Assessing tobacco farmers’ willingness to adopt growing other crops :

Abstract

The study was done to assess tobacco farmer’s willingness to adopt growing other crops in Pajulu sub-county, Arua District. Data collected included: the benefits and costs of tobacco cultivation in the sub-county, access ability to agricultural loans. inputs, extension and other farmer Support services, the impact of tobacco growing on food production tobacco growers’ perception about the potential of other crops to replace tobacco and existing economically viable alternatives for tobacco growers. The study used case study design. A total of 30 respondents were interviewed, four parishes were purposively selected from biased perspective of where tobacco is being grown within the sub-county. The farmers sampled from each parish ranged from 5-13 people who were conducted snow ball process. The study used interview guides, focused group discussions, documentary analysis and direct observation to collect data. The data was analyzed using descriptive methods since the research was qualitative in nature. The findings indicate that tobacco production impacts a lot of costs to farmers compared to the benefits with 87 % farmers rating labour requirements being very high in addition to other input costs vet revenues got from it can’t be able to counter the costs and satisfy the farmers plan in year. Most farmers interviewed got their inputs from the tobacco companies accounting 76.7%, together with other agricultural loans, extension and other support services. In exploring the growers’ perception 53.3% were willing to adopt or replace tobacco growing with other crops on condition that the crops that they replace tobacco with, earns ready market created by government, government offers special agricultural loan to them, inputs, extension and other services through formation of cooperatives for the various crops, Based on the study the following recommendations were made: increasing access to agricultural credit, enhancing access to agricultural information and strengthening the existing institutions to effectively carryout their duties and the study also suggested areas of action as a way forward like identifying alternative crops to tobacco according to climate and soil type, undertaking sensitization program to make them aware of problems associated with tobacco cultivation, enhance farmers technical knowhow and improve marketing infrastructure for alternative crops, assist farmers with inputs and effective use of environmentally sound measures to control pests and diseases.