Factors Affecting the Adoption of Micro-Scale Irrigation Program Among Tea Farmers in Burere Sub-County, Buhweju District

The study assessed the factors influencing the adoption of micro-scale irrigation systems among tea farmers in Burere Sub-County, Buhweju District. It was guided by three objectives which were to; analyze the factors affecting the adoption of micro-scale irrigation programs among tea farmers, establish the effect of micro-scale irrigation programs on tea production among farmers and establish strategies for increasing the adoption of micro-scale irrigation systems to improve tea production and farmer livelihoods. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional research design and primary data was collected from 300 respondents. The researcher used questionnaire and focus group discussion guide to collect primary data. The data was analysed using SPSS version 22.0. The study concludes that multiple interlinked strategies significantly influence the adoption of micro-scale irrigation systems among tea farmers. Access to extension services, financial support, and training programs were the most influential strategies to adoption. The study recommends that; there is a need to deploy more extension workers and ensure frequent farmer contact to improve awareness and skills, there is a need to partner with microfinance institutions to provide low-interest loans for irrigation equipment, implement public-private partnerships to lower costs through subsidies or bulk purchases, invest in community dams, tanks, or boreholes near tea-growing zones and support the formation and training of farmer cooperatives/farmer groups to promote peer-based irrigation adoption.