Influence of farmers' level of education on knowledge and skills of soil erosion control in Oyam District, Uganda

Abstract

This study sought to determine the influence of farmers‟ level of education on knowledge and skills of soil erosion control in Iceme sub-county as one of the areas experiencing land and environmental degradation in Oyam district. The objectives were: to determine the level of knowledge of the farmers about the soil erosion, determine the different methods that farmers use to control soil erosion and the influence of education level on the farmers‟ knowledge and skills on soil erosion control. A cross-sectional research design was used to assess the influence of farmers‟ level of education on knowledge and skills on soil erosion control. Data was collected in September, 2019 from 120 respondents using semi-structured questionnaires and focussed group discussions. The data collected was analysed using thematic analysis for qualitative data and SPSS version 20 for descriptive statistics. Accordingly, farmers well understood the consequences of soil erosion, they cited drought and famine, poverty, desertification and loss of agricultural production, as the major effects of soil erosion. Soil conservation measures practiced in the study area involved crop rotation, tree planting, fallowing land, mixed cropping, rotational grazing, cover cropping, making water ways and mulching as important soil conservation practices used separately or in combination. Farmers‟ educational status has less influence on their knowledge and skills of soil erosion control, most of the soil conservation practices were being done by farmers with primary education than with secondary and tertiary education. It was concluded that farmers perceived well the major causes of soil erosion in their lands as deforestation, overgrazing, bad farming practice, over cultivation and absence of crop rotation. It is recommended that indigenous soil conservations be integrated with the new soil conservation innovations, promote the use of extension videos that can enable even uneducated farmers to learn irrespective of age, farming experience and gender to improve farmers knowledge of sustainable land use.