Assessment of the factors influencing improved potato varietal choice and change in the South Western Highland Agroecological zone of Uganda

Abstract

This study sought to assess the factors influencing improved potato varietal choice in south western highland agro-ecological zone of Uganda.The study examined the drivers of potato varietal choice and varietal change using data collected from 147 households randomly selected from South Western Highlands of Uganda, a leading potato producing region. The study identified most cultivated or preferred potato varieties by farmers, determined varietal attributes that influence farmer’s choice of Potato varieties and factors influencing farmers decisions to change varieties planted from season to season. Results reveal that the two majorly grown potato varieties are Kinigi (46%) and Rwangume (32%). However potato farmers are changing from old improved varieties to old improved varieties rather than to the newly improved ones. Varietal change is driven by seed system factors mainly distance to the seed source.