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Item ASSESSING THE IMPLEMENTATION AND ECONOMIC IMPACT OF AFRICAN SWINE FEVER CONTROL ALONG THE PIG VALUE CHAIN(Gulu University, 2025) Aliro TonnyABSTRACT Pig production recommended as key for poverty alleviation strategies in Uganda’s 2040 Vision, contributes to livelihood income and employment for many people. The potential of pig value chain to support the livelihood of people are impacted economically by factors related with African swine fever (ASF). The endemic ASF has no effective vaccine and medicine, prevention and control rely on biosecurity measures, and restrictions of trade and pig movements. The overall goal of this study was to advance knowledge of perceived existing ASF biosecurity measures and associated implementation cost in the pig value chain. Four studies were conducted in six districts across northern, and central Uganda. The studies used focus group discussions, disease outbreak investigations, and participatory group model building of system dynamic (SD). Data analysis included semi-qualitative and quantitative methods. This study classified the perceived biosecurity implementation in smallholder into enablers – positive perception and knowledge; and hindrances – investment and feeding costs. Anthropogenic activities introduced ASFV contaminated commercial feeds into and facilitated spread within and across pig houses of a large-scale modern farm. During quarantine imposition, value chain actors shifted trade activities from formal to informal markets, and the perceived economic loss was higher among farmers. Farmers forgone pig sales worth $160,000, which is $14,000 lower than what traders would sell as pork during trade ban. In SD simulation scenarios when consumer demand remains unchanged, adult pig numbers rose as sales were restricted, hence pig and pork inventory reduce, causing an increase in prices as less is available on the market. On the other hand, when consumer demand falls, pig inventories rise and this causes a decline in the pig price. Combining a trade ban with enhanced biosecurity cost when consumer demand falls resulted in a further increase in adult pigs and pig inventories due to reduced pig death rates. As trade bans induce an increased herd size on farm, this leads to a fall in farmer and trader profit margins. In conclusion, the exiting biosecurity measures have failed to prevent and control ASF as hinderances outweigh enablers of biosecurity implementations. Contaminated commercial feeds was a potential source for ASFV introduction into large scale farmer. Reducing the pig mortality rates through enhanced biosecurity can improve outcomes from ASF outbreaks during trade ban, but there is a tradeoff with greater incurred costs.Item URBAN RESIDENTS’ PERCEPTION AND WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR PUBLIC GREEN SPACES IN LIRA CITY.(Gulu University, 2025) Eper CeasorABSTRACT Urban public green spaces play an essential role in enhancing environmental sustainability, social well-being, and economic vibrancy within cities. However, rapid urbanization across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda, has placed increasing pressure on these spaces, leading to their degradation and conversion for other uses. This study examined urban residents’ perceptions and willingness to pay (WTP) for public green spaces in Lira City, and further analyzed how proximity to these spaces influences surrounding land values. A cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed. Data were collected from 397 households, 60 property owners, and key informants, including city officials, planners, and green space managers. Structured questionnaires and contingent valuation methods were applied to capture quantitative insights, while interviews provided qualitative depth. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, as well as binary and multinomial logistic regression in SPSS and STATA. Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Findings revealed that awareness of public green spaces was high (97.5%), though frequent usage was limited. Residents valued green spaces highly, especially for environmental (M=4.32) and recreational (M=4.11) benefits, with a composite perception index mean of 4.01. Socio-demographic factors had a limited influence on perceptions, with education showing a modest effect. Willingness-to-pay analysis indicated that 67.5% of respondents were prepared to contribute financially, with income being a strong predictor of WTP. Reasons for unwillingness included mistrust in fund management and economic constraints. Regarding property dynamics, respondents living closer to Mayor’s Garden and Akii-Bua Stadium reported positive impacts on land values, a finding confirmed through multinomial logistic regression, which showed that proximity significantly increased the likelihood of perceived property value appreciation. The study concludes that public green spaces are highly valued by residents, both socially and economically, but their sustainability depends on adequate financing, inclusive planning, and effective governance. It recommends strengthening institutional commitment, promoting community participation, and adopting innovative financing mechanisms such as publicprivate partnerships to support maintenance and enhancement. These insights contribute to evidence-based urban planning and policy, reinforcing the role of green spaces in achieving sustainable city development in Uganda and other rapidly urbanizing contexts in Sub-Saharan Africa.