| dc.description.abstract | This study on the roles of community participation in preventing the theft of
agricultural produce in Kihurra B village, Mabaale Town Council, Kagadi District
aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of community participation in reducing theft of
agricultural produce in Kihurra B Village. The focus was put on domestic animals
and crops since these are the major farm produce from agriculture sector in Uganda.
The study utilized a descriptive study design in which qualitative data was
collected. The target population included men, women, and youth, with a sample
size of 143 household. The stakeholders included; community members of Kihurra
Village, extension workers, community leaders and other relevant stakeholders
including LCIII and the Officer in Charge (OC) Mabaale Police Post. The
community members were selected using simple random sampling. Various data
collection methods such as interviews, questionnaire administration and
observation were employed to gather information on community strategies. The
study in Kihurra B Village found that agricultural theft is mainly driven by
inadequate law enforcement (35%), youth idleness (63%), socio-economic factors
like unemployment and substance abuse. The main measure for theft prevention is
sharing homes with livestock (57%), which offers moderate deterrence. However,
more effective measures, such as patrolling and fencing are lacking. Community
participation in preventing theft is rated poor by 63% of respondents, indicating
insufficient engagement. Suggestions for improvement include better law
enforcement, increased patrolling, education, and building animal shelters. While
some strategies are in place, the study calls a need for a coordinated, multifaceted
approach to reduce theft effectively. | en_US |
