Factors Influencing Uptake of Bench Terraces in Kabale District

Abstract

The study was conducted to identify the factors influencing the uptake of bench terraces in Kabale district specifically, Rubaya Sub County. The study estimated the yields of Irish potatoes and beans among farmers with and without bench terraces, compared the net returns from Irish potatoes and beans among the farmers with and without   bench terraces, identified the perception of the farmers on the uptake of bench terraces, and explored the strategies for increasing the uptake of bench terracing in Kabale district.

The study adopted a descriptive research design to collect and analyse both quantitative and qualitative data. A sample size of 134 study units was selected from a target population of 200 study units using purposive and simple random sampling. Data was collected through questionnaires and interviews while data analysis was descriptive, inferential and thematic for qualitative data.

The findings reveal that farms with bench terraces had better crop yields than the farms without bench terraces (for both beans and Irish potatoes). Farmers’ net returns from bench terraces outstrip farmers’ net returns from farms that are not bench terraced (for both beans and Irish potatoes). Lack of money, awareness, and attitude are the most limiting factors to the uptake of bench terracing and the strategies for uptake were based on government support holistically for development to be realised.

The researcher concludes that bench terraces should be embraced and promoted for better crop yields since it was evidenced by the research findings. The practical implication on this indicated that bench terraces should be promoted by development practitioners as a means of having degraded land rejuvenated into productive and arable land for agriculture.

In recommendation, government should ensure that bench terracing is promoted by putting in place the budgetary allocations in the sector of Agriculture in order to promote growing of common crops like potatoes and beans, it should  highly be recommended to spearhead bench terracing in order to increase on production and productivity which in the long run will as well increase on farmers income, the farmers perception on the bench terracing indicated that they were mainly affected by high investments’ and thus government should embrace supporting farmers to venture into terracing, it is highly recommended  for the government to foster the policy of bench terracing in the aspect of ensuring  sustainable land management technologies are taken on by the farmers.