Vol. 13 Issue. 1-2024

Insect pest and disease damage contribute about 52% of the fruits losses in Kenya. The Hot Water Disinfestation Treatment (HWDT) technology can reduce post-harvest losses for mango and improve access to export markets. We investigate the willingness to adopt and pay for the HWDT technology by mango farmers and traders and determine the profitability of the mango production enterprise with the introduction of the technology. Data were collected from 83
mango farmers and 40 traders in Machakos and Makueni sub-counties of Kenya. Contingent valuation methods and the probit regression model were employed in data analysis. Results showed that mango production is profitable, with profits being potentially higher at bigger scales of production. To promote adoption, implementation programs should consider group formation, gender, experience, and scale of operation of the farmers and traders. Implementations, therefore, should take into account the inherent differences among the production and marketing participants.

Gender is considered as one of the most curtailing factors to agricultural production and productivity, especially in sub-Saharan Africa where cultural norms and beliefs are strongly held. This study examines gender participation in marketing climbing beans in Kabale District in South Western Uganda. Specifically, it examines the; 1) marketable climbing bean varieties that women and men produce, 2) strategies women and men use to market climbing beans; 3) proportions of total bean produce that women and men sell per harvest; and 4) gender relations in the marketing of climbing beans by women and men. The study used a cross-sectional survey research design to collect data from 155 women and men selected through stratified, purposive, and random strategies. The respondents were farmers that are actively engaged in the production of climbing bean varieties. The findings revealed that male farmers controlled the climbing bean marketing process through mobility trading and owning retail stores, and attained higher incomes than women farmers. Women produced beans for home food security and were only able to obtain meagre income from selling surplus at lowly farm gate prices to meet pressing family needs such as medical bills and scholastic materials.

This study assessed information quality and needs as precursors of usage in restoration of Awoja watershed in Eastern Uganda. Data were collected using household surveys and Focus Group Discussions. The findings revealed that sex of the respondents had bearing on usage of the restoration information especially among the marrieds, widowed, a-level and diploma educated, and even in the respondents that did not get any formal education. There was a mismatch in the information received vs. information needed by the residents of Awoja watershed. Whereas the residents received information on wetland and tree nursery management, establishment and maintenance of trees, controlled harvesting and marketing of trees and tree products, their information needs were different and were mainly on livestock farming, how to detect occurence and mitigate effects of climate change outcomes such as drought, floods and hunger, and how to integrate fruit tree growing in the farming landscapes within the greater Awoja watershed. The information received by the residents were from governmental and non-governmental institutions. The information should be adequate, relevant, timely and presented in user-friendly language. Watershed restoration training events were the outstandingly preferred information dissemination.

Malnutrition is one of the major challenges faced by persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) especially in rural areas of Uganda. Underutilized crops present an unexploited alternative with potential to affordably improve micro and macro nutrients in the diets for different age groups of PLWHA. In this study, it was hypothesized that Dioscorea alata (white yam) tubers and leaves, Vigna unguiculata (cowpea seeds & leaves), Telfairia pedata (oyster nut), and Cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) leaves are high in nutrients and could individually significantly contribute to the improvement of the diets of PLWHA. The underutilized crops were processed into flours and analyses were carried out using standard procedures. It was observed that oyster nut could provide 20.8% and 26.0% of the RDA of energy for asymptomatic male and female adults, respectively, and 19.07%, 23.84% for symptomatic males and female adults, respectively. Cowpea seeds could provide > 25% of the RDA for zinc in all cohorts of PLWHA, and 10.75% and 12.29% of the RDA for iron for male adults & children of 9 to 13 years, and those of 1 to 3 years of age, respectively. Leaf samples of cowpea, pumpkin and white yam though rich in micronutrients were associated with tannins and phenols that may need culinary processing to ensure safety. The crops are good candidates to include in diets of PLWHA to alleviate malnutrition and optimize nutritional benefits.

Sawmill performance is anchored on three key indicators: timber volume recovery, timber value recovery, and log throughput. Traditionally, sawyers use the volume sawing strategy, which prioritizes maximising timber volume recovery. However, it is unclear whether this approach yields superior sawmill performance compared to the value sawing strategy. To determine the optimal sawing strategy, a study was conducted at four sawmills across three forest plantation clusters in September and October 2023. Data were collected from randomly selected logs grouped using cluster analysis. The PHP programming language was used to determine sawing patterns that maximised timber volume and/or value from each log. A paired t-test (5% significance level) was used to test the difference in timber volume and value recovery between the volume and value sawing strategies. The results showed that timber volume recovery from the volume sawing strategy was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that obtained using the value sawing strategy, except in smaller logs (10-20 cm). Conversely, timber value recovery was superior to the value sawing strategy across all log sizes. The adoption of the value sawing strategy increased timber value recovery by US$ 2, 3 and 12 m-3 for small, medium and large logs, respectively, with a 2 % drop in sawmill timber volume recovery. Based on the findings, it is recommended that sawmills adopt the value sawing strategy, as it indicated potential for enhanced sawmill profitability.