dc.description.abstract | This was a cross-sectional descriptive study on the contribution of trust in quality groundnuts seedselection
and sourcing among small holder farmers in Uganda. The study documents the role of
trust in farmer’s (male/female) preferences for good quality seed attributes; trusted groundnut
sources and explored reasons for trust of these sources. The study was premised on Coleman’s
Social Capital Theory which posits that individuals are embedded in a network of social relations,
values and networks that influence their decisions and actions. These values and networks were
therefore, explored to frame the choices made by groundnut farmers on seed selection. The study
population comprised all groundnut farmers living in Kumi, Serere, Nwoya and Dokolo Districts
of Uganda. Cochran (1963:75) formula was used to determine the sample size of 385 farmers
however, due to the study’s purpose to only include farmers who had grown any of ICRISAT’s
mandate crops (sorghum, finger millet, pigeon peas and groundnuts) in the last two seasons
preceding the study, the final number that was included in the study for groundnut farmers was
286. Additionally, 86 farmers were engaged in the study distributed in 8 FGDs carried out in the
same areas.
Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were employed in the study where household
surveys and focus group discussions were conducted respectively. Descriptive statistical and
thematic analyses for quantitative and qualitative data were conducted. Frequency tables and
graphical illustrations have been used to present quantitative findings that were analyzed using
SPSS while verbatim quotes have been used alongside the main themes to present qualitative data.
The findings indicate that trust, especially interpersonal trust among informal networks, is a central
aspect of the seed selection and sourcing process among both male and female farmers from the
North and East of Uganda. Cereal stockists were identified as the most trusted seed sources among
both the male and female farmers in the two regions. This was due to their reliability in providing
seeds with farmer desired attributes as well as the success farmers reported following their
interactions with the stockists in the past. The physical attributes identified as part of quality seeds
included; physical (color, taste and size); physiological (early maturity and ability to germinate);
Genetic (high yielding, disease resistance and drought tolerance) and seed health.
The study concludes that both forms of trust identified (interpersonal and trust in systems) form a
critical component of the seed selection and sourcing process among both male and female farmers
from both the Northern and Eastern region of Uganda. However, interpersonal trust seems to be
dominant as is elaborated in their social networks which produce the most trusted seed sources
who also seem to some extent drive definitions of quality seed attributes. Therefore, the study
recommends the inclusion of farmer’s emic perspectives in any intervention that seeks to sustain
the delivery of quality seed to farmers within the study areas. | en_US |