Browsing by Author "Edward, Ssemakula"

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ADOPTION OF SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING IN SMALLHOLDER DAIRY CATTLE PRODUCTION IN MBARARA DISTRICT
(American Journal of Agriculture, 2022) Gilbert, Twesigye; Edward, Ssemakula; Bahame, B. David
Purpose: This study sought to assess the level of adoption of supplementary feeding, associated socioeconomic factors and the relationship between supplementary feeding and dairy cattle production among smallholder dairy farmers in Mbarara District. Methodology: The study adopted a mixed approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data from 198 smallholder farmers and 12 key informants using a semi-structured interview guide and key informant interview guide respectively. Cluster sampling was used to divide the target population into clusters and then selected elements from each cluster using Simple Random Sampling technique. Collected data was compiled, sorted, and entered into Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSSv26.0) for analysis. Findings: The study revealed that 81.3% of smallholder farmers adopted supplementary feeding. However, the level of supplementary feeding varied among smallholder farmers of different socioeconomic characteristics. Basically, there was low level of adoption of supplementary feeding among farmers with few household members, having little knowledge about supplementary feeding and little funds to finance the costs involved in application of supplementary feeds. In relation to dairy cattle production, there was a positive significant relationship between the level of adoption of supplementary feeding and milk yield. Unique contribution to practice and policy: This study suggests to policy makers and other relevant authorities to formulate polices that emphasize adoption of supplementary feeding among dairy farmers in order to increase milk production in cattle.
Assessing the Smallholder Farmers’ Coping Strategies to the Effects of Climate Change
(International Journal of Agriculture and Animal Production, 2023) Baranabas, Opiyo; David, Osiru; Edward, Ssemakula; Kalibwani, Rabecca; Malinga M., Geoffrey
Background: The effects of climate change such as droughts, floods and land degradations normally result into crop failures among smallholder farmers. The effect is more adverse on smallholder farmers of Sub Sharan region owing to its low coping strategies and poverty prevalence. Assessing the smallholder farmers coping strategies to the effects of climate is an evitable thought if we want to develop sustainable coping options and policies to climate change. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of climate change, and assess on how the smallholder farmers coped up with them. A cross-sectional survey research design was employed to generate data from the 360 randomly selected household heads across the nine parishes in the Sub County via a semi- structured questionnaire, interviews schedules to key informants and focus group discussion to smallholder farmer groups. The SPSS tool was used to analyze the effects of climate change and their coping strategies and presented in frequency distribution tables and correlation matrices. Results: The two most widely practiced coping strategies were sales of productive assets and reduction in food consumptions rates among the smallholder farmers. The results from the correlation analysis revealed that there were significant positive correlations between floods, droughts, famines, and sales of productive assets and reduction in consumption rates of food. Conclusion: The findings from the study note that there are several factors that work in synergy to influence the specific coping strategies by smallholder farmers to climate change. This therefore calls for more efforts from government and development partners to strengthen the agricultural extension services by customizing climate information delivery system, allocating more fundings to researchers to engineer climate-tolerant crop and animal resources, investing on water for production projects, renting out idle pieces land to investors by smallholder farmers in order to provide the additional source of earnings
THE GROWTH, REPRODUCTION AND SURVIVAL OF BIOMPHALARIA SPECIES IN THE FIELD AND LABORATORY CONDITIONS AT LAKE ALBERT IN WESTERN UGANDA
(Francis Kazibwe andEdward Ssemakula, 2016-05) Francis, Kazibwe; Edward, Ssemakula
Bilharzia or Schistosomiasis is a parasitic infection of man and is caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. The parasite is transmitted through specific aquatic intermediate hosts in various freshwater habitats. In terms of socioeconomic and public health importance it is regarded second to malaria among the parasitic diseases affecting man in tropical and some sub-tropical countries of the world. To understand the disease transmission patterns better; a study was carried out on the population dynamics of the snail types (Biomphalaria species) that are responsible for the transmission of the disease. This paper discusses the results of the study that was carried out at Lake Albert, which is one of the most affected areas by Bilharzia disease in the country. The growth, reproduction and survival of two Biomphalaria species at Lake Albert were monitored in the field and laboratory for thirteen and fourteen weeks respectively. Field and laboratory growth curves were constructed for the two Biomphalaria species, Biomphalaria stanleyi and Biomphalaria sudanica. The snails from the natural environment for both species showed a rapid and steady increase in size until they reached maximum growth at about the fourteenth week. As the snails matured, maximum egg production capacity was achieved from the tenth week onwards. The growth of snails in the laboratory was much slower especially for B. sudanica, and the snails never attained the shell diameter levels of the snails in the natural environment within the same period. It took an extra week for snails in the laboratory to reach maturity and to start egg production. By the end of the fourteenth week, the laboratory snails did not appear to have achieved a level of maximum egg production. There was a negative correlation between the mean generation time and the intrinsic rate of natural increase. These observations stress the importance and requirement of optimum conditions in the habitat of snails for them to maintain their numbers. With global warming and the attendant floods, occurring in many areas of the tropics including Uganda, fertile ground for multiplication of the snails with eventual possibility of spread of bilharzia, can be a big threat. There is a need to be vigilant and identify possible resurgence in snail population that may lead to the spread of bilharzia.