Agriculture and Ignorance: A review of the benefits of rice by-products overlooked by Ugandan rice farmers.

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume VI, Issue II, February 2022 | ISSN 2454–6186

Agriculture and Ignorance: A review of the benefits of rice by-products overlooked by Ugandan rice farmers.

Apollo Uma¹, Joseph Mbuta Munyentwari¹, Anthony Emaru^2
1 Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Management, Egerton University-Kenya
² Department of Crops, Horticulture, and Soils, Egerton University-Kenya

Abstract
Uganda produces 350,000 MT of rice annually which translates to 472,500 MT of rice straw, 70,000 MT of husks, 35,000 MT of bran, and 49,000 MT of broken rice. Rice straw and husks are usually burned as waste or buried while rice bran is largely used for livestock feeding purposes. Broken rice is fully consumed to an extent that it is imported. The limited utilization of rice by-products by farmers in Uganda indicates that numerous benefits are overlooked and thus missed out. The benefits overlooked range from agricultural importance, biogas potential, weaving, paper production, biochar generation, silica for concrete industries, briquette making, human health, bakery, and catering services. Rice by-products represent profound health, income, agricultural and industrial hidden potential. Judging by the steady increase in the production of rice in Uganda, the generation of waste from rice production will also increase as much as the increase in rice production. Creating awareness about the negative impacts of inappropriate disposal of rice by-products on the environment is pertinent. Potential new uses of rice by-products with the potential to improve farmers’ socio-economic conditions when used appropriately and sustainably should be given priority. Creating the perfect basic needs such as logistical facilities, courses and training for farmers, millers, officials as well as research for the by-products development in the country is very critical. There is need to widely emphasize the health and nutritional benefits of rice bran at the farmer level as a cheaper form of treatment in the long run.

Keywords: rice, by-products, bran, straw, husk, burning, environment

1.0 Introduction
Uganda is an agriculture-based economy that is often mentioned as the food basket of the Eastern region of Africa thanks to its potential for producing a spread of foods in large quantities for both domestic
consumption and export (FAO, 2018). More than 80% of the total Ugandan population depends on agriculture for their daily livelihood (Anderson et al., 2016). This agricultural sector comprises crop production, livestock, forestry and fishing sub-sectors (Nsubuga et al., 2019). The large and small agro-based activities generate a number of by-products which when added value to can produce other useful products that are environmentally friendly with a higher market value (Kilimo Trust, 2017; Nsubuga et al., 2019). Therefore, value addition and utilization of these by-products could help maximize profits most especially at farmer level and create more jobs along the rice value chain (Finance Tribune, 2015).
Rice production in Uganda dates back to 1904 but gained great importance as a food crop during the 1950s (Bua, 2014; Odogola, 2006). Kunihiro et al. (2014) assert that its cultivation in Uganda can be traced to the latter half of the 19th century when it was grown for a handful of Arab and Swahili traders. Uganda National Rice Development Strategy (UNRDS) (MAAIF, 2009) asserts that Rice production in Uganda started in 1942 while Reid (2002) believes that rice was already introduced into the country by end of the 1870s. During the independence year of 1962, McMaster reported that rice was already recognized and reported as one of the food crops produced and promoted in the country by 1921 (McMaster, 1962). Its introduction and cultivation in Uganda point towards feeding the Second World War veterans and government institutions such as schools, prisons and hospitals (Odogola, 2006), Arab and Swahili traders (Kunihiro et al., 2014; Reid, 2002) and European administrators, Indian businessmen as well as Indian rail construction workers, the ‘coolies’ who built the railway line from Mombasa to Uganda (Lamo et al., 2021). According to Lamo et al. (2021), during the 1950’s, the Uganda government developed further interest in rice and potential for irrigated rice farming. It is then that rice gained importance as a cash crop (Odogola, 2006). However, according to the Uganda National Rice Development Strategy, production remained minimal until 1974 when farmers appealed to the then government for assistance (MAAIF, 2009).

Read More