Economic Policy Research Centre

ABSTRACT This study examines youths’ decision to participate in agriculture and agribusiness from an agricultural knowledge lens. Data collected from 520 respondents across Ghana were analysed descriptively and inferentially. The results show the influence of different levels of science-based (objective) agricultural knowledge on youths’ participation in agriculture and agribusiness, in addition to subject knowledge. Similarly, the findings reveal that gender, having family and friends engaged in agriculture, and participating in capacity-building training influence youths’ participation in agriculture and agribusiness. Agricultural experience, age, and education significantly shape objective agricultural knowledge. The policy implications of these findings are discussed and strategies for promoting the acquisition of objective knowledge and scaling up youths’ participation in agriculture and agribusiness are provided.

Abstract In Kenya, like in many developing countries, the food consumption patterns among the elites and middle classes are shifting towards the consumption of convenient processed foods. This has led research and development initiatives in Kenya to innovate the-shelf bean products to meet the changing consumer needs. However, there is limited information on how the various processed bean processors and distributors are performing. This study explores the structure and performance of the processed common bean market to advise the would-be contenders in the same business. To achieve this, the study applied the structure, conduct, and performance framework to analyze data that was collected from 19 bean processors and 90 distributors. Study findings show that the market structure of firms processing common beans exhibited oligopolistic tendencies with 4 firms controlling 89% of the entire market, while its distribution proved to be more competitive with 4 firms controlling 16% of the market. Initial investment and limited product market are the primary barriers that make bean processing an undesirable venture for many new entrants. To gain momentum, compete with already established brands, and break the oligopoly tendencies in the market, medium-scale processors should be facilitated with tax exemptions. Products produced by home companies should be widely advertised. There is also a need for distribution strategies that can easily get the processed common beans market to consumers to maintain competition and low stock turnover for the products at the distribution level.

Abstract As coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) and other restrictions intensified, individuals, businesses and governments turned to mobile digital platforms to reduce the financial costs and mitigate the risk of spreading the virus within the population. Drawing on lessons from Kenya and Uganda, our study examines the drivers of digital financial inclusion as a pathway for financing post‐COVID‐19 recovery. We find that digital financial inclusion is higher in middle‐aged male digital users with more SIM cards registered in their names. Results also show that users who trust mobile money agents were likely to use more digital financial platforms than others. Based on these results, we recommend the need for government to strengthen the National Identification Systems and consumer protection policies to increase trust in digital financial services. Additionally, financial sector players such as mobile network operators and commercial banks need to innovate and roll out customized digital financial products for the marginalized/unbanked population such as women, the elderly and the youth.

This paper presents the status of investment and trade in post-conflict Northern Uganda. Administrative trade (formal and informal) and investment (foreign and domestic) from 2005 to-date within and through the region are used to understand the dynamics within a post-conflict lens. While policies and specific regional programs by government exist to rebuild Northern Uganda, they are not specifically supportive of investment and trade taking place in the region; the policies/regulation treat Uganda as homogenous and the programmes have focused on rebuilding local livelihoods and food security through agriculture. Descriptive analysis, first, on the trends and nature of investments reveal that minimal large scale industrial activities are taking place, many are <em>ad hoc</em>, largely driven by small-scale/micro investors – (shops, kiosks). Second, trade (formal and informal) is high with South Sudan compared to Democratic Republic of Congo. However, trade through the region is driven by the security conditions in South Sudan. Informal trade was more in foodstuffs and foot wear commodities but these originate from other parts of the country especially, Kampala. In conclusion, we do not observe a clear linkage between investments and trade taking place in the region to local people’s welfare. However, few financial institutions are being set up to support traders in cash transactions. Given that policies and programme measures that address access to finance, security of access to land for investment, and infrastructural factors are not necessarily conflict sensitive, these continue to impede growth in investments and trade in Northern Uganda.

Introduction: Uganda is one of the largest refugee-hosting nations in the world, with the majority of the refugees having fled South Sudan. In the early 2000's the local government and refugee health systems were merged to create a more equal and integrated system for refugees and the host population. Our aim is to investigate whether mothers from the two groups experience the same access to and quality of maternal health services, and whether refugee- and host-community mothers perceive the maternal health services differently.Methods: In November–December 2019, we conducted a household survey of 1,004 Ugandan nationals and South Sudanese refugee mothers aged 15–49 in the West Nile region covering the districts of Arua, Yumbe, and Adjumani, and elicited information on access to maternal health care services, perceptions of the quality of services, and feelings of discrimination. The data was then analyzed using Ordinary Least Squares and logistic regression.Results: Our analyses do not reveal large differences between refugees and the host community in terms of access to and the quality of maternal health services. Results from bivariate models indicate that refugee mothers are 6% points less likely to receive antenatal care (p-value < 0.05) but are 8% points more likely to give birth at a health facility (p-value < 0.05). Refugee mothers are generally less satisfied with how they were treated during antenatal care (0.132 lower average value on a Likert scale, p-value < 0.01). Refugee mothers are also 4% points more likely to feel discriminated against during ANC compared to their counterparts in the host community (p-value < 0.05).Discussion: The way women feel treated at the health facility during maternal health care is an important aspect of quality care. While there seems to be equal access to resources between refugees and host community mothers in Northern Uganda in terms of access to and quality of care, there is still a discrepancy between the two groups in terms of how the women feel treated. Policymakers and practitioners in the health sector should pay attention to these perceived inequalities between refugees and women from the host communities to ensure equally inclusive treatment across groups.

Abstract Following an overview of agricultural sector performance, climate change, and variability in Uganda, this chapter presents a study examining the food security effects of weather shocks by gender in the country. The results show that the incidence of food insecurity increases with an increase in all measures of weather shocks (drought, floods, and irregular rains). In addition, the findings reveal that female-headed households are more vulnerable to climate change than male-headed households and hence are most likely to suffer from food insecurity. The results also show that refugees and rural households are more prone to food insecurity than national- and urban-based households.

BackgroundWhile advances in agricultural research and development have led to generation of improved new cooking hybrid banana varieties (HBVs) with enhanced yield potential to restore production levels, these have been received with mixed feelings on production and consumption attributes among the farming communities in Uganda. Some farmers prefer HBVs that are comparable to their local varieties in terms of consumption attributes such as soft food, color when cooked, flavor and taste while others prefer high-yielding HBVs to produce surplus output for sale.MethodsUsing cross-sectional survey data from 242 randomly selected smallholder banana farmers in Nakaseke and Luwero districts in Central Uganda, the study applied a Tobit regression model to analyze the influence of socio-economic factors and variety attributes on the adoption of new hybrid bananas.ResultsThe results on the perception of farmers on banana variety attributes showed that the new HBVs had desirable production-related attributes, while local cultivars were rated superior to hybrids on consumption-related attributes. Evidence further showed that production-related and consumption-related attributes influenced farmers’ decisions in the adoption of HBVs. Further, an assessment of the socio-economic factors that influence the adoption of HBVs showed that education of the farmer, household size, interaction with different banana actors, experience (number of years growing HBVs), and source of planting materials had a significant influence on farmers’ adoption of the new HBVs.ConclusionThe study findings provide insights into the need for agricultural research and development initiatives to target the development of banana varieties with multi-traits that meet end-users’ preferences and needs. Facilitating the establishment of multi-actor platforms that bring together the different actors to share information and learn might be useful in increasing the intensity of HBVs adoption.