To evaluate the effect of selected social economic factors on sweet potato vine conservation methods adopted by the farmers of Koro sub-county, Gulu district

Abstract

This research focused on examining the effect of selected social-economic factors on sweet potatoes vine conservation methods adopted by the farmers of Koro Sub- County, Gulu district. The study used a cross sectional research design which involved using qualitative and quantitative research methods to collect and analyze data. Farmers selected as respondents were selected by random sampling, 15 farmers per parish with experience in sweet potatoes growing and vine conservation. The data was collected using questionnaire method. 35% male and 65% female were interviewed. This implies that more females were involved in sweet potatoes growing than male. Male concentrated on cash crops like coffee, cotton and agricultural processing in the trading centers. The community was still segregating roles of women and men. 47.6% had attained secondary education, 27% had primary level and 25.4% had attained tertiary level of education, education influenced the way farmers’ access information on sweet potatoes vine conservation. The highly educated preferred television, newspapers and radio publications, while less educated mainly used a radio as source of agricultural information. The age bracket of 31- 40 years was dominant in sweet potatoes growing activities. Between the age brackets 21-30, involvement in sweet potatoes growing reduces. The youth and other able bodied have adapted other options of income than agriculture like; boda boda ridding, processing, telecoms and saloons, leaving only the aged with the hoe. Gender, though more female were involved in sweet potato growing by 65%, only 50% of the women were allocated at least 3 acres of land for sweet potato growing by their husbands, especially in men headed households. The recommendation reveals that farmer’s knowledge on conservation of sweet potato vines were mostly watering/valley bottom production. Farmers need to be educated to adopt the use of other methods like, triple ‘S’, and rapid multiplication. Most of the youth are engaged in other income generating activities like boba boda riding and small scale businesses other than sweet potato vine conservation and production and other agricultural production. Youths should be mobilized in groups and encouraged to engage in crop production and also benefit from the on-going government program like operation wealth creation. The general community should also come out to promote sweet potato vine conservation with the youth; popularizing agriculture through songs, drama, cultural and religious leader engagement and introducing agricultural clubs at schools. These would help promote food security in Koro Sub- County. Most of the men like engaging in what give them money directly like micro- businesses and less engaged in sweet potato production and vine conservation. The district must liaise with other commercial structures to add value and market sweet potatoes, so that farmers are able to sell their sweet potatoes at a good price and it becomes one of the prioritized agricultural products.