Background information on agronomy, farming systems and ongoing projects on grain legumes in Uganda
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Date
2012
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N2Africa Characterization Uganda
Abstract
Uganda is a landlocked country in Eastern Africa, lying between latitude 4°12’N and 1°29’S and longitude 29°34’W and 35°0’E. The country occupies 241,038 km² and has a population of about 35 million inhabitants, of which 80% lives in rural areas. Population growth is high, with a rate of 3.4% per annum and an average fertility rate of 6.7 children per woman (NEMA, 2010). The share of agricultural production of total GDP has declined over the past years and growth of the agricultural sector has stagnated. Agriculture still accounts for 85% of export earnings, and 77% of total employment, however (Kabeere and Wulff, 2008). Moreover, agriculture contributes for about 40% to the manufacturing sector through food processing (NEMA, 2010). Especially among women, agriculture is an important sector: nearly 85% of economically active women in Uganda work in the agricultural sector, producing almost 75% of the country’s agricultural output. Per capita income in Uganda is slightly lower than in neighbouring Kenya and Tanzania, and more people live below the poverty line than in Kenya (Table 1). Stunting, wasting and underweight prevalence is comparable to Kenya and Tanzania, but the mortality rate of children under five years old is also relatively high.
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Ronner, E. and Giller, K.E. 2012. Background information on agronomy, farming systems and ongoing projects on grain legumes in Uganda, www.N2Africa.org, 34 pp