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Green Manure/Cover Crop Systems of Smallholder Farmers
2004, pp 219-236
Green Manure/Cover Crop Technology in
Eastern and Central Uganda: Development
and Dissemination


C. K. K. Gachene,
C. S. Wortmann
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Summary
In 1992, Ugandan National Agricultural Research Organization along with International Center
for Tropical Agriculture researchers from Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute initiated
collaborative research with farmers in Uganda. Five villages in the vicinity of the Ikulwe District
Farmers Institute in Iganga district of eastern Uganda were included. This area represents the
traditional banana (Musa sp. L.)-coffee (Coffea L.)-based systems of the Lake Victoria Crescent
agro-ecological zone. It has a mean annual rainfall of 1255 mm in a bimodal distribution and
soils that are variable but typically have low total soil N as well as low P availability in Ikulwe.
Banana, bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas [L.] Lam.), cassava
(Manihot esculenta Crantz), groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) are
important food crops. The approach was participatory, systems oriented and interdisciplinary.
Research activities on green manure/cover crops (GMCCs) consisted of some designed by
farmers and researchers, and some farmers’ own experimentation. Farmer-researcher trials
indicated that yields of the GMCC species were reduced 40–70% when intercropped with a food
crop as compared to sole crop production and that yields of food crops were reduced 61–87%
when intercropped with Crotalaria ochroleuca G. Don. In contrast, maize grain yield response in
the first season following sole-crop GMCC production ranged from 0 to 240%. These trials also
indicated that Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC. and Lablab purpureus (L) Sweet were best for weed
suppression and for control of soil erosion, that tillage and weeding requirements can be much
less following GMCCs and that maize can often be planted directly in the holes left from
uprooting Mucuna and Lablab, reducing labour requirements the following season. Land
productivity was not improved with alley cropping. Farmers initiated trials on their own, such as
on Tephrosia vogelii Hook. f. to control mole rats, which indicated effective control and resulted
in significant adoption by neighbouring farmers. Other farmer experimentation focused on
intercropping GMCCs with coffee, banana with Canavalia ensiformis (L.) DC., cassava and
sweet potato, and Mucuna with maize.
Researchers’ interviews with 19 of the farmer-researchers indicated that improvement of soil
fertility followed by suppression of weeds was the most frequently mentioned positive feature of
GMCCs. Uprooting of the mature GMCC plants was easiest for Canavalia. Lablab was most
preferred for forage production. The legumes were similarly mentioned as effective in reducing
soil erosion. Farmers frequently expressed concern about the climbing tendency of Mucuna as
well as Lablab. Lablab produced little, but edible, seed, while Canavalia and Mucuna produced
much inedible seed. Crotalaria was frequently observed to be laborious to cultivate. Canavalia,
Crotalaria, Lablab and Mucuna differed little from one another in intercrop compatibility with
banana, maize and cassava. Canavalia was more compatible with sweet potato than were other
legumes. Information from on-station trials, formal on-farm trials and farmers’ own
experimentation was integrated to develop a decision guide on the use of GMCC legumes.
Researchers facilitated the dissemination of GMCC technology through informal seed
exchanges, printed materials, farmer group visits to Ikulwe, agricultural shows, government and
non-government extension, farmer experimentation mini-kits and provision of materials to
stockists of agricultural inputs. A banana-Mucuna-dairy system and the Tephrosia system for
mole rat control have been the most adopted.
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About this Chapter
Title
Green Manure/Cover Crop Technology in Eastern and Central Uganda: Development and
Dissemination
Book Title
Green Manure/Cover Crop Systems of Smallholder Farmers
Book Subtitle
Experiences from Tropical and Subtropical Regions
Pages
pp 219-236
Copyright
2004
DOI
10.1007/1-4020-2051-1_9
Print ISBN
978-1-4020-2045-2
Online ISBN
978-1-4020-2051-3
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Copyright Holder
Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.
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Marjatta Eilittä
Joseph Mureithi
Rolf Derpsch
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C. K. K. Gachene (1)
C. S. Wortmann (2)
Editors
Authors
Author Affiliations
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1. University of Nairobi, Kenya
2. University of Nebraska, USA
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