Rural Electrification and Maize Value Addition in Mpumudde Sub-County, Lyantonde District

Abstract

The study was about rural electrification on maize value addition in Mpumudde Sub-County, Lyantonde District. The study specific objectives were to;(i) characterize maize value addition actors benefiting from rural electrification,(ii) identify factors limiting farmers from participating in maize value addition other than rural electrification, and (iii) assess the contribution of rural electrification towards adding value to maize. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design and primary data was collected from 200 respondents. The data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The study concluded that maize value addition actors who benefited from rural electrification were characterized by low level of education within average number of years in school being six; limited land with average of 4 acres, and with an average age of 38 years. The study indicated that training, skills and experience, credit availability, market accessibility, and accessibility to materials and equipment had significant influence on farmer’s ability to add value to maize. The study also indicated that rural electrification connection to maize milling centers led to higher efficiency in operations compared to non-connected milling centers. They improved quality of the value added products, efficiency in processing activities, and operated for long hours. The study recommends that, there is a need for the government to link with the donors like World Bank who have already acknowledged through their own studies that there should be a need for massive injection of funds to support the rural electrification programme. Maize value adders should be subsidized with value addition equipments at a fair price to help them sustain production of better quality value added products.Encourage the acquisition of electric maize shellers, grinders, and dryers to improve processing efficiency and reduce post- harvest losses. Establish cooperative-owned processing units powered by electricity. This collective approach can reduce costs and improve the bargaining power of smallholder farmers.