Role of Sericulture in Uplifting Socio-Economic Status of Casual Workers and Constructors: A Case Study of Sheema, Kiruhura, Kween and Mukono District in Uganda

Abstract

This study was undertaken in the four sericulture research stations of Sheema, Kiruhura, Kween and Mukono in Uganda with the main objective of documenting the socio-economic impact of sericulture project on the livelihood for permanent and temporary casual workers and constructors/ builders at different sericulture stations. Sericulture is labour intensive projects that need both permanent and temporary casual workers and constructors/ builders who are required for smooth running of daily sericulture field activities. Sixty five casual workers and constructors were randomly selected as respondents to the structured questionnaire aspects related to the factors such as sex, education, age, marital status, type of family, nature of employment, household expenditure, household assets acquired and challenges faced by casual workers and constructors/ builders were collected by well-structured questionnaire through personal interview method. The results obtained revealed that more 52.3% male workers were employed than female workers, 36.9% of the respondents were in the age group of 31-40 years, the biggest percentage 73.8% were married, 50.8% of the respondents were working as casual workers whereas 49.2% as constructors/builders, a majority 83.1% of respondents were working as permanent workers and only 16.9% as temporary workers. A majority of the respondents reported that the salaries earned at the end of month has positively impacted and changed their livelihoods of many respondents and this has help them to meet all the family needs and requirements such as family feeding, educating their child’s, buying clothing for themselves and for their child’s, health, pay utilities bills, drinking alcohol, others have managed to acquired different family assets such as land, some have managed to build houses, mobile phones, radios, televisions solar panels, bicycles and motorcycles and livestock’s such as cows, goats, sheep, birds, pigs, turkey and ducks, this can fetches them little economic support for their families and can serve as addition income.