Browsing by Author "Bashaasha, Bernard"

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    Adoption and Impacts of Conservation Agriculture: Quasi Experimental Evidence from E. Africa
    (ResearchGate, 2013) Bashaasha, Bernard; Laker-Ojok, Rita; Norton, Jay; Peck, Dannele; Owori, Moses
    Conservation Agriculture is a recent and evolving concept to land management that seeks to optimise crop yields and farm profits in a manner that balances economic and environmental benefits. The underlying principles include avoiding soil tillage, maintaining soil cover and retaining crop residues, practicing crop rotations and improved fallows, precision placement of appropriate fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides (targeting of inputs), reliance upon integrated pest management (IPM) principles and avoidance of soil compaction, among others. We use binomial probit analysis and propensity score matching (PSM) methods to investigate the drivers of adoption and assess the impact of conservation agriculture among smallholder farmers in Eastern Uganda and Western Kenya. We use data from 800 small-holder farming households collected in 2010. The results show that the drivers of adoption are the same in both countries and that although both socioeconomic and biophysical characteristics drive the choice to use conservation agriculture practices, the latter appear to be more important than the former suggesting that increasing land degradation in East Africa will likely trigger increased adoption of conservation agriculture. Farmers whose main livelihood activity is either livestock or non-farm are less likely to adopt conservation agriculture practices whereas the relatively well off farmers are more likely to use conservation agriculture practices. Furthermore, results show that farmers in both countries are more likely to use conservation agriculture practices on degraded or soils prone to degradation. The results do not show any gender based differences. Using both Kernel and Nearest Neighbour Matching approaches, the results suggest significant impacts on maize yield of over 1000Kgs per ha on plots using conservation agriculture practices, negative impacts on the cost of inorganic fertilisers and result in labour savings of between 11–19 person days per ha per season. We conclude that conservation agriculture has a future in smallholder farming in east Africa with great potential to boost farm productivity and profitability through reduced use of both inorganic fertilisers and family labour inputs.
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    Application of the TOA-MD model to assess adoption potential of improved sweet potato technologies by rural poor farm households under climate change: the case of Kabale district in Uganda
    (Food Security, 2014) Ilukor, John; Bagamba, Fredrick; Bashaasha, Bernard
    Sweet potato technologies that increase productivity, such as drought resistant varieties and virus free planting material are being promoted in order to reduce the vulnerability of poor farm households to climate change. In this paper, the Trade-off Analysis, Minimum Data Model Approach (TOAMD) was used to assess the adoption potential of these technologies by resource poor farmers under climate change in Uganda. The model was calibrated and validated using household survey data collected in 2009 from Kabale district. To simulate adoption potential, the base system data was generated from household data and adjusted to reflect impact of climate change on crop yields and prices by 2050. The percentage increase in yields resulting from the use of climate resilient sweet potato technologies were used to estimate yields for alternative systems based on the results from sweet potato trials by the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Uganda. Adoption potential of sweet potato technologies varied across altitudes. Compared with the high and lower altitudes, adoption potential is lowest at moderate altitude despite higher yields and lower costs of production. Paying farmers to adopt new sweet potato technologies is economically rational at the higher and moderate altitudes but not at the lower altitudes. The provision of free planting material (subsidy) for the evaluated technologies resulted in a modest increase of 2 % in adoption potential. Therefore, providing this as a way of increasing adoption of sweet potato technologies to reduce vulnerability of poor farm households to climate change will have a very small impact. Instead, climate change adaptation policy should focus on creating enabling environments for farmers tomarket their produce so as to raise returns and reduce the opportunity costs of climate change adaptation strategies.
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    Challenges for agricultural education and training (AET) institutions in preparing growing student populations for productive careers in the agri-food system
    (Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 2015) Minde, Isaac; Terblanche, Stephanus; Bashaasha, Bernard; Madakadze, Ignacio Casper; Snyder, Jason; Mugisha, Anthony
    Agricultural education and training (AET) institutions will play a strategic role in helping to prepare Africa’s rapidly growing youth populations for productive careers in agriculture and related agri-businesses. The purpose of this paper is to examine the magnitude of skills and youth employment needs emanating from high-population growth rates. It then explores how agricultural education institutions are responding to these challenges in four different countries at different levels of food system development: South Africa tier 1, Tanzania in tier 2 and Malawi and Uganda in tier 3. Design/methodology/approach – Demographic and school enrollment data provide information on themagnitude of jobmarket entrants at different levels of education while Living StandardsMeasurement Studies in the respective countries provide a snapshot of current skill requirements in different segments of the agri-food system. In order to evaluate AET responses, the authors have conducted country-level reviews of AET systems as well as in-depth assessments at key tertiary AET institutions in each of the four case study countries. Findings – Growth rates in primary school enrollments are high in sub-Saharan Africa. At the same time, because of budgetary constraints, transition rates decline rapidly – about 40 percent from primary to secondary and 7 percent from secondary to tertiary. As a result, substantial numbers of primary and secondary school graduates seek jobs. Research limitations/implications – The case study countries are limited to four. Had more financial resources and time been available, researchers could have spread further afield and in so doing increasing the precision of the results. Originality/value – Estimation of the number of primary and secondary school leavers seeking employment because of failure to proceed to the next level of education. Estimation of the level of education shares in the various components of the agri-food system.
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    Child stunting starts in utero: Growth trajectories and determinants in Ugandan infants
    (Maternal & Child Nutrition, 2022) Namirembe, Grace; Ghosh, Shibani; Ausman, Lynne M.; Shrestha, Robin; Zaharia, Sonia; Bashaasha, Bernard; Kabunga, Nassul; Agaba, Edgar; Mezzano, Julieta; Webb, Patrick
    Childhood stunting remains a public health burden worldwide. Although many studies have examined early life and in‐utero risk factors; most have been observational and have used analytic techniques that make inferences limited to population means, thereby obscuring important within‐group variations. This study addressed that important gap. Using data from a birth cohort of Ugandan infants (n = 4528), we applied group‐based trajectory modelling to assess diverse patterns of growth among children from birth to 1‐year old. A multinomial regression model was conducted to understand the relationship between risk factors and observed patterns across groups. We found that the onset of stunting occurred before birth and followed four distinct growth patterns: chronically stunted (Group 1), recovery (Group 2), borderline stunted (Group 3) and normal (Group 4). The average lengthfor‐ age z‐score (LAZ) at birth was −2.6, −3.9, −0.6 and 0.5 for Groups 1–4, respectively. Although both Groups 1 and 2 were stunted at birth, stunting persisted in Group 1 while children in Group 2 recovered by the fourth month. Group 3 exhibited mild stunting while Group 4 was normal. Wasting and underweight were observed in all groups, with the highest prevalence of underweight in Group 1. Wasting gradually increased among children born already stunted (Groups 1 and 2). This showed the importance of distinguishing children by their growth patterns rather than aggregating them and only comparing population averages against global growth standards. The design of nutrition interventions should consider the differential factors and potential for growth gains relative to different risks within each group.
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    Climate Change Policy and Practice
    (Danish Institute for International Studies, 2015) Friis-Hansen, Esbern; Aben, Charles; Okiror, John James; Bashaasha, Bernard; Suubi, Godfrey
    This section first analyses the national policy response and characterizes the new climate change policy arena as compared with the more established disaster and emergency response policies. Thereafter the institutional landscape involved with climate change is mapped. This is followed by an assessment of the relationship between national policy and local government practice by introducing the principle of subsidiarity. Finally, we discuss how climate change is articulated or ignored among local government politicians, exemplified by a case study from Amuria District, where climate change was successfully used as a platform for local government elections in 2006.
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    Collaborative Masters Program in Agricultural and Applied Economics for Eastern, Central and Southern Africa
    (AgEcon Search, 2004) Bashaasha, Bernard
    Since the 1970s, African economies have under-performed and incomes have declined. Similarly, the agricultural sectors have malfunctioned and agricultural production shrunk despite over two-thirds of the population being dependent on agriculture for survival subjecting them to food insecurity, reduced incomes, massive poverty, unemployment and unsustainable resource utilisation. The decline in agricultural performance was brought about by numerous factors, including markets dynamics that tended to protect the agricultural products of developed nations at the expense of developing economies; persistent institutional weakness and market failures in Africa; poor linkage of policy results to policy making and implementation; poor understanding of environmental impact assessment and management skills for sustainable agricultural development; poor understanding of smallholder agriculture; and inadequate appreciation or understanding of the role of Science, Technology and Information in promoting rapid agricultural and rural development as well as overall economic growth and development. In response to the above situation and the realisation of the changing trends in markets, there arose the need to re-examine ways and means of managing and promoting agricultural development, which forms the backbone of many African economies. It was visualised that one way of tackling the problem was through enhancing capacity for policy analysis in agriculture in order to allow effective generation and supply of relevant information on agricultural production and marketing to policymakers. IFPRI and its 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture and Environment established a network of researchers in agricultural economics in Eastern Africa in an effort of enhancing the capacity in policy analysis and research. The Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) was established to guide the network in undertaking competitive research grants among other critical activities.
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    Crop Diversification and Nutrition Outcomes in Smallholder Households: Panel Data Evidence from Southwestern and Northern Uganda
    (The African Economic Research Consortium, 2021) Namulondo, Racheal; Bashaasha, Bernard
    This study examined the effect of adopting crop diversification on nutrition outcomes of smallholder households in southwestern and northern Uganda. We constructed three models of correlates of household dietary diversity, minimum dietary diversity for women, and stunting of children aged 6–59 months. A 3-year panel multi-topic dataset collected in 2012, 2014 and 2016 by USAID’s Feed the Future Nutrition Innovation Laboratory in southwestern and northern Uganda was utilized. Crop diversification was found to be positively and strongly associated with household dietary diversity, with the probability of achieving the minimum dietary diversity for women, although the effect sizes were rather small. There was no clear association found between crop diversification and child stunting. Our findings point to an integrated approach that simultaneously addresses increasing crop diversification, access to improved farm production technology, access to nutritional knowledge, increasing formal education of mothers, increasing opportunities to do off-farm work, livestock diversification and food security to improve the nutritional outcomes of smallholder households.
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    Decentralization and implementation of climate change policy in Uganda
    (DIIS Working Paper, 2013) Friis-Hansen, Esbern; Bashaasha, Bernard; Aben, Charles
    The focus of climate change policies and action in Africa south of the Sahara differs from the global agenda. While most debate within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change relates to assessing physical climate change and mechanisms for mitigation, the main concern of most African countries is how to adapt to the effects of climate change. A growing number of projects addressing climate change adaptation and government are formulating new policies that seek to provide a framework to guide these activities. Yet, discussion of the content of and driving forces behind climate change adaptation in national policies has been limited. Even less is known about how such national climate change policies have been implemented and their institutional setting within the country. This working paper explores the driving forces behind the formulation of climate change policies in Uganda and assesses its content and implementation modalities. The working paper explores the extent to which there is a gap between policy and practice at the district and local levels.
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    Decentralization and Rural Service Delivery in Uganda
    (DIIS, 2013) Bashaasha, Bernard; Najjingo Mangheni, Margaret; Nkonya, Ephraim
    Uganda introduced the decentralization policy in 1997 under the Local Government Act of 1997 that has since undergone four amendments. The policy inherently decentralized service delivery institutions and their governance in order to improve access to services for the rural poor. Based on an analysis of available literature, the paper documents the state of knowledge regarding rural service provision in Uganda under decentralization and identifies knowledge gaps for further investigation. Its focus is on education, health, and agricultural advisory services, as well as the management of natural resources in Uganda. Although enlightening, a review of the broader decentralization literature is beyond the scope of this work. The analysis revealed that results in terms of attaining the objectives of decentralization are mixed. While as anticipated generally decentralization resulted in greater participation and control over service delivery and governance by local communities, local governments are still grappling with a range of challenges, namely, inadequate local financial resources and over-reliance on conditional central government grants; inability to attract and retain sufficient trained and experienced staff; corruption, nepotism, and elite capture. With regard to the specific services, while universal primary education (UPE) policy under the decentralization framework is credited with a dramatic increase in primary school enrollment, public primary education services are still dogged by concerns over financing, equity, quality, and the need for curriculum reform. Some studies show that there has been no improvement in health services with many health status indicators either stagnating or worsening. In general, decentralization of education and health services has not resulted in greater participation of the ordinary people and accountability of service providers to the community. Regarding agricultural extension and advisory services, except for areas serviced by NGOs, the majority of the country does not readily access extension services, because districts have been unable to prioritize the operational expenses. However, there is some evidence that the devolution of responsibility for natural resource management (NRM) has contributed to greater compliance with some NRM requirements in some areas while in other areas forest conditions have declined following decentralization. Generally, evidence on whether decentralization has improved service delivery in Uganda is still inconclusive, and more research is needed.
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    Determinants of wellbeing among smallholders in Adjumani District, Uganda
    (AgEcon Search, 2006) Bashaasha, Bernard; Kidoido, Michael; Hansen, Esbern Friis
    An ordered logistic regression model was used to empirically establish the quantitati ve effects of community identi fied (local) determinants of wellbeing on the level of household wellbeing. The model was fitted to data for a sample of 200 households collected in t he last quarter of 2002. The dependent variable, poverty category, has three levels namely poorest =1, Less poor =2, and Better off = 3. Fourteen independent vari ables are used. Results show that households that own ³ 5 acreage of land, that are male headed, have a nonagricultural source of income and are actively involved in agricultural development activiti es have a higher probability (odds) of enjoyi ng wellbeing above any given level. Land ownership seems to be the most importa nt determinant of wellbeing in Adjumani district. Furthermore, owning livestock and having a household head with an education level of secondary school and above are also important determinants of household wellbeing in Adjumani distri ct. We find household wellbeing t o be negati vely affected by household size, age of the household head and whether any family member has had any long illness although only the age of the household is significant. We recommend deepening of t he Universal Primary Education (UPE) and initiation of Universal Secondary Education to increase the education levels of the rural people. We also recommend continued and expansion of community level agricultural development activities, strengthening of the land tenure provisions to enhance access to land and initiation of progra ms to enhance animal ownership among small holder farmers in Adjumani.
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    East African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive Analysis — Uganda
    (International Food Policy Research Institute, 2012) Bashaasha, Bernard; Thomas, Timothy S.; Waithaka, Michael; Kyotalimye, Miriam
    Uganda occupies a total area of 241,038 square km, most of which is suitable for agriculture. Sixteen percent of the total area is water and swamps, while 7 percent is forested. Maize, beans, cassava, and banana (plantain) are the most widely grown crops. Uganda’s climate is regarded as its most valuable natural resource, one central to the livelihoods of many Ugandans. However, the last few decades have been marked by climate variability that has given rise to more frequent extreme weather events, such as droughts, floods, and landslides, damaging natural resources and hindering social and economic development. The country’s population grew by 3.7 percent between 2009 and 2010 (to a total of 32 million people). The population is expected to reach 103.2 million in 2050, assuming growth declines to 2.9 percent per annum between 2040 and 2050. The population remains predominantly rural (85 percent in 2010). At 50 years, life expectancy remains low. Malaria is the most prevalent fatal illness. The poverty rate is down from 31 percent in 2006 but, at 24.5 percent, remains high.
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    Estimating the Premium for Titled Agricultural Land in Uganda
    (Uganda Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 2012) Alobo, Sarah; Bashaasha, Bernard; Mugisha, Johnny
    The study investigates the value for titled agricultural land in Uganda using data on 9,045 parcels of land from the 2005/2006 Uganda National Household Survey. Data were analyzed using regression techniques. The results showed a positively significant premium for leasehold title as opposed to other forms of titled agricultural land in Uganda; that traditional determinants of land value such as current use, soil quality, presence ofperennials and proximity to the homestead are not significant for agricultural land in Uganda; and that per hectare price of agricuItural land in peri-urban locations was signzficantly higher than in rural areas by about Ushs 1.7 million. There is also an overlap in land ownership rights for mailo land where two people have claims to the same piece of land, the mailo title holder and the kibanja tenant. It was concluded that the current land policy should promote the leasehold system in peri-urban areas, since this type of tenure opens land to a wide range of users and use-options. The land policy also needs to address the double ownership structure under the mailo tenure which constrains its marketability and transferability.
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    Explaining Poverty in Uganda: Evidence from the Uganda National Household Survey
    (AgEcon Search, 2004) Kraybill, David S.; Bashaasha, Bernard
    The broad aim of the research was to establish a tool for identifying cost effective poverty alleviation strategies in Uganda. The objectives were to test hypotheses on causes of poverty in Uganda and to develop a poverty simulation model for policy analysis. Data for 9,710 households from the 2002/2003 Uganda National Household Survey (UNHS) was used to estimate a semi-log econometric model. The model included 19 households’ level characteristics and 8 community level characteristics as explanatory variables. The dependent variable was the natural logarithm of household consumption per adult equivalent. The model was estimated at both national and regional (5 regions) by weighted least squares with robust variance. The results identified 8 particularly promising poverty reducing policies namely: expansion of formal employment, secondary education, reduction in population growth, rural electrification, off-farm activities, collateral free credit, telephone services and reducing distance to community services. The study highlights the policy implications of the results.
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    The flexible accelerator model of investment: An application to Ugandan tea-processing firms
    (African journal of agricultural and resource economics, 2015) Twine, Edgar E.; Kiiza, Barnabas; Bashaasha, Bernard
    The study uses the flexible accelerator model to examine determinants of the level and growth of investment in machinery and equipment for a sample of tea-processing firms in Uganda. Using a dynamic panel data model, we find that, in the long run, the level of investment in machinery and equipment is positively influenced by the accelerator, firm-level liquidity, and a favourable investment climate in the country. Depreciation of the exchange rate negatively affects investment. We conclude that firm-level strategies that increase output and profitability, and a favourable investment policy climate, are imperative to the growth of the tea industry.
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    The impact of an environmental disamenity on land values: case of Kiteezi landfill in Uganda
    (International Journal of Environmental Engineering, 2011) Emegu Isoto, Rosemary; Bashaasha, Bernard
    The discourse on waste management is increasingly becoming important especially in developing countries. Landfill use is one of the most preferred methods of waste management yet it has various negative effects on people’s welfare and livelihoods. This study uses hedonic price model to quantify impacts of proximity to a landfill. It uses primary data on property characteristics and other factors as explanatory variables. Land-price is used as a dependent variable. The results indicated that proximity to the landfill negatively affects land value whereas amenity variables positively influence land values. The study recommends appropriate policy on location and management of landfills.
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    Impact of creative capacity building of local innovators and communities on income, welfare and attitudes in Uganda: a cluster randomized control trial approach
    (International Initiative for Impact Evaluation, 2019) Nkonya, Ephraim; Bashaasha, Bernard; Kato, Edward; Bagamba, Fredrick; Danet, Marion
    Technologies and innovations are a key driver of human developments and competitiveness. Failure of imported technologies has galvanized efforts on technologies generated by close collaboration between external investors and local committees. The general objective of the study was to determine the impact of Creative Capacity Building (CCB) training on human welfare and local communities’ perception on their ability to innovate. Specifically, the study targeted a number of major outcomes of CCB training namely, economic impacts, behavioral changes, attitudinal change and technology creation and use including policy influence. CCB is a hands-on training approach whose students are community members with any educational level. CCB focuses on harnessing local creativity and indigenous knowledge in the technology design process, facilitating community innovations and invention. In skills training workshops, trainees work collaboratively to design and develop tools that meet their needs. The training encourages and trains people to make technologies that generate income, improve health and safety, save labour and time and change perceptions about themselves.
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    Implementing a Cold-Chain System for Nutritional Assessment in Rural Uganda; Field Experiences from FtF Nutrition Innovation Lab Cohort Study
    (International Journal of Nutrition, 2018) Agaba, Edgar; Shrestha, Robin; Ghosh, Shibani; Griffiths, Jeffrey K.; Bashaasha, Bernard
    To elaborate on the procedures undertaken to establish blood draws and cold chain for nutrition assessments. Setting: A total of 5,044 birth cohort households were enrolled and assessed using household questionnaires, anthropometry, and blood sampling to assess nutritional issues and exposures to environmental contaminants. The challenge was to obtain, transport, process, store, and analyze tens of thousands of serum samples obtained in sites that were often difficult to reach. Approach: Before enrollment began, 24 healthcare facilities in the North and Southwest of Uganda were assessed for suitability as local nodes for processing and storage. Equipment needs included functional centrifuges, refrigeration, ice machines, and -20oC freezers. Other important physical infrastructure included the presence of backup power (generator or solar generated) in the event of electricity failure. Once samples were obtained, they were transported within 5 hours to the facility laboratories, where serum was separated and aliquoted into properly labelled storage tubes and then frozen. Relevant Changes: At community level, our team visited households or small group of household members close to their homes to reduce on travel time hence contributed to high retention rates. Our immediate testing for anemia and malaria results benefited enrollees and enhanced community acceptance. By using Village Health Teams (VHTs), we could accommodate household preferences for the timing of sample collection. Our engagement with phlebotomists transformed their role from a simple service into active team members. Lessons Learned: Our first lesson was that in our setting, the success of this nutrition biological sampling system required community engagement and acceptance. By combining an immediately actionable set of tests (for anemia and malaria), and visiting cohort households, we greatly enhanced the success of the system.
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    Land tenure security and development in Uganda
    (Danish Institute for International Studies, 2013) Munk Ravnborg, Helle; Bashaasha, Bernard; Pedersen, Rasmus Hundsbæk; Spichiger, Rachel
    Land tenure is under transition in Uganda. Policy interventions, population growth, oil discoveries and land acquisitions from national and international investors contribute to this transition. While the perception of tenure security is currently widespread among land holders, this may change. If development cooperation wishes to contribute to maintaining, deepening and widening the widespread perception of tenure security, partial and unsustained interventions should be avoided as they are prone to elite capture and tend to induce, rather than reduce, tenure insecurity
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    The potential gains from geographical targeting of anti-poverty programs in Uganda
    (African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 2006) Kraybill, David S.; Bashaasha, Bernard
    Governments do not have enough resources to make anti-poverty programs available to everyone in many African countries. Targeting the poorest populations could increase the efficiency of available program resources. Anti-poverty programs could target either households or geographical areas. This study compares the potential poverty reduction impact of these two approaches in Uganda. The impact of various policy changes on the poverty rate in Uganda is simulated using the estimated parameters of an econometric model of household consumption. The policies examined are family-planning, increased primary school attendance, increased secondary school attendance, expansion of formal employment and micro-enterprise expansion. The results reveal gains in poverty rate reduction from program targeting as compared to randomly allocating finite program resources to a sub-sample of the population. Furthermore, geographical targeting is shown to be more effective than household targeting for most of the six policies examined in the study.
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    Predictors of low birth weight and preterm birth in rural Uganda: Findings from a birth cohort study
    (PloS one, 2014) Bater, Jorick; Lauer, Jacqueline M.; Ghosh, Shibani; Webb, Patrick; Agaba, Edgar; Bashaasha, Bernard; Turyashemererwa, Florence M.; Shrestha, Robin; Duggan, Christopher P.
    Approximately 20.5 million infants were born weighing <2500 g (defined as low birthweight or LBW) in 2015, primarily in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Infants born LBW, including those born preterm (<37 weeks gestation), are at increased risk for numerous consequences, including neonatal mortality and morbidity as well as suboptimal health and nutritional status later in life. The objective of this study was to identify predictors of LBW and preterm birth among infants in rural Uganda. Methods Data were derived from a prospective birth cohort study conducted from 2014–2016 in 12 districts across northern and southwestern Uganda. Birth weights were measured in triplicate to the nearest 0.1 kg by trained enumerators within 72 hours of delivery. Gestational age was calculated from the first day of last menstrual period (LMP). Associations between household, maternal, and infant characteristics and birth outcomes (LBW and preterm birth) were assessed using bivariate and multivariable logistic regression with stepwise, backward selection analyses. Results Among infants in the study, 4.3% were born LBW (143/3,337), and 19.4% were born preterm (744/3,841). In multivariable analysis, mothers who were taller (>150 cm) (adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) = 0.42 (95% CI = 0.24, 0.72)), multigravida (aOR = 0.62 (95% CI = 0.39, 0.97)), or with adequate birth spacing (>24 months) (aOR = 0.60 (95% CI = 0.39, 0.92)) had lower odds of delivering a LBW infant Mothers with severe household food insecurity (aOR = 1.84 (95% CI = 1.22, 2.79)) or who tested positive for malaria during pregnancy (aOR = 2.06 (95% CI = 1.10, 3.85)) had higher odds of delivering a LBW infant. In addition, in multivariable analysis, mothers who resided in the Southwest (aOR = 0.64 (95% CI = 0.54, 0.76)), were �20 years old (aOR = 0.76 (95% CI = 0.61, 0.94)), with adequate birth spacing (aOR = 0.76 (95% CI = 0.63, 0.93)), or attended �4 antenatal care (ANC) visits (aOR = 0.56 (95% CI = 0.47, 0.67)) had lower odds of delivering a preterm infant; mothers who were neither married nor cohabitating (aOR = 1.42 (95% CI = 1.00, 2.00)) or delivered at home (aOR = 1.25 (95% CI = 1.04, 1.51)) had higher odds. Conclusions In rural Uganda, severe household food insecurity, adolescent pregnancy, inadequate birth spacing, malaria infection, suboptimal ANC attendance, and home delivery represent modifiable risk factors associated with higher rates of LBW and/or preterm birth. Future studies on interventions to address these risk factors may be warranted.