World Renew’s partner organization Pentecostal Assemblies of God — Kabale (PAG) has begun to promote conservation farming practices in two pilot communities through their agricultural field officer named Dan Byamukama. The conservation farming method taught by World Renew land PAG, called Conservation Agriculture (CA), provides a biblical basis for organic farm practices.
World Renew’s partner organization Pentecostal Assemblies of God — Kabale (PAG) has begun to promote conservation farming practices in two pilot communities through their agricultural field officer named Dan Byamukama. The conservation farming method taught by World Renew land PAG, called Conservation Agriculture (CA), provides a biblical basis for organic farm practices. CA uses a mulch cover using plant residue, crop rotation, and disturbing the soil as little as possible. This is a much needed soil-restoration practice in Kabale, Uganda, a densely populated and hilly region where intensive cultivation has depleted soil fertility over the years.
Results of the first year of CA have been so encouraging that the plan is to extend it to two more communities in the next year
Here are stories of two farmers who participated in Conservation Agriculture training:
Willy Tukamushaba:
Like most of the peasant farmers in Kabale, Willy Tukamushaba owns a small piece of land which he has cultivated continuously over the years. This past year, Willy was one of 100 farmers who were trained in CA practices.
Willy is the leader of the Kakomo and Kitumba agriculture groups. He says: “before learning about CA and other soil restoration practices, my land couldn’t support any crop because of over cultivation. When PAG Kabale came and trained us in soil fertility restoration and water conservation practices, I started implementing them right away in my own garden. I was able to mulch my entire quarter-acre banana plantation and dig trenches to harvest runoff water because my gardens are on a hill slope. I also applied manure from compost which I had made myself. I can now see a difference on my gardens, and I intend to use compost more often. I am sure my banana yields are going to improve.”
Musiimenta Olivia:
Another farmer, Musiimenta Olivia, applied the CA practices in her maize and Irish potato gardens. Olivia began to use her pig’s manure as fertilizer and to mulch a half-acre of her maize garden. Part of the garden was planted using traditional farming practices and the other part she mulched so that she can compare the two yields to see if she wants to apply mulch to the whole garden. Olivia noted that the yields from the part which was mulched were far better than the part she didn’t mulch.
When she saw this, she was encouraged to apply the methods on her other garden plots. Observing the growth of the crop which is now at flowering stage, Olivia expects a good yield. Results of the first year of CA have been so encouraging that PAG Kabale plans to extend the practice to two more communities in the next year.
Team Leader
World Renew Uganda
