Effect of Appropriate Agricultural Mechanization on Smallholder Farmers’ Household Incomes in Uganda

Abstract

Appropriate agricultural technologies are essential in facilitating smallholder farmers with regard to implementation of sustainable intensification. These practices such as conservation agriculture, precision agriculture in the application of seeds, fertilizer and water thus contributing greatly to increased efficiency and timeliness in operations. This would translate into reduced acute labor shortages and high production costs among smallholder rural farmers. This in addition creates jobs, result into production of more food, improve nutrition and boost rural incomes. There is limited knowledge on how use of appropriate agricultural mechanization affects incomes of smallholder farmers. This study ought to show the drivers of access and use of appropriate agricultural mechanization, impact of using appropriate agricultural mechanization on incomes and drivers of these impacts using an endogenous switching regression model. Results show that region, marital status, access to credit, land ownership and access to extension influence farmers use of appropriate agricultural mechanization technologies. Use of appropriate agricultural mechanization by smallholder farmers was found to impact total farm income. This means that access and use of appropriate agricultural technologies is essential for poverty reduction among smallholder farmers. To achieve better results, farmer location specifics and their socio-economic characteristics such as marital status, land ownership, credit access, access to extension and level of education should be put into consideration. Development and promotion of appropriate agricultural mechanization results into poverty reduction and should be promoted and emphasized. Extension should focus on strategic opportunities such as appropriate mechanization. There is need to reach as many farmers as possible through groups and financial institutions.

Keywords: Appropriate Agricultural Mechanization, Smallholder farmers, Endogenous Switching Regression, Income

DOI: 10.7176/DCS/16-1-03

Publication date: February 28^th 2026