Abstract:
This study sought to analyze the characteristics of sunflower farmers, their knowledge, attitude, perceptions and skills with the gross margins of sunflower production and processing in Bunabutye sub county Bulambuli District. A total of 80 sunflower cultivating farmers were randomly selected were 63 farmers sold sunflower grains immediately after harvest and 17 farmers processed there sunflower before selling. The study investigated the characteristics of the farmers based on the cropping pattern, season, use of inputs and farm size among others. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to collect data. In analyzing, descriptive statistics were used for characterizing farmers, mean was used to analyze scale Likert questions which were answering the questions on knowledge, attitude, perceptions and skills whilst gross margin formula was used for gross margin analysis. The results revealed that all (100%) the respondents who participated in the study were sunflower farmers with an average of 3.6 years in production who mainly planted local varieties of sunflower. They also grew sunflower in different location/gardens with a mean of (1.736) and most farmers had garden sizes of 2 acres and below with beans as the most inter cropped with sunflower. The study further revealed the high knowledge by farmers on sunflower drying, and many farmers were neutral on knowledge concerning sunflower varieties and marketing whereas farmers had low knowledge on quality and use of input. It was also got that farmers had a very high attitude on sunflower production, information sharing and moderate on farmer groups, transformation of sunflower to increases profits and credit helping to boast production, there was low attitude on farmers investing in sunflower chain and paying for training sessions. Farmers perceptions were high on sunflower being grown for sale and sunflower production being cheap but moderate perceptions on sunflower production seasons and low perceptions on sunflower market. The study results further revealed that sunflower production and processing was profitable however, the level of profitability was higher for processors as the profits were four times more.
