Heifer

1. Improving Agricultural Productivity
through Training; a Case of Heifer
Project in Iganga district
Prof. Waswa Balunywa and Brenda Wejuli

2. Structure of Presentation
• Introduction
• Purpose of study
• Theory
• Methods
• Findings
• Conclusions

3. Objectives
Overall Objective
• To establish whether the training enables
individuals to increase agricultural productivity
Specific:
• To establish the intentions of individuals in
applying for the Heifer
• To establish whether training influences
behaviour change on recipients
• To examine the outcomes of the Heifer project on
recipients’ attitudes and subjective norms

4. Theory of Planned Behaviour(TPB
• Theory of Planned Behaviour ( Azjen &
Fishbein, 1991)
• behavioural attitudes of a trainee,
• influence the society has over a trainee and
the effort required by a person to perform (or
not to perform)a behaviour
• leads to the intention to perform that
behaviour
• the intention leads to actual behaviour

5. Methodology
• Qualitative data collected from 30 respondents who
were participants of the heifer project and had
received a cow
• Respondents selected using snow balling
• Data collection- use of interview question guides

6. Findings: Objective 1
To establish whether the intentions of individuals
in applying for the Heifer lead to performing a
certain behaviour
• To acquire skills that would enable them to
improve their lives and income
• High expectations of income generating activities
• TPB argues that for people to make behavioural
decisions they should be based on perceived
usefulness. Recipients viewed the training as a
promising business with considerable financial
incentives

7. Findings: Objective 2
To establish whether training influences behaviour change
on recipients
• Increase in the number of cows distributed every year-continuously
attracted several families and households
• Training was regarded as a motivation
• Training provided work experience which is useful for
future projects’ implementation
• Significant instructions for construction of cows’ houses
have deterred time wasters but instead provided better
resources and made recipients independent of external aid.
• Recipients realised that their energy would be
subsequently rewarded in their subsequent wages paid by
milk consumers

8. Findings: Objective 3
To examine the outcomes of the Heifer project on
recipients’ attitudes and subjective norms
• Interviews with recipients revealed a strong sense
of optimism and satisfaction in the project
• More than one pointed out that the programme
had given them a real chance to better their lives
• And has enabled them to educate their children
• Some of the recipients were able to benefit from
Biogas as a form of power for their homes

9. Findings…
• Recipients were found to have been highly
motivated to performer in the different
organizations and some had even taken up
leadership roles
• The training conducted to change attitudes of
the recipients and give them skills has been
effective

10. Conclusion
• The study concludes that the training
conducted to change attitudes of the
recipients and equip them with agricultural
skills was effective
• Individuals need to acquire knowledge and
renew their capabilities in order to overcome
behavioural barriers
• There is need to extend Heifer project training
at other communities

11. • The Heifer project has considerable potential
for expanding agricultural opportunities for
other communities and in transferring
knowledge and capacity to growing Ugandan
societies.