Factors influencing adoption of improved storage structures :

Abstract

Agriculture is the primary source of income and livelihoods of Ugandans as it contributes over 20% to the country’s GDP. Uganda's arable land is steadily decreasing, with expansion constrained by a high population growth rate. Additionally, despite the availability of modern storage technologies, adoption remains stagnant. Storage is crucial in the food supply chain, as it helps manage fluctuations in food demand and supply, ensuring food availability during periods of scarcity. However, despite its significant contribution, there is a knowledge gap regarding the types of storage utilized by smallholder maize farmers in Osukuru Town Council, Tororo District. This study, therefore, concentrated on examining the factors that influence the adoption of improved maize storage structures among smallholder maize farmers in Osukuru Town Council, Tororo District. It was a cross-sectional study that primarily employed quantitative methods to explore the dynamics of adopting these improved storage structures. In conclusion, the gender distribution among smallholder farmers in Osukuru town council shows that females constitute a majority (57.5%), compared to males (42.5%). The data also indicates that a significant majority of smallholder farmers are married (81.5%), followed by those who are widowed or widowers (10.5%), single (7.0%), and divorced (1.0%). Additionally, the education level distribution reveals that nearly half of the smallholder farmers have only a primary education (46.0%), while a substantial portion has no formal education (22.5%). A smaller percentage have completed O level (14.5%), vocational training (11.0%), A level (2.0%), or tertiary education (4.0%). The PROBIT model results indicate that several factors significantly influence the adoption of improved storage structures among smallholder maize farmers in Osukuru Town Council, focusing on factors such as age, marital status, land size, average production, access to extension services, and awareness of advanced storage technologies. Finally, it highlights the need for targeted interventions that address the specific challenges faced by smallholder farmers, including improving access to extension services and designing educational programs tailored to particular demographic groups to encourage the adoption of improved storage structures, ultimately promoting food security and reducing post-harvest losses.