Farm Owners' Personal Characteristics and performance of Household Farm Enterprises: The case of Homesteads in Kikamulo Sub county, Nakaseke district, Uganda

Abstract

This study sought to establish the relationship between the farm owner personal characteristics and farm enterprise performance in Kikamulo Sub-County, Nakaseke District. The objectives of the study were to establish the relationship between entrepreneurial personal characteristics and performance of household farm enterprises; to find out the relationship between demographic characteristics of the farm owner and performance of household farm enterprises; and to determine the relationship between attitudinal characteristics of a farm owner and performance of household farm enterprises. The study adopted a correlational and cross-sectional research designs on a sample of 235 respondents comprising household heads, the sub county chief, community development officer and agriculture extension officer. Data was collected using a selfadministered questionnaire and interviews and analysed quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitative data analysis involved the use of descriptive and inferential analyses. Descriptive analysis involved determining frequencies, percentages and means while inferential analysis involved correlation and regression analyses. Descriptive statistics revealed that performance of households’ farm enterprises was moderate, entrepreneurial personal characteristics were good, the mode for demographic characteristics was of males, those that were aged between 30 and 40 years, the married and those with primary education, and attitudinal characteristics were moderate. Inferential analysis revealed that: There was a positive significant relationship between entrepreneurial personal characteristics and performance of household farm enterprises. Gender and education level were positive significant demographic characteristics predicting performance of household farm enterprises while age and marital status did not. There was a positive significant relationship between attitudinal characteristics and performance of household farm enterprises. Thus, it was concluded that good entrepreneurial personal characteristics are imperative for the performance of household farm enterprises, probable demographic characteristics necessary for performance of household farm enterprises are gender and education level, and attitudinal characteristics are a prerequisite for the performance of household farm enterprises. Therefore, it was recommended that through training, sensitisation and empowerment, farmer entrepreneurial personal characteristics can be developed. In offering of training, sensitisation and empowering of farmers, gender focussed approaches should be used and understandable information provided. Lastly, effort should be made to develop appropriate attitudinal characteristics of the farmers.