Socio-technological factors influencing smallholder farmers' adaptation of agroforestry technologies in the eastern highlands of Uganda

Abstract

Agroforestry has been identified as the most sustainable remedy to counter declining farm productivity, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. Based on this, state and non-state actors have promoted several agroforestry technologies in Uganda's eastern highlands to improve farm productivity. Using on-farm demonstration trials, agroforestry training sessions and field days, smallholder farmers were expected to make choices on the recommended agroforestry technologies and apply them to their crop fields in a scientifically recommended way for the anticipated outcomes to be realized. However, socio-technological and intrahousehold decision-making shape how smallholder farmers utilize agroforestry technologies because of heterogeneous farm contexts. This study sought to establish the rationale for smallholder farmers' adaption practices of the agroforestry technologies to their contexts in Uganda's eastern highlands. The specific objectives addressed by the empirical chapters in this dissertation were to; (1) determine the influence of socio-technological factors on smallholder farmers' choice of agroforestry technologies for adaptation, (2) examine the influence of intra-household decision-making on the use of agroforestry technologies, and (3) describe the smallholder farmers' modifications and practices in suiting the agroforestry technologies to their contexts. The study used a mixed methods research strategy that employed an exploratory sequential approach to collect the data. Results indicated that the number of tree species desired by the farmer and the perceived value of the technology were the most critical socio-technological factors commonly influencing smallholder farmers' choices of agroforestry technologies. The study also found male decision-makers dominated pre-production, production and post-production agroforestry decisions. The only decision where females' decision-making power was close to their male counterparts was deciding which crops to plant in a particular agroforestry plot. Furthermore, smallholder farmers made several adjustments to the recommended practices. They devised their practices to make the technologies more applicable to their contexts based on their knowledge, experience, preferences and priorities. The modifications and practices across the agroforestry technologies were mainly intended to enhance tree seedling survival, diversify benefits, optimize space utilization, minimize management costs, and shorten the waiting time for tree-related benefits. Thus, there is a need for a hybrid (knowledge exchange) extension model situated in the agricultural innovation system's thinking to allow smallholder farmers to contribute to agroforestry technology development. This will help generate economically viable and socially acceptable technologies for smallholder farmers.