Orange Fleshed Sweet Potatoes 2014, Baseline Survey [Uganda]

Examines the adoption patterns and local market spillovers of a biofortified, nutrient-rich crop introduced to women smallholder farmers in Uganda. The study employs a clustered randomized control trial (RCT) covering a large sample of households across 210 villages to test the relative efficacy of interventions to relax adoption constraints to women farmers. A series of bundled and standalone treatment conditions address the following hypothesized constraints to adoption: resource, information, credit, time inconsistency, and price risk. The program was implemented by NGO BRAC in Uganda and targeted smallholder agriculture households with a woman of reproductive age (15-49) who are the most vitamin A vulnerable (pregnant or children under 2 years).

The primary source of data are household socioeconomic surveys to a primary woman of reproductive age (15-49 years) in treatment and control group households. From the sample of 8,400 households, a total of 7,694 questionnaires were collected at baseline prior to the intervention across the 210 villages. The baseline survey data was collected from April to June 2014 and where possible, the respondent was a female household head of reproductive age. The baseline questionnaire collected detailed information on agricultural practices, household economic outcomes, nutrition and health practices as well as anthropometric measurement of children in the household aged 2 years or under.

The household survey collected demographic characteristics for all household members, information on participation in BRAC programs, household assets and welfare indicators, income sources and shocks. Information on the household’s agricultural practices was also collected – including details on land holdings, crop production, cultivation techniques, inputs and capital, as well as market access and marketing behavior. Information on health and nutrition was collected, in particular for the respondent and young children, as well as knowledge of nutrient-rich foods and vitamin A. Respondents also provided information on financial activities. Finally, anthropometric measurements of children aged 2 years and under was collected.