The Role of the Media in Rural Poverty Alleviation

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Declaration ... ............. .................... ...... .................. ....... ................ .i

Approval...... ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii

Dedication ............ .. ................................................ .......... ........... .iii

Acknowledgment. ........................................................................... vi

Abstract. ............................... .... ........ ....... ..... ................................ v

Chapter One - INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the problem ........................ .... ............................. 1

1.2 Statement of the problem ... ........................................................ .4

1.3 Purpose of the study ................... .. ........................... .................. 4

1.4 Study objectives ..................................................................... .4

1.5 Significance of the study ..... ............................................. .......... 5

1.6 Scope of the study ........................................... .................. ....... 5

1.7 Hypothesis ............ .................. ........... .. ............... .................. 6

1.8 Research questions ..... ............................................................. 6

1.9 Ethical considerations ....................................................... ....... . 6

1.10 Anticipated problems .................................... ..................... ... .... 6

Chapter Two -LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Definition of mass media .......................................... .... .............. 7

2.2 Media in Uganda today .................... .. ....................................... 8

2.3 Poverty in Uganda .. ....... ...... .................. ........ ................ ......... 10

2.4 Rural poverty ................................................ ........................ 11

2.5 Poverty alleviation ......... ........ .... ........ ........... ............ .............. 12

vi

Chapter Three- METHODOLOGY

3.1 Research design ............ .............. .... ................ ...... ... .. ... .. .... 13

3.2 Data collection methods ............ ... .................. .. ............ ........... 13

3.3 Data analysis ..... ..... .. ........ ..................... .................. .... .. ... .... 13

Chapter Four- ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS

4.0 Role played by media in rural poverty Alleviation ...... ...................... 14

4.1 Reasons why rural people are major victims of poverty ...................... 16

4.1.1 Lack of facilities .......................... .... ... .. ........... ............. ......... 16

4.1.2. Difficulty in identifying viable projects ......................................... 18

4.1.3 Exploitation of the rural peasants by the urban business middlemen ..... ... 21

4.1.4 Insufficient time use .............................. .. ............. ... .. .............. 21

4.1.5 Lack of trust, adequate co-operation and coordination ............. ... .. ... .. . 21

4.1.6 Lack of capital markets ............ .. ........................................ ...... 22

4.1.7 Not participating in development projects ...................................... 22

4.2 Busoro sub county........................................ ....................... 22

4.3 The role of development agencies (NGO's) in rural poverty alleviation .... 24

4.3.1 The Entandikwa credit scheme ..... ... .... ... .............. ............... .. ...... 25

4.3.2 Busoro farmers association (BUFA) ............................................. 28

4.3.3 Busoro women credit scheme ........................... ...... .. .................. 31

4.4.4 The role of radio ...... .. ............. ... ............ ....... ............ .. ........ .... 34

4.4.1 Findings of audience survey of various media ....................... ...... ... .. 36

Chapter Five - RECOMMENDATIONS AND coNcLusioNs

5.1 Recommendations ................... ............... ..... ..................... ..... . 38

5.2 Conclusion ... .................................. .. .... ............... ................. 41

Appendices ... ...... ........ ... ................ ... ............. .. .................... 42

References ............. ....... .......... .. ... ..... .. ...... ....... ..... ... ... ..... .... 44