Abstract
Conservation agriculture (CA) is based on three principles: minimum soil disturbance, maintaining a soil cover through mulching with crop residues or planting cover crops, and practicing crop rotations. CA is practiced in many parts of the world for its benefits to soil and ability to improve yields, among others. There is little documented information on the status of CA adoption in the Lango region in mid-Northern Uganda. This study aimed at determining the extent of CA adoption in relation to the socioeconomic status of the farming population and suggesting relevant strategies for accelerating CA uptake specific to this region. A non-discriminative snowball-sampling technique was used to gather data from 417 households spread over three districts. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using household questionnaires. Farmers’ uptake of CA was related to information gained from training and the benefits that were observed in their fields. Some farm-level constraints in the region included the diminutive ratio of shared tools and equipment; the minimum presence and involvement of extension services; and seasonal rural markets that are dominated by middlemen. The impact that was attributed to the use of CA at the household level was improved yields. The strategy that was used to spread CA information to farmers also played a key role in increasing CA uptake in the region. This information is important for increasing CA adoption in this context given the socioeconomic status of the region.
Highlights
The population of Uganda in 2014 was 34.9 million and is forecasted to reach 40.4 million in 2020 [1]
This information is important for increasing Conservation agriculture (CA) adoption in this context given the socioeconomic status of the region
The major reason for adoption of CA in this region was attributed to the information gained through training provided by Rural Enterprise Development Services (REDS), a nongovernmental organization
Summary
The population of Uganda in 2014 was 34.9 million and is forecasted to reach 40.4 million in 2020 [1]. Notable still is the high annual population growth rate of 3.2%, and the youth population, marked by 48% being people under the age of 14 [1] This has contributed to a high dependency ratio and inevitably exerted pressure on the available resources needed for livelihoods, employment, economic development, and family welfare. Another key feature of this demography is that the proportion of the population in waged employment stands at 18.5%, and the remaining majority are engaged in agriculture. Based on the need for sustainable land management [12], the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries (MAAIF) considered conservation agriculture (CA) as part of the climate-smart agriculture 2015–2025 program [13] and the Agricultural Sector Strategic Plan of Uganda (ASSP)
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