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Influence of Agricultural Commercialization on Micronutrient Nutrition among rural households in Omoro and Otuke Districts of Northern Uganda
(Gulu University, 2023-12-30) Kisebe Lillian
Micro-nutrient deficiencies are a serious nutritional challenge among households in Otuke and Omoro districts of northern Uganda, majority of whom depend on farming for food and income. Agricultural commercialization (AC) is a strategy being promoted to address rural poverty and food and nutrition insecurity in localities such as Omoro and Otuke districts. However limited information exists on how AC influences rural household micronutrient nutrition in such localities. Making use of 400 randomly selected households, this study examined the influence of AC on micronutrient nutrition in Omoro and Otuke districts. Specifically, the study assessed the factors that influence AC and the influence of agricultural commercialization on production and consumption of vitamin A, iron and folate. Using household commercialization index as a measure of agricultural commercialization, results showed that the level of AC in the study area was 61% with Omoro having 63% while Otuke had 54%. Tobit regression analysis showed that gender of the household head (p<0.023), primary food source (p<0.01), credit availability (p<0.01), membership in farmer groups (p<0.05), and methods of land tillage (p<0.001) significantly influenced AC. Two-stage least square regression showed that AC affected the production of iron (p<0.01), folate (p<0.01), and folate consumption (p<0.01). This study has demonstrated that AC has the potential to enhance production and consumption of micro-nutrients of public health concern. Based on these findings, development of strategies and policies that promote AC to address rural household micronutrient intake should take into account the agricultural commercialization factors identified and how commercialization influences production and consumption of micronutrients.
Career Guidance and Academic Performance in Secondary Schools in Gulu City
(Gulu University, 2023-12-20) Adong G,Monica
Most secondary schools in the City have been registering a decline in the academic performance and inadequate career guidance services could have attributed. The purpose of the study was to investigate career guidance and academic performance in secondary schools in Gulu City with a view to improve on the standards of academic performance in the City. The objectives of the study were: to determine the status of career guidance in secondary schools in Gulu City; to establish the level of academic performance in Secondary Schools in Gulu City and to measure the relationship between career guidance and academic performance in secondary schools in Gulu City. The Cross sectional correlational survey research design which incorporated mixed methods of data collection involving quantitative and qualitative approaches was adopted for this study. A sample size of 113 respondents was selected from a target population of 160 respondents from five (5) accessible schools in Gulu City. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires and interview guide and analyzed using percentages and Pearson Product Moment Correlations Coefficient. The study found that the status of career guidance was moderate in the selected schools as most of the secondary schools in Gulu City had career guidance functions and the most common ones were career talks, mentorship programs and teachers helping students when making choices of subjects. The study found that the level of academic performance in most schools in Gulu City was only average (50%) as many secondary schools in Gulu City had registered improvement in the grades of students in both UACE and UCE exams in the previous years. The study findings revealed that career guidance had a positive significant influence on academic performance in secondary schools in Gulu City. The study finally concluded that, career guidance practices was paramount in enhancing academic performance in secondary schools provided it was well implemented. It was recommended that there is need for management of secondary schools to put much emphasis on career guidance in order to realize improvement in academic performance in their schools as the study indicated a positive significant relationship between career guidance and students’ academic performance. The study further recommended that more research should be done on challenges faced in conducting career guidance in secondary schools in Uganda.
Effect of maize and oyster mushroom blending ratio on nutritional, microbial, and physico-chemical quality of maize-mushroom composite
(Gulu University, 2022-11-23) Kilama, Godfrey
complementary foods made from common starchy cereals like maize have been associated with high level of micronutrient deficiencies in children 6-24 months. Combining locally nutrient-dense underutilized foods like oyster mushrooms with starch-rich maize could enhance the nutritional quality of complementary foods. This study investigated how blending oyster mushrooms to maize flour would improve its nutritional, microbial, physico-chemical, and sensory quality. Refined maize flour was combined at 0% (control), 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% (w/w) with flour derived from thoroughly cleaned blanched, and sun-dried oyster mushrooms. The nutritional, microbiological, physical-chemical, and sensory qualities of the composites were assessed using standard procedures. With all ratios of mushroom, the nutritional quality of the composites was significantly improved. For example, adding 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% oyster mushrooms to maize flour increased the protein content from 6.67% to 8.74%, 6.67% to 11.04%, 6.67% to 14.23%, and 6.67% to 17.87%, respectively. Ash and fiber content percentage increment ranged from 0.31 to 2.48% and 0.22 to 3.04%, respectively. The composite's mineral composition had percentages increment ranging from 2.7 to 8.88% for iron, 1.9 to 6% for zinc, 26.03 to 55.33% for calcium, and 15.24 to 51.11% for magnesium. The physico-chemical quality of the composites was better, but the microbiological quality was negatively affected. Despite bioavailability limitations, theoretical nutritional calculations showed that consuming 250g/day of a blend that contains 10% mushroom contributes roughly 75% of the iron and 187% of the zinc requirement of children 6-24 months. The sensory evaluations of the composite-made porridges revealed poor ratings for the color, flavor, aftertaste, and aroma, but had no impact on the acceptability of the porridges made from blends containing 10% mushroom. The viscosity and water absorption of the composites, in particular, favorably impacted caregivers’ acceptability, whereas the capability to absorb oil decreased caregivers’ acceptability. For children 6-24 months who rely on maize porridge as a complementary food, this study suggests combining oyster mushroom with maize flour to increase the nutritional content of the flour mixture.
DETERMINANTS OF PROFIT EFFICIENCY OF SMALLHOLDER DAIRY PRODUCTION SYSTEMS IN GULU CITY AND GULU DISTRICT, UGANDA
(Gulu University, 2024-01) OKELLO, OYOO PETER
Dairy production systems in Uganda are still plagued by yield gaps, post-harvest losses, inadequate coordination, and ineffective marketing strategies. This has resulted in inefficiency and low productivity, even though this sector has been strategically invested in to increase income and food security. The study estimated profit efficiency, characterized dairy production systems, and determined the factors influencing profit efficiency. The maximum likelihood process was used in conjunction with a one-step stochastic profit frontier approach to estimate the profit efficiency and causes of profit inefficiency for 191 smallholder dairy farmers. Results show that the profit efficiency of smallholder dairy production systems is driven by land size, vet cost, costs of feed, cost of equipment, and the cost of labor. Findings further indicate that the inefficiency of smallholder dairy production systems is driven by age, years of experience, family size, gender, marital status, access to extension service, access to credit, group membership, and Friesian breed type. The study thus urges the development of labor-saving technology, the provision of farmers with inexpensive local feed, and the enhancement of extension services. The disparities in profit efficiencies among dairy production systems necessitate bench marking among top performers and intervention tailored to those systems.
DEVELOPMENT OF NUTRIENT ENRICHED CASSAVA – ORANGE FLESHED SWEET POTATO-BASED SNACK FOR SCHOOL FEEDING OF CHILDREN AGED 6-15 YEARS
(Gulu University, 2024-12) ULANGO, TOM
Introduction
Undernutrition in rural regions is a global concern that is exacerbated by non-sustainable practices such as pupils feeding programs and school gardens. Nutrient-dense, reasonably priced meals can be given to rural populations as a solution. The goal of the current study is to develop a nutrient enriched snack made of cassava-OFSP blend that may be fed to school-age children (6-15 years) in the Zombo district. The snacks were formulated from a blend of cassava, Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP), maize, amaranth seed and NARO Bean2 flours and contained both macro (protein, crude fiber, crude fats, ash, energy) and micro (iron, zinc and vitamin A) nutrients
Method
During the study, both a cross-sectional and a randomized design (CRD) were employed in the investigation. 130 pupils participated in the study and assessed the snack's preferences for colour, flavor, taste and mouth feel. Reducing the proportion of cassava and OFSP less than 25% and 0% respectively in the formulation, significantly (p<0.05) improved the color of the snacks. According to the study, lowering these flour proportions could not have a significant (p>0.05) impact on how good the snack tastes. Additionally, the taste and texture of the snacks SP3 and SP6 improved dramatically (p<0.05) when the amount of cassava flour in the control snack SP2 (100% Cassava flour) was decreased. The study noted that adding other flours instead of cassava boosted the amount of protein in the new product SP5 (40% Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato, 15% Cassava, 20% Maize, 7% Amaranth and 18% Iron Rich Bean Flours) the control SP2 from 20.67% to 26.48% (p<0.05). Similarly, addition of more flours to substitute cassava flour in snack SP2 significantly (p>0.05) increased the crude fiber content from 0.8 in snack SP2 to 6.43% in snack SP3. The study therefore indicates that nutrient dense snacks can be developed using local plant materials that are available in the communities to meet the recommendable dietary requirement of iron 10mg/day for children 6-8 years, 8mg for boys and girls children 9-13 years, 11mg/day and 15mg per day for adolescent boys and girls and girls 14-18 years respectively among school children 6-15 years in Zombo district, West Nile Sub-region.
Results: The study developed 9 snack samples SP1 (100:0:0:0:0), control SP2 (0:100:0:0:0), P3 (80:5:0:7:8), SP4 (60:10:10:7:13), SP5(40:15:20:7:18), SP6 (20:20:30:7:23) SP7(0:25:40:7:28), SP8 (0:30:50:7:33) and SP9 (0:0:55:7:38) with various proportions (Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato: cassava: maize: amaranth seed: iron rich bean 2) flours respectively. Sensory analysis indicates that
xiii variation in flour proportions resulted in the development of snacks that were significantly different (p<0.05) by 0.84 score for colour compared to the control SP2. Flavour of the snacks improved by 0.61 score in in snack SP3 while, mouth feel had a score difference of 0.83 for snack P6. Generally, flour formulation caused a significant (p<0.05) change in snacks SP7, SP8 and SP9; for colour, SP3, SP4, SP5, SP6 and flavour SP8; SP3 and SP6 respectively but did not (p>0.05) significantly improve taste and preferences of all the snacks despite SP3 score of 3.02 being the highest and lowest (2.79) in snack SP2 (control) using hedonic scale 5 liked most and 1 disliked most. Proximate and micronutrient analysis indicates that SP6, SP9 and SP3 had the highest iron (44.01mg/100g), Zinc (7.17mg/100g) and vitamin A (1441.33µg/100g) respectively however, SP3 had the highest (12.37%) moisture content making the snack prone to spoilage due to growth of microbes. Servings of snack (20g, 70g & 67g) of SP9, would meet 100% RDA of iron, zinc vitamin A for children 9-13 years, similarly, SP9 servings of 27.3g and 37.3g, 80g (girl) and 103g (boys), would meet 100% RDA of iron, zinc and vitamin A for children 6-15 years depending on the nutritional requirements for th various sexes and age of the children. The requirements of RDA of iron (10mg/day), zinc 5mg/day and vitamin A (400µg/RAE) per day for boy and girl children 6-8years respectively, while for by and girl children 9-15years, SP9 and SP6 servings of (20g,70g,67g) and (18.2g,86.5g,57g) would provide the RDA of 5mg/day, 8mg/day 600µgRAE/day for iron, zinc and vitamin A respectively whereas, children 14-15 years would be served 103g and 85.6g of the snacks SP9 and SP6 to meet the RDA of vitamin A (900 µgRAE and 700 µgRAE) for boys and girls respectively and 153.4g serving and 190.3 g serving of SP9 and SP6 would provide 11mg/day for zinc.
Conclusion: The study indicates that locally available, nutritious and underexploited plant materials can be used to develop composite flour mixes using cassava, OFSP, maize, amaranth seed and NAROBean2 can be used to create edible and nutrient dense snacks that would meet the RDA for iron, zinc and vitamin recommended for education sector in Uganda to embrace cassava-OFSP-based snacks developed from the locally available foods in the current study with further studies on the effects of soaking, malting, roasting on the nutrient bioavailability.
Recommendation
Future studies should evaluate water soluble nutrients like iron, zinc and vitamin A bioavailability during the soaking, roasting, and malting processes used during the development of the cassava-OFSP snack formulations. Therefore, schools can develop snacks to enhance nutrient intake among the school children to improve their health and increase their concentration in class