International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development

Agro-tourism has increasingly been recognized as an innovative strategy for promoting rural development and enhancing agribusiness performance through farm diversification, value addition and market expansion. However, empirical evidence on its contribution to agribusiness development in Uganda remains limited, particularly at the district level. This study evaluated the contributions of agro-tourism to agribusiness in Bushenyi District, Uganda, with emphasis on income generation, market expansion, employment creation, value addition and enterprise diversification. The study employed a cross-sectional research design using a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected from 222 farmers using structured questionnaires, while qualitative data were obtained through key informant interviews with 28 purposively selected participants, comprising local leaders, agricultural extension officers and tourism officials. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Relative Importance Index (RII), Pearson correlation and multiple regression analysis, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically to complement the quantitative findings. The findings revealed that respondents perceived agro-tourism as making a substantial contribution to agribusiness development, with an overall Relative Importance Index (RII) of 0.842. Strengthening market linkages (RII = 0.872), improving household income (RII = 0.862), promoting agribusiness growth (RII = 0.858), expanding markets (RII = 0.854) and enterprise diversification (RII = 0.850) were ranked as the most important contributions. Correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between agro-tourism dimensions and agribusiness development (p < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis showed that income generation, value addition, market expansion, enterprise diversification and employment creation significantly predicted agribusiness development, collectively explaining 70.9% of the variation in agribusiness performance (Adjusted R² = 0.702, p < 0.001). Income generation emerged as the strongest predictor of agribusiness development. The study concludes that agro-tourism is a significant driver of agribusiness development in Bushenyi District through its positive effects on household income, value addition, market access, employment creation and enterprise diversification. Strengthening agro-tourism initiatives can enhance agricultural commercialization and contribute to sustainable rural economic development. The study recommends that government agencies, local governments and development partners invest in agro-tourism infrastructure, strengthen extension and entrepreneurial training, improve access to finance, promote value addition and develop integrated marketing strategies linking agriculture with tourism. Such interventions would enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of agro-tourism enterprises while improving rural livelihoods in Uganda

Tomson Nabasa, Doreen Atwongyeire, Mary Goretty Nagawa, "Leveraging Agro-Tourism for Sustainable Agribusiness Growth: Evidence From Uganda" International Journal of Scientific Research and Engineering Development, V9(4): Page(1505-1533) July-August 2026. ISSN: 2581-7175. www.ijsred.com. Published by Scientific and Academic Research Publishing.