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The Future of Smallholder Farming in Eastern Africa - Uganda ...

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• What is the current extent <strong>of</strong> wetland utilization for agricultural purposes, and what has been<br />

the historical trend<br />

• What is the food security situation <strong>in</strong> the Lake Kyoga bas<strong>in</strong> What are the factors that<br />

<strong>in</strong>fluence its distribution among households How has this changed over time<br />

• What are the determ<strong>in</strong>ants <strong>of</strong> agricultural productivity and how does this relate to food<br />

security and wetlands utilization<br />

<strong>The</strong> f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs were obta<strong>in</strong>ed from the two primary sources <strong>of</strong> data, the community level PRA<br />

exercises and the household level survey data. Results are presented <strong>in</strong> tables and figures,<br />

show<strong>in</strong>g relevant frequencies, percentages and chi-square tests.<br />

<strong>The</strong> chapter is divided <strong>in</strong>to two sections. <strong>The</strong> first section presents the descriptive and trend<br />

characteristics <strong>of</strong> the study sample, at both the community and household level. <strong>The</strong> second<br />

section discusses econometric f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>gs on the relationships between the three pr<strong>in</strong>ciple<br />

<strong>in</strong>dependent variables (Wetland Diversity, Food Security and Productivity) and their respective<br />

dependent variables.<br />

5.1 Descriptive Statistics Regard<strong>in</strong>g Wetland Utilization and Historical Trends<br />

Both the PRA and the household survey generated a wealth <strong>of</strong> <strong>in</strong>formation about the manner <strong>in</strong><br />

which communities and households perceive the benefits they receive from liv<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> an area<br />

blessed with wetlands. <strong>The</strong> PRA was specifically structured to solicit community perceptions <strong>of</strong><br />

the changes <strong>in</strong> utilization <strong>of</strong> natural resources <strong>in</strong> the last twenty years and the result<strong>in</strong>g impact on<br />

<strong>in</strong>comes and food security.<br />

5.2.1 Wetland Access and Uses<br />

<strong>The</strong> vast majority <strong>of</strong> households <strong>in</strong> the selected communities had access to wetland resources. As<br />

shown <strong>in</strong> the follow<strong>in</strong>g table. This is to be expected; s<strong>in</strong>ce the selection <strong>of</strong> communities was<br />

based on visual <strong>in</strong>spection <strong>of</strong> the NEMA maps to pick communities <strong>in</strong> each Sub county that were<br />

<strong>in</strong> close proximity to significant wetlands.<br />

Table 1. WETLAND ACCESS AND USES Number %<br />

Have Access to swamps that they either “own” or which are common property<br />

resources adjacent to their land.<br />

277 94%<br />

Collect fuel wood from the Swamp 195 66%<br />

Use the swamp for hunt<strong>in</strong>g 40 14%<br />

Use the swamp for fish<strong>in</strong>g 140 48%<br />

Use the swamp for graz<strong>in</strong>g livestock 113 38%<br />

Use the swamp for agriculture (either through irrigation <strong>of</strong> by cultivat<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> the<br />

swamp fr<strong>in</strong>ges)<br />

62 21%<br />

Collect build<strong>in</strong>g or craft materials from the swamp 223 76%<br />

Collect water for household use from the swamp. 62 21%<br />

<strong>The</strong> PRA exercise <strong>in</strong>cluded preparation <strong>of</strong> an participatory map <strong>of</strong> the community. Us<strong>in</strong>g this to<br />

establish a common understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the resource base for the community, a rank<strong>in</strong>g exercise

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