An assessment of the effect of NAADS on food security in Uganda; case study: Mukungwe sub-county, Masaka district

Abstract

This study assessed the effects of NAADS on food security in Uganda focusing on Mukungwe Sub-County, Masaka district. This study was guided by research objectives specifically identified as; assessing the effects of NAADS on food security; finding out the challenges faced in ensuring effective food security, and finding out other strategies for ensuring effective food security. The data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires, and personal interviews, the researcher collected views from farmers from three parishes of Mukungwe Sub County, from administrators namely; CAO, District Agricultural Officials, Sub County Counselors, Sub County Chief, NAADS officials/Chairperson farmers forum. Using semi-structured questionnaires and interviews guides to gather information from the respondents’ who were selected using purposive and simple random sampling Data collected was analyzed by edited and cross checked to ensure its accuracy, comprehensiveness and completeness. It was categorized into themes, tabulated and frequencies generated and then analyzed. Data was also computed into percentages and interpreted. Analysis was done using the Microsoft excel software. The researcher also used descriptive statistics and quantitative themes that were categorized and tabulated using Microsoft word software. The researcher also used charts and tables for each theme. The judgment and discussion was made basing on generated percentages thus analysis and comparison ensured validity and reliability that helped in making rational conclusions. The research findings showed that there is a great relation between NAADS and ensuring food security. Thus the following effects were pointed out; reduction on spending on food supplement, deepening and strengthening farmers’ institutions, access to agricultural inputs, joint prioritization and planning, it promoted Local participation which are key in enhancing effective food security among farmers. It also reveals that there was gaps in the public-private collaboration in terms of procuring quality products which has affected agricultural outputs so as ensure food security this was attributed to profit orientation by these private firms. The study also found that farmer are challenged with numerous challenges in ensuring food security which included among others; theft, pests and diseases, poor post harvest, poor attitude, fake agricultural inputs, climatic changes, poor soils, unstable prices for agricultural products, politicking in agricultural sector, thus these and among other have affected food security among farmers. The researcher recommended that in order to ensure food security as; the government and local administrators must strengthen local participation to be the cause of change for their development; this should be hand in hand with capacity building, land reforms should initiated to allow equitable access to land, setting up minimum educational qualification to law makers at local level, strengthening the extension and advisory services because they are a key to achieving effective food security among farmers