Assessing the Importance of Rice as Food and Income Security Crop in Puti-puti Sub-county, Pallisa District, Uganda

Aims: This study was conducted to assess the importance of rice to household food and income security.

Study Design: This was a cross sectional survey.

Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted in Puti-Puti sub-county, Pallisa district, eastern Uganda during the period June-July 2011.

Methodology: Multi-stage random sampling technique was used to identify the target location and the respondents. Semi-structured questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect information from 50 respondents comprising (40 farmers, 4 political and 6 technical staff) on the importance of rice to household food and income security.

Results: The findings showed that rice is an important food staple and source of cash income in the sub-county contributing 34 % and 36 % of the food and income source, respectively. Nearly 50% of the respondents earned at least UGX 400,000/= per annum from sale of rice of which 32% is spend on household needs. The other reasons for growing rice included easy storage, pests and disease tolerance among others. The findings also showed that the major types of rice grown were mainly paddy as opposed to the upland. However, the majority (76%) of the rice growers owned between 0-5-1 acres only. Similarly, lack of capital, pests and diseases infestation and use of poor varieties were the other constraints in rice growing.

Conclusion: Overall, rice contributed 12% of the household returns after sweet potato and groundnuts, respectively. Therefore, this study has concluded that rice is an important household food and income security crop in the sub-county. However, to improve the popularity of rice as an household food and income security, there is need for better varieties that are high yielding, early maturing, tasty, pest and disease resistant as well as easy to grow and market