surveyed, sixty of which were grazing on cleared
farms and the other sixty grazing on bushy farms. Data was analysed using both
qualitative and quantitative techniques under Statistical Package for Social Scientists
(SPSS) and excel computer programs. Binary logistic regression and gross margin
techniques were used to evaluate shrub effects, pastoralists income, production
efficiency and profitability respectively. The household obtained gross margin of
Ush 5 822 052 on cleared farms while on bushy farms was Ush 1 655 418 per
annum. The TR/TVC ratio of 2.5 on cleared farms was considered desirable and
economically efficient given a minimum level of variable inputs in farm
improvement compared to 1.6 on bushy farms. It is recommended in this dissertation
that there is a need to have more comprehensive research on the real magnitude of
environmental and economic losses caused by shrub encroachment to cattle
production and national economy as whole. There is also a need to obtain detailed
information on causative factors of shrub/grass invasion and pastoralists to establish alternative sources of income to improve their livelihood and farms other than over
depending on cattle as main source of income.
Description
A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of master of science in agricultural economics
Keywords
Invasive shrubs, Pastoral grazinglands, Ruhaama county, Uganda.