Access and coverage: which farmers do plant clinics reach in Uganda?

This article assesses farmers’ access to 5 plant clinics operating from market places in 2 districts

From:: Department for International Development
Published: 1 December 2017

Country:: Uganda
Document Type:: Journal Article
Theme:: Agriculture
Authors:: Karubanga, G, Matsiko, F.B., Danielsen, S

Abstract

This article reports on a study that assessed farmers’ access to, and coverage of, 5 plant clinics operating from market places in two districts of Uganda. Despite the noticeable geographic and thematic coverage of the services, placing plant clinics at markets did not automatically ensure equitable access and high farmer attendance. Clinic users were predominantly middle-aged male farmers and overall attendance was relatively low. Uganda has taken plant clinics to scale in recent years due to their potential to strengthen the country’s responsiveness to pests and diseases. Optimising farmer reach and ensuring equity in access requires reviewing clinic placement, timing, and mobilisation strategies.

Citation

Karubanga, G.; Matsiko, F.B. and Danielsen, S. (2017) Access and coverage: which farmers do plant clinics reach in Uganda? Development in Practice 27(8), 1091–1102.