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An assessment of pig feed diversity amongst smallholder pig farmers in Northern Uganda
(Cogent Food & Agriculture, 2021-07-02) Okello Daniel Micheal; Odongo Walter; Aliro Tony; Ndyomugyenyi Elly
Pig production has a high potential for increasing household incomes of both rural and urban smallholder farmers. However, this opportunity is constrained by the high cost of feeds and its scarcity. As such, farmers usually feed pigs on multiple feed resources within their reach. Although the diversity of pig feeds is important in overcoming the challenges, there is limited information on how this can be achieved, and the factors influencing it. Using a cross-section of 240 pig farming households, this study assessed how socio-demographic, technical and institutional factors influenced household pig feed diversity. Statistical analysis was performed at p < 0.1, p < 0.05 and p < 0.01), respectively. Results showed that marital status (p = 0.012), household size (p = 0.085), number of crop (p = 0.008) and other livestock enterprises (p = 0.055), ownership of mobile phone (p = 0.091), buying feeds (p = 0.005), and use of radio (p = 0.032) and friend as sources (p = 0.002) of agricultural information had a positive significant influence on household pig feed diversity. Additionally, age (p = 0.042), land size owned (p = 0.085) and breed [rearing local (p = 0.009) and crosses (p = 0.000) as opposed to exotic breeds] had a negative significant influence on household pig feed diversity. The study recommends that focus should be placed on improving access to farm inputs, agricultural and market information for smallholder pig farmers so as to improve pig feed diversity and subsequently enhance production and productivity. Radio and mobile phone technologies are opportunities that can support information sharing.
Effect of market information quality, sharing and utilisation on the innovation behaviour of smallholder pig producers
(Cogent Food & Agriculture, 2021-07-21) Mugonya, J.; Kalule, S. W.; Ndyomugyenyi , E. K.
Although pig farming can accelerate Uganda’s economic development, the value chain is undeveloped with poorly organized informal markets. Buyers take advantage of farmers paying low prices, pointing to the poor quality of pigs and pork. Farmer innovation can remedy this situation by enabling farmers to reduce costs, improve pig productivity and quality of pigs and pork. Leveraging farmer innovation behaviour calls for appropriate agricultural information. However, the effect of market information quality, sharing, and utilization on the innovation behaviour of pig producing farmers is not fully known. This study sought to determine the effect of information quality, sharing, and utilisation on the innovation behaviour of pig producing farmers in Northern Uganda. A cross-section survey of 239 respondents selected through multiple stages of purposive and random sampling was done. Data were analysed by Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). The results show that information quality contributes significantly to innovation behaviour directly (β = 0.247; P < 0.01) as well as indirectly through the partial mediation of information utilization (β = 0.176; 95% CI = 0.040∼0.349). Therefore, interventions that seek to enhance smallholder farmer innovation should provide quality information and support farmers to utilise it.
Effect of substituting a commercial grower diet with fermented sweet potato vine-cassava tuber-based diet on the performance of growing pigs
(African Journal of Rural Development, 2021-06-30) NDYOMUGYENYI, E. K.; ALIRO ,T.; ODONGO, W.; OKOT, M.W.
Pig production is one of the significant enterprises with the potential to improve protein
nutrition and livelihoods of smallholder farmers. However, pig production is constrained by
high cost of feedstuffs, hence an urgent need to search for low-cost feeding alternatives. This
paper assessed the nutritional value of home-made alternative feed comprised of sweet potato
vines, cassava tubers and rice bran (SPV-CT-RB) for growing pigs. Pig diets were formulated
with SPV-CT-RB substituting commercially made concentrate by 0, 30 and 45%. Sweet potato
vines had more protein (15.2%) than SPV-CT-RB (11.3%), rice bran (7.17%) and cassava
tubers (1.99%). Cassava tubers had more energy (12.1 MJ/kg) than SPV-CT-RB (11.1 MJ/kg),
sweet potato vines (11.0 MJ/kg) and rice bran (10.7 MJ/kg). Except for feed conversion ratio,
substituting the commercially made concentrate with SPV-CT-RB diet did not affect (p≥0.05)
the body weight gain, feed intake and cost of producing pork. The SPV-CT-RB diet can be
included in growing pig diets up to 45% without compromising with the feed intake, body
weight gain and cost of producing pork.
Traditional vegetable preservation technologies practiced in Acholi subregion of Uganda improves mineral bioavailability but impacts negatively on the contribution of vegetables to household needs for micronutrients
(Food Science and Nutrition, 2020-05-20) Bighaghire, Raymond; Okidi, Lawrence; Muggaga, Christopher; Ongeng, Duncan
The impact of traditional African preservation methods on the contribution of veg
etables to household micronutrient needs (Recommended Dietary Allowance: RDA)
has largely remained unquantified. Using Acholi subregion of Uganda as a case area,
this study examined using the predominant vegetables consumed in fresh and pre
served forms (cowpeas—Vigna unguicullata, okra/lady fingers—Abelmoschus esculen
tus, Malakwang—Hibscus cannabinus, and eggplants—Solanum melongena), the effect
of major traditional vegetable preservation methods (sun drying, boiling and sun dry
ing, and salting and sun drying) on the contents of micronutrients (vitamin A, iron,
zinc, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus), the levels of antinutritional factors (total
polyphenols, oxalate, tannins, and phytate), bioavailability of iron and zinc, and the
contribution of vegetables to the cumulative annual household RDA for micronutri
ents. Laboratory analysis showed that all the preservation methods, except the sun
drying method reduced the contents of micronutrients by 20%–82% (p ≤ .05). The
contents of antinutritional factors reduced by 1%–80% while in vitro bioavailability of
iron and zinc increased by 21%–296% (p ≤ .05). Nutritional computation revealed that
except for calcium, the preservation methods combined, reduced the contribution
of the vegetables to cumulative annual RDA for other micronutrients by 28%–60%.
These results demonstrate that improvements in bioavailability of essential nutrients
(iron and zinc) by traditional preservation methods investigated are associated with
significant loss of micronutrients which culminates in significant reduction in the con
tribution of cultivated vegetables to household RDA for micronutrients. Traditional
African preservation methods should be optimized for nutrient retention.
Status of food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices of caregivers of children in northern Uganda
(2023-05-31) Achiro, Eunice; Okidi, Lawrence; Nassanga, Prossy; Echodu, Richard; Alarakol, Simon Peter; Nassanga, Prossy; Ongeng, Duncan
The safety of homemade weaning foods in low- and middle- income countries is of
great concern as rural households have limited access to standardized commercial
weaning foods. In the Acholi subregion of Uganda, complementary foods are locally
produced. However, there is limited information on the Food safety knowledge (FSK),
food safety attitude (FSA), and food hygiene practices (FHP) of the caregivers. This
study examined food safety knowledge, attitude, and practices of the caregivers of
children 6– 23 months of age in Amuru and Nwoya districts, Northern Uganda, be
tween March 2019 and June 2019. A cross- sectional study was conducted involving
180 caregivers. Data were collected using semi- structured questionnaires and focus
group discussions and analyzed using descriptive statistics, multivariate binary logis
tic regression, and thematic content analysis. Caregivers had sufficient FSK (74.1%)
and positive FSA (68.1%). However, only 17.6% of them adhered to FHP. Frequency
of food safety training (p = .041) and households with children who suffered from
foodborne illness (p = .001) significantly predicted FSK. Conversely, both FSK and FSA
were significantly predicted by gender roles in decision- making on household income
(p = .006) and households with older children (p = .041). A significant positive correla
tion was observed between FSK and FSA (r = .406, p = .000). However, major barriers
to adherence to FHP were inadequate sanitation facilities and caregiver's workload.
The overall nontranslation of sufficient FSK and positive FSA into proper FHP calls for
future intervention to harness the sociodemographic factors that influence FSK and
FSA and address the barriers to FHP among caregivers.