Uganda Journal of Agricultural Science (UJAS)
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Toward a remunerating price tag to coffee: lessons from the liberalization of the coffee industry in Uganda
Get PDFCoffee is the main cash crop in the Ugandan economy contributing to over 50% of GDP, about 65% of the total export earnings and 80% of household employment. A predominately smallholder practice, coffee farming is done mainly by resource-poor farmers on holdings of 2 hectares of land or less. The perenniality of the crop dictates an intergenerational hold on land, which poses land ownership, inheritance, labor and gender complexities with serious consequences on land and environment degradation and, ultimately on incomes, welfare and survival of the coffee-farming households. It is now widely recognized that the smallholder practices have resulted in land degradation. Nutrient losses to the agricultural system are not being sufficiently replaced, which has subsequently had a serious impact on crop productivity. A trade account of gains and losses of nutrients in the export of the produce at national level is constructed and the sheer scale of resource loss put simply as the “invisible cost” is alarming. And yet evidence now available links soil degradation and poor farming practices to higher susceptibility of coffee to Coffee Wilt Disease (CWD) attack, for instance. Whereas liberalization in 1991 has revamped the sub-sector, it has not nonetheless come without any cones. A “too much opened up” case to critics, it has been distorted, misunderstood and out rightly exploited. With the depressed world market prices currently, pressure has mounted for Uganda to produce for gourmet and specialty market niches. This spells not entirely new challenges but, no doubt, bigger problems for an already over-stretched and more often overwhelmed regulatory system in place
Development of a management strategy for Bean root rot in southwestern Uganda
Get PDFBean root rot was first noted in Southwestern Uganda many years ago according to the people in the area but it wasn’t until early 1990’s when its destruction became apparent. The disease is now the most important disease affecting beans in this area. It has resulted in total destruction of the crop during favourable weather conditionsforthedisease. Itwasthereforeimportantthatamanagementstrategyforthediseasebedeveloped so that the bean production in the area could be revitalized. Several management options were tested singly and in combination on farmers’ fields to select that which could reduce the effect of this disease. Six varieties of beans were selected as best at tolerating the disease. However the disease was better controlled when tolerant varieties were combined w ith soil amendment methods such as applying farmyard manure, inorganic fertilizer and green manure. The combination that gave the lowest disease incidence and severity was that involving tolerant varieties, farm yard manure, intercropping (with maize and sorghum) and earthing up
Drugs of choice for the treatment of bacterial pneumonia in goats
Get PDFA total of 41 pneumonic or coughing goats of different sexes and ages of about 8-18 kg body weight purchased from Pallisa, Soroti and Mbale districts were kept indoors at the Livestock Health Research Institute, Tororo (LIRI). On arrival goats were eartagged and blood smears and nasal swabs collected. 33 surviving goats were divided into four treatment groups. One group had 10 goats, two groups had 9 goats each and the fourth group had 5 goatsAII goats in groups I to III treated with Oxytetracycline 10%, Trimethosulf and Pen/streptomycin respectively recovered. Meanwhile all 5 goats in the control group died. From the cultures of lung specimens, it is concluded that the bacterial organisms causing caprine pneumonia are Pasteurella multocida, streptococcus haemolytica, Corynebacterium and Klebsiella pneumoniae
Development and evaluation of a Sorghum/Soy weaning food
Get PDFA weaning food was developed from sorghum/soy blend by extrusion cooking on a single screw extruder. A three factor factorial study was conducted at three levels of feed moisture (20, 30 and 40%), three levels of sorghum variety (Epuripur, Sekedo and local) and three levels of soybean level (10, 20 and 30%). Feed moisture of30% and decreased as the moisture was increased further. WSI and NSI increased with decreasing feed moisture. Epuripur produced products with the best attirbutes compared to the other two varieties, whereas increasing the soybean level did not have any significant effect on the functional attribute of the product
Yield performance of short duration pigeon pea cultivars in northern and Eastern Uganda
Get PDFField experiments were carried out at Serere Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute (SAARI) and Ngetta Experimental Station to evaluate the yield performance of short-duration pigeon pea lines. The study was conducted in two stages; on-station and on-farm trials. On-station trials were carried out during first rains of 1993, 1994 and 1995, while on-farm trials were carried in Lira district during the first rains of 1996 and 1997. Twelve improved pigeon pea lines were evaluated and Apio-Elina local pigeon pea variety was used as check (control). Improved pigeon pea line gave higher yields than the local variety. Amongst the improved lines, KAT 60/8 and ICPL 87091 consistently gave high yields across the sites and years. Highest yield 3200 kg ha-1 was obtained from KAT 60/8, while the lowest yield (570 kg ha-1) was from the local variety. KAT 60/8, ICPL 87091, ICPL 87102 and ICPL 87104, performed well and were selected for on-farm testing. Results from on-farm trials indicated that KAT 60/8 and ICPL 87091 performed better that the other two and were then recommended for release. KAT 60/8 was then named as SEPI 1 while ICPL 87091 named as SEPI 2
Biogas production for smallholder energy needs: Experiences in Uganda
Get PDFAlthough the discovery of biogas dates back to the 18th century, it was only in the early 1900s that the technology obtained some use in real life situations. In Uganda the first biogas plant was built in Mbarara district in the early 1950s. However, the first well-documented study on biogas technology was a PhD thesis by Boshoff (1970), then Lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Makerere University. During the years that followed, world-wide threats of dwindling fossil fuel resources stimulated efforts to develop new and renewable energy resources including biogas technology. Uganda joined other countries in these efforts but drastically lost pace during years of civil strife. This paper briefly outlines developments in biogas technology with special focus on Uganda, it describes efforts NARO/AEATRI has made in the development of a floating gas-holder digester type, fixed half-dome type and a tubular digester type. The first two digester-types generate 0.20-0.25 m3 ofgas per m3 ofdigester per day at optimal production. AEATRI has also developed several designs of biogas stoves that operate at a pressure of 50-75 mm of water, consuming 0.15-0.2 m3 of gas per hr. The effluent (slurry) from AEATRI digesters has been chemically analysed for soil enhancement nutrients. The results show a significant increase in major nutrients: nitrogen - 18%, phosphorus - 24%, and potassium - 66%. The paper proposes a policy framework for integrated promotion of this technology with a view' to making its contribution more responsive to agricultural modernisation in Uganda
Dissemination of knowledge and skills of potato crop management through farmer field schools in Uganda
Get PDFThe Potato Program of the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) has generated a number of technologies on potato crop management for dissemination to farmers. Farmer field schools was one of the technology uptake pathways chosen through which farmers could “learn through discovery” the potato management practices with emphasis on controlling potato late blight. A survey was conducted through a structured questionnaire to assess farmers’ knowledge and skills prior to farmers’ enrolment in the schools. Sixteen schools were established in Kabale district with enrolment of at least 24 participants per school. A curriculum was then developed to cover 15 weeks following the crop phenology and farmers’ attendance in each school was restricted to once a week. Results from the survey revealed that potato was the third most importantfoodcropandthebestincomeearnerineachofthecommunitiessurveyed. Morethan80%of the farmers rated late blight and bacterial wilt as the two most important potato problems. More than 40% of farmers controlled late blight through chemical application. Host resistance and integrated disease management as late blight control measures were hardly known. Farmers identified disease monitoring as the most efficient and economic means of managing potato late blight as well as attainment of higher yields and good profits
Meeting the needs of clients in research: A preliminary overview of NARO experiences
Get PDFWith the current government emphasis on increased productivity and poverty eradication through the policies of decentralisation, liberalisation commercialisation and private sector involvement, NARO had to realign its strategic direction. Arising from the strategy and Medium term Plan was the need to respond to needs of farmers and other key stakeholders. The strategy of decentralisation of research services was identified as key in involving clients as equal partners. The other one was the need to avail research outputs to intermediary organisations, service providers and selected end-users (uptake pathways). In an effort to provide high quality, relevant and effective research outputs, NARO is strengthening its adaptive research by involving Farmer Research Groups (FRGs) and having location specific research based on the needs of clients. It is also forging linkages and partnerships as well as encouraging networking.
Preliminary indications of core elements for successfully meeting the clients needs seem to include community mobilisation and action, partnership between researchers, farmers and extensionists, voluntary participation, active feedback from clients, and blending scientific ideas with farmers' own knowledge and practices. Farmers' active participation in monitoring and analysing of the changes as well as sharing experiences among themselves had a positive contribution. There are however, possible challenges from attitudes by all stakeholders at individual, institutional and organisational levels. This calls for a well managed transition to a new paradigm. The incentives particularly in terms of improved livelihoods seem to be low for farmers to actively participate in the process
Performance evaluation of crossbred chickens at Serere
Get PDFFrom 1994 to 2000, an experiment was started at Serere Agricultural and Animal Production Research Institute (SAARI) with an objective of improving the meat and egg productivity of indigenous chickens through crossbreeding with exotic cocks of Hybro, Arbor Acres and Bovans Brown breeds. Local chickens were used as the control. The birds were reared on deep litter in 3 x 3 metre pens and fed on commercial broiler mash at an average rate of 120 grammes per mature chicken per day and water was given ad libitum. The eggs were incubated naturally and the chicks hatched were recorded visa-vis those eggs not hatched to determine hatchability. The chicks were fed ad libitum on chick mash for 8 weeks then changed to broiler mash afterwards. The chickens were weighed from day 1 to sexual maturity (20 weeks) on a weekly basis. Routine vaccinations and prophylactic medication were done. All crossbreds performed better than local chickens in all aspects. The Bovans Brown breed performed best. The study also indicated that household income could be tremendously increased through chicken improvement
Proliferation, impacts and control of water hyacinth in Uganda
Get PDFWater hyacinth invaded Lake Victoria and Lake Kyoga in Uganda during the second half of the 1980's and was firmly established by the end of that decade. During the 1990’s, the weed spread rapidly, multiplied profusely and adversely impacted aquatic resources and services such as fisheries and fishing activities, availability of potable water, hydropower generation, transportation by water, and recreational and tourist facilities. The impacts of water hyacinth constrained efforts, which directly contributed to poverty reduction in the country. This paper highlights the contribution of research in Uganda to the control of the noxious weed. Research focused on understanding the processes and mechanisms of water hyacinth distribution, establishment and proliferation; the dynamics of migratory movements of weed mats; the environmental and socio-economic impacts of water hyacinth; the role of various control efforts, and the impacts of control measures. Data was compiled through regular surveillance and from field experiments. Distribution and establishment of water hyacinth was influenced by direction of regular winds and water currents; and by availability of shelter and environments with suitable nutrient-rich water depth and bottom substrate along the shore. The initial proliferation of water hyacinth gave rise to extensive stationary strips, which ultimately fringed about 2200 ha of shoreline length of Lake Victoria in Uganda, 570 ha of the shore of Lake Kyoga, and 500 ha along River Nile (in Uganda). Proliferation of mobile w ater hyacinth occurred in sheltered bays, particularly in Murchison, which is enriched with nutrients notably phosphorus. Maximum cover of 1800 ha of the mobile weed was estimated in Lake Victoria - Uganda. Mobile water hyacinth cover was distributed from the production bays to several storage bays through annual weed migrations across Lake Victoria. Control of the weed was achieved through the effects of biological control w ith Neochetina weevils, ecological succession dominated by native macrophytes especially hippograss, and by physical biomass removal at selected sites of socio-economic importance. The effects of biological control and environmental stress led to unprecedented collapse and sinking of huge biomass of mobile water hyacinth resident in the collection bays. Decomposition of the sunken water hyacinth caused prolonged depression of dissolved oxygen to anoxic levels close to the lake bottom, led to elevation of soluble reactive phosphorus, and to increaseddiversity and abundance of phytoplankton, macro-invertebrates and fishes. Water hyacinth was brought under control by the end of 1998 in most infested water systems of Uganda except rivers Kagera and the Nile. In the year 2000, persistent weed resurgence occurred in environments rich in phosphorus notably in Murchison Bay. Control of water hyacinth in rivers and nutrient enriched environments is key to the management of the weed in Uganda