According to Baffes (2009), cotton is grown primarily by small farms with an average size of less than 0.5 hectares. He estimates that 250,000 households are engaged in cotton production. Cotton is grown across approximately two thirds of Uganda’s land area, as shown in Annex 1.
How many people are involved in cotton production in Uganda?
The Cotton Development Organization (CDO) estimates that the cotton value chain employs a total of 2.5 million people, directly and indirectly, in the production and marketing of its primary products, such as textiles and garments, as well as its by-products, such as soap, edible oil and animal feed. 2. Cotton in Uganda 2.1. History
Why did Uganda adopt a policy of promoting cotton farming?
Citing cotton’s relative price stability and historical economic significance, the new Government of Uganda (GOU) adopted a policy of promoting cotton farming (Chell, 2013). Exports for the newly independent Uganda relied heavily on coffee and cotton (Masinga M. Ruhweza A. 2007).
What did Uganda export during the colonial era?
Exports for the newly independent Uganda relied heavily on coffee and cotton (Masinga M. Ruhweza A. 2007). Cooperatives and block farms, established near the end of the colonial period, expanded during the post-independence years as the cotton sector became increasingly nationalized.
How are cotton ginneries made in Uganda?
Ginning: Cotton ginneries in Uganda are entirely dependent on supply from producers. Ginning is a highly specialized process whereby seed cotton is separated into cottonseed and cotton lint. The lint is cleaned, and finally pressed into bales.
What percentage of Uganda’s GDP is agriculture?
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, in 2015/16, agriculture generated 23.6% of the country’s GDP and employed over 68% of its population. Cotton is one of the traditional cash crops grown in Uganda, used both as an export good and as a raw material for the domestic textile and edible oil industries.