Agroforestry practices in the buffer zone area of Mt Elgon National Park, Eastern Uganda

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the attitude of local people towards the contribution of agroforestry practices to socioeconomic development in the buffer zone area of Mt Elgon National Park, Uganda. Primary data were collected through formal household survey conducted during June–October 2004 with the use of questionnaires administered to 120 households selected randomly from Mutushet and Kortek Parishes. Data were analysed using chi-squared test and logistic regression model. The results support the hypothesis that the attitude of people towards agroforestry practices is independent of existence of collaborative forest management, ethnic group, sedentary farming experience and family size but depends on main occupation, education status, distance from park boundary, damage caused by wild animals, landholding size and total livestock units owned. Factors that significantly influenced adoption of agroforestry technologies were age of the household head, education status, extension contact, family labour force and gender. There is need to intensify extension programmes in those areas where the majority of people have negative attitude towards agroforestry practices.