Exploring the Drivers of Poverty in Ugandan Peasant Families

Abstract

This study aimed to model the drivers of poverty in peasant agricultural households in Uganda. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the effect of individual predictors of poverty, and analyze the contribution of community predictors of poverty in peasant agricultural households in Uganda. The study utilized data from the Uganda National Household survey (UNHS 2019/20) obtained from Uganda Bureau of Statistics. A logit model was used in the analysis and estimates were provided using multilevel and interaction methods. Key findings suggest that poverty in peasant agricultural households was positively and significantly influenced by gender of the household head, marital status of the household head, income stability of the household, age of the household head and livestock ownership.  Additionally, regional differences accounted for 17.9 % of the variations in poverty levels in Uganda and understanding such regional differences and their influence on poverty levels can assist policymakers and organizations in designing targeted interventions and policies to reduce poverty levels in peasant families. Such measures can address the specific challenges faced by different regions and promote more equitable development across Uganda. However, poverty in peasant agricultural households was negatively and significantly influenced by residence status, saving accounts ownership and household size. Based on the study's findings, the key policy recommendations were; government should continue implementing gender-focused interventions to address gender disparities among women empowerment programs that involve access to resources including land, equal access to employment opportunities and equal access to education so as to reduce poverty among women. Regarding income instabilities in agricultural households due to price fluctuations, government should empower famers to form farmer groups where they can collectively increase their bargaining power to avoid price fluctuations.