Of What Merit is Improved Inputs use in Uganda's Maize Productivity?

This paper used the Uganda National Household Survey (UNHS) dataset of 2005/06 to examine the productivity of improved inputs used by smallholder maize farmers in Uganda. Yield and gross profit functions were estimated with the stochastic frontier model. Results revealed a significant effect improved inputs use on yield but not gross profit. Farmers who used commercial improved seed with fertiliser obtained superior yield but lower gross profit compared to farmers who planted recycled seed (of improved variety) without fertiliser. Furthermore, if the opportunity cost of own land and labour inputs in maize production were imputed, overall, farmers made economic losses. Based on the prevailing farmers’ production technology and market conditions, maize cultivation in the range of 2- 3 ha was found to give optimum profit while cultivation under 1 ha or above 4 ha led to economic losses. The key finding of this paper is that use of improved inputs by Ugandan farmers in maize cultivation yields sub-optimal profits due to higher marginal cost compared to marginal revenue from increased output associated with improved inputs use. And, overall, maize farming is of no economic benefit -other than for food.Improved inputs, productivity, Uganda, Food Security and Poverty, Q12, Q16,

Economic viability of fertiliser use in Uganda's agriculture

We examine the viability of inorganic fertiliser use in Uganda, using the 2005/06 Uganda National Household Survey data. We also explore the farmers’ characteristics under which fertiliser use is more profitable. We find that inorganic fertiliser use is more profitable for only a few crops and less profitable or unprofitable for most crops, even when their yield is high. Furthermore, we find that farmer profit with fertiliser use increases with access to extension services and/or use of improved seeds. Thus, blanket promotion of fertiliser use, without a case-by-case consideration of fertiliser-crop profitability is likely to be counter-productive to the drive of increasing agricultural productivity and household income in Uganda. Hence, the drive to increase fertiliser use in Uganda can succeed only if farmers are widely sensitized not about the potential of fertiliser to increase yield but the crops on which fertiliser use is more profitable and the preconditions for its profitability.Fertiliser use; economic viability; Uganda

Early warning system for financial crisis: application of random forest

The study identifies important variables in detecting the likely occurrence of a financial crisis 1 to 3 years from its onset . We do this by implementing random forest on Macroeconomic Historical time series data set for 16 developed countries from 1870-2016. By comparing the misclassification error for logistic regression to that obtained for random forest, we show that random forest outperforms logistic regression under the out-of-sample setting for long historical macroeconomic data set. Using the SMOTE technique, we show that minimising class imbalance in the data set improves the performance of random forest. The results show that important variables for detecting a financial crisis 1 to 3 years from its onset vary from country to country. Some similarities are however also observed. Credit and money price variables for instance emerge as very important predictors across a number of countries

Exploring tutors’ pedagogical practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics education: a case of three primary teachers’ colleges in Eastern Uganda.

The major purpose of this study was to explore tutors pedagogical practices in the teaching and learning of mathematics education in primary teachers colleges in Uganda. This study employed qualitative research approach. That being the case, Qualitative approach was based upon the interpretive constructivist underpinnings whose aim was to explain the phenomenon from the subjective reasoning based on participants’ opinions, realities, meanings, attitudes, and motivations that lie behind their social behaviour. This study used case study research design. A total of twelve (12) respondents participated in this study. These included six (6) Mathematics Tutors and six (6) Student teachers. Tutors were selected using purposive sampling technique also known as judgemental sampling and Pre-service students were selected using Convenience sampling. The study used face to face semi structured interviews and observation strategies for data collection. Data was collected using semi structured Interview guide and observation guide. From this study it was revealed that Tutors engage student teachers during the teaching and learning of mathematics through giving them a chance to respond to questions, through material production among others. They assess students through asking them oral questions projects and presentations. Finally, tutors provide feedback to student teachers verbally and sometimes in written form for example after marking their work. Upon thorough examination of the findings, the researcher discovered certain gaps and consequently, put forward the subsequent recommendations. Similar study should be done to cover a range of colleges to give a wider national picture for the best comparison on the extent to which pedagogical practices applied by tutors in Uganda influence the quality of prospective teachers in the teaching and learning of mathematics education. To enrich this study, another research can be conducted on integration of Information Communication and Technology (ICT) in acquisition of appropriate pedagogical practices by prospective teachers in the teaching and learning of mathematics

Exploring student teachers’ knowledge and use of problem-solving teaching strategy in a science classroom: a case of a selected PTC in Lira District, Uganda.

The problem-solving teaching strategy is the key scientific pedagogy that develops a conceptual and contextual understanding of scientific knowledge, skills, and attitude in real life. This study aimed to explore the student teachers\u27 knowledge and use of problem-solving teaching strategies in a science classroom. The study involved a case study at one specifically selected Primary Teachers\u27 College in the Lira district. It purposefully involved 10 student teachers from a selected PTC conducting their final school practice while their learners participated in science lessons. Semi-structured interviews with the student teachers, classroom observations, document reviews, and analysis were used to gather qualitative data. The data was transcribed verbatim, coded, and thematically analyzed to produce the themes. This qualitative study used a cognitive constructivist theoretical framework to understand problem-based learning classrooms. The findings of this study are reflected through themes: 1) student teachers’ understanding of problem-solving teaching strategy, 2) the use of problem-solving teaching strategy in a science classroom, and 3) challenges encountered during problem-based learning. The findings of the study showed that; a) the transferable abilities/skills that the learners are meant to develop during teaching and learning were inadequate, b) limited knowledge and the application of problem-solving teaching strategies, c) tutors’ support to student teachers in terms of science pedagogical approaches appeared to be wanting and, d) inability of student teachers to connect their college-acquired knowledge to its application during the planning of science problem-based learning. The study also found a few difficulties that impacted the student teachers\u27 presentations, especially their inability to manage learners with different learning preferences. Also, time was not helpful for all categories of learners in correspondence. Therefore, based on the findings, the focus needs to be given at the training institutions to help promote the transferability of problem-based learning abilities to student teachers for their learners to realize learning importance, science curricula for primary teachers\u27 colleges and primary schools should be practical and applicable in real life. Similarly, much attention is needed on the tooling and retooling of student teachers and teachers on problem-based learnin

Choosing undergraduate music performance program in UiTM Shah Alam / Zyzy Geofrey

The purpose of this study was to explore the reasons why undergraduate music performance majors choose this program as their degree study. The researcher conduct this research at Faculty of Music UiTM Shah Alam and asked them about the main reasons as to why they choose music performance as their pathway for undergraduate music program. Participant responses yielded qualitative data that the researcher coded and combines it in the following three themes: expectation, advantages and disadvantages, and influences. That is, students reported that they want to improve their playing on musical instrument, they want to learn the art of performing and influenced by their family. To build a better understanding about this research result, the researcher compare the result of the related research that find from journal and internet

Willingness to pay for extension services in Uganda among farmers involved in crop and animal husbandry

Although the Ugandan government is determined to aid farmers increase agricultural productivity as an intervention on increasing food security and reducing poverty through extension services, resources constraints are dampening its efforts. Private extension services providers are being invited to take up information dissemination roles with queries on the availability and demand of the services among farmers to attract private sector and factors influencing the demand for extension services. Data collected by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) on national service delivery throughout the country in 2008 among 5363 and 3318 farmers involved in crops’ and animals’ husbandry was used to predict willingness to pay, amount farmers were willing to pay for extension services and factors that were to influence willingness to pay. It was established that about 35% and 40% of the farmers were willing to pay on average Ugandan shillings 3,400 (US$1.8) and 3,700 (US$ 2) per trip for extension services in crop and animal husbandry respectively. Key farmer’s attributes that influenced willingness to pay included sex, age, education level, regions of residence and preferred means to receive the services. The demand for extension and preferred price are low for private sectors engagement and the government should first educate the public on the importance of the services.Teaching/Communication/Extension/Profession,

Multi-scale modeling of water resources in a tropical inland valley and a tropical floodplain catchment in East Africa

This study investigated the dynamics of hydrological processes at the wetland-catchment scale through field scale-based analysis, point scale modeling using Hydrus-1D model along a floodplain transect in Tanzania and wetland-catchment modeling with SWAT model in an inland valley in Uganda. The impact of different land use management options and the projected climate change on the water resources of the inland valley were also evaluated using a hydrological response unit (HRU)-based (ArcSWAT2012) and a grid-based setup (SWATgrid) of the SWAT model. The inland valley is located in Namulonge, central Uganda, and it is one of the headwater catchments of Lake Kyoga basin. The inland valley catchment covers an area of 31 km2 with a wetland area of 4.5 km2. The floodplain is located in Kilombero district, Southern Tanzania and the catchment area is 40,240 km2 and the study area in a wetland is 96 km2. Both sites reflect the prevailing diversity of wetland attributes and uses. Monitoring of hydro-meteorological data for both sites was conducted for two hydrological consecutive years of 2015 and 2016. The cross–section of the wetland transect was subdivided into three major hydrological positions defined as riparian zone, middle, and fringe. Hydrological instrumentation and data collection for soil moisture, soil properties, depth to shallow groundwater was conducted along these hydrological positions for both wetland systems. In addition, there was data mining from other sources. Following the field-based analysis at a wetland scale in the inland valley, the spatial and temporal variability in soil moisture increased significantly (p In the Kilombero floodplain, Hydrus-1D model was successfully calibrated (R2 = 0.54–0.92, RMSE = 0.02–0.11 cm3/cm3) using measured soil moisture content. Satisfying statistical measures (R2 = 0.36–0.89, RMSE = 0.03–0.13 cm3/cm3) were obtained when calibrations for one plot were validated with measured soil moisture for another plot within the same hydrological zone, indicating the transferability of the calibrated Hydrus-1D. The hydrological regimes correlated with the hydrological positions in the floodplain. Soil moisture dynamics is controlled by overbank flow, precipitation, and groundwater control at the riparian and middle zone, while it is controlled by rainfall and lateral flow from mountains at the fringe during the long rainy seasons. In the dry and short rainy seasons, rainfall, soil properties, and atmospheric demands control soil moisture dynamics at the riparian and middle zone. For the wetland-catchment scale hydrological modeling in the inland valley, good model performance was achieved from the calibration and validation of daily discharge (R2 and NSE > 0.7) for both model setups (ArcSWAT2012 and SWATgrid). The annual water balance indicates that 849.5 mm representing 65% of precipitation is lost via evapotranspiration. Surface runoff (77.9 mm) and lateral flow (86.5 mm) are the highest contributors to stream flow. Four land use management options were developed in addition to the current land use system, with different water resources conservation levels (Conservation, Slope conservation, Protection of the headwater catchment, and Exploitation). There is a strong relationship between the first three management options with decreasing surface runoff, annual discharge and water yield while the fourth option will increase annual discharge and total water yield. The future climate change in the inland valley was analyzed using climate scenarios RCP4.5 and 8.5 of six GCM-RCM models from the CORDEX-Africa project. Compared to the reference period of 1976-2005, a general increase in temperature of +0.9 0C to +1.9 0C over the period of 2021-2050 is projected by the model ensemble. A mixed change signal in annual precipitation (-30 to 43.9%) is projected among the six climatic models. However, on average, the models show an increase in annual precipitation of +7.4% and +21.8% under RCP4.5 and 8.5, respectively. The application of the climate model ensembles in SWAT showed future discharge change similar to the projected precipitation change. The six climate models showed uncertainty in the annual discharge change ranging from -44 to 149% although on average, the climate models project an increase of +16% and +29% under RCP4.5 and 8.5, respectively. Wet and dry seasons are expected to get wetter and drier, respectively in the future. Compared to land use management options, climate change will have a dominant impact on the water resources in inland valleys. Adoption of Conservation, Slope conservation and protection of the headwater catchment options will significantly reduce the impacts of climate change on the total water yield and surface runoff and increase evapotranspiration and water availability in the inland valley