THE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT SOCIAL ECONOMIC FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE POST HARVEST FOOD WASTE IN UGANDA: A CASE STUDY OF MUKONO DISTRICT.
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Date
2024-09-25
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Ucu
Abstract
Post food losses represent an incredible challenge in Uganda, with about 40% of agricultural production getting lost or wasted annually.
The study is aimed to provide in depth, context specific insights into the key drivers of food waste across different stakeholder groups in Mukono, it also generates empirical evidence to guide stakeholders, including the government, NGOs, and community organizations, in optimizing and refining ongoing programs to better address the needs and challenges in Mukono and the insights generated from Mukono can inform future research directions and the design of more effective, context-appropriate interventions to address food waste at the regional and national levels in Uganda.
This research used two designs, combining both statistical and qualitative methods. That is, the incorporation of both statistical and qualitative methods in the study process.
The findings show that social and cultural institutions, economic considerations, and the efficiency of existing programs somehow lead to food losses. More specifically, conventional methods, collective usage, and food recovery with a preference to financial stability, market access, and aid to infrastructure for storage are the most important factors in the distribution of losses. The study proposed culturally sensitive awareness-raising programs, economic support programs, market accessibility, the strengthening and collaboration among stakeholders as strategies to deter post-harvest food losses in Mukono. Only by addressing these factors can stakeholders work towards the realization of sustainable food security and better livelihoods in the district. And the agricultural data of Mukono District, Uganda were collected. Research of mixed methods was conducted, 300 households, farmers, food processors, and retailers were surveyed, and did the in-depth