Is Soil Degradation to Blame for the Rural Poverty in Southeastern Uganda?

This study examines the effect of soil conservation practices and household characteristics to poverty levels among the farming community in southeastern Uganda. Using random sampling method, 120 respondents from the districts of Kamuli, Iganga and Jinja were selected and interviewed. The Logistic regression results reveals that settlement in Jinja district and being educated significantly reduced poverty while household size increased it (p<0.05). Increasing the number of fertile land areas under fallow significantly reduces probability of being poor (p<0.01). Farmers that use crop rotation, vegetative cover crops and organic manure have significantly lower probability of being poor compared to those using zero tillage (p<0.05). Adoption of improved soil conservation practices will assist farmers to increase agricultural outputs and reduce their poverty levels while fertilizers should be made available at affordable prices. Site-specific research to address soil-related constraints and socio-economic and political issues is needed to enhance and sustain production.