Department of Mental Health, School of Medicine, Kabale University, Kabale, Uganda.
Centre for Social Research in Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Afr J AIDS Res. 2024 Oct;23(1-2):30-40. doi: 10.2989/16085906.2024.2341750. Epub 2024 Oct 11.
This study aimed at assessing the experiences of people living with HIV who participated in an agricultural livelihood support initiative in selected districts of Uganda. The initiative, implemented from 2017 to 2018, involved the provision of agricultural inputs such as beans, cassava cuttings, goats, chickens, and pigs to participants. In-depth interviews were conducted with 37 people (28 women and 9 men) from the districts of Kampala, Masaka and Wakiso (specifically Entebbe) in central Uganda, who had participated in the project. Data were analysed thematically focusing on facilitators, challenges and outcomes from the project. The following themes emerged as facilitators: access to land and animal feed, prior farming experience and supportive family and friends. Some participants experienced challenges including animal/poultry diseases, livestock theft, "low quality" agricultural inputs, unfavourable weather conditions, limited finance and land to support livelihood activities and difficulties working in groups. Several participants reported positive livelihood outcomes including improved food security, better nutrition, increased income and improved mental health. However, some participants reported negative outcomes which took the form of a loss of money and time invested when their livestock died from disease. Although participants in the agricultural livelihood initiative faced challenges which reduced the profitability of their projects, the initiative was regarded as beneficial and worthwhile. These findings have relevance to the broader field of livelihoods programming. Future interventions can draw from the experiences of our participants while also taking seriously into consideration the different circumstances of individuals in a targeted population so as to increase the chances of producing more positive outcomes.
本研究旨在评估参与乌干达选定地区农业生计支持倡议的艾滋病毒感染者的经验。该倡议于 2017 年至 2018 年实施，为参与者提供了豆类、木薯扦插、山羊、鸡和猪等农业投入。在乌干达中部的坎帕拉、马萨卡和瓦基索（特别是恩德培）地区，对 37 名（28 名女性和 9 名男性）参与该项目的人进行了深入访谈。数据分析的重点是项目的促进因素、挑战和结果。以下主题被确定为促进因素：获得土地和动物饲料、先前的农业经验以及支持性的家庭和朋友。一些参与者遇到了一些挑战，包括动物/家禽疾病、牲畜盗窃、“低质量”农业投入、不利的天气条件、有限的资金和土地来支持生计活动以及在小组中工作的困难。一些参与者报告了积极的生计结果，包括改善粮食安全、更好的营养、增加收入和改善心理健康。然而，一些参与者报告了负面结果，形式是当他们的牲畜因疾病死亡时，损失了投资的金钱和时间。尽管农业生计倡议的参与者面临着降低项目盈利能力的挑战，但该倡议被认为是有益和值得的。这些发现与生计规划的更广泛领域有关。未来的干预措施可以借鉴参与者的经验，同时认真考虑目标人群中个人的不同情况，以增加产生更多积极结果的机会。
