REPORT OF THE 3rd FIELD VISIT UNDERTAKEN BY MEMBERS OF THE AGRO-BIODIVERSITY
WORKING GROUP TO MUKONO (BAMUSUTA) ON SEPTEMBER 06 TH 2007
Members present
Name
1. Annet Nakyeyune (UWS)
2. Margaret Kaggwa (Uganda National Ingredients Association)
3. Dr. Sophy Musaana (NARO)
4. David Dauna (Earth Care Resource Center)
5. Dr. Joy Tumuhairwe (Makerere University Faculty of Agriculture)
6. Namala Mable Charity (Agro Eco/Epopa)
7. Nantongo Pauline. K (Ecotrust)
Also present were
Diana Wabwire (Student MUIENR)
Olivia Nantaba (Project Officer)
Apologies
1.
Bagoora Festus NEMA
2.
Gwail Sam FORRI
3.
Sheila Taylor Send a Cow
4.
Mugabi Steven Ministry of Water and Environment
5.
Mugisa Tom PMA
1. Opening prayer
This was led by Mr. Damulira a community member.
2. Opening remarks from the chairman Mr. Badru Ssozi
He welcomed and thanked Agro-biodiversity team for having come on time. He also thanked his members for
having come and apologized on behalf of some members who had not come on time. After the welcome remarks he
then invited the team to start the forum.
3. Introduction of members
Annet thanked the chairman for the remarks, welcomed the participants and then requested everyone to introduce
themselves. She told farmers that the forum was organized by Uganda Wildlife Society (UWS), Nature Uganda
(NU) and Makerere University Institute of Environment and Natural Resources (MUIENR). She explained that the
purpose of the forum was to share with the farmers information and experience about the viable linkage between
biodiversity in farms and agricultural productivity.
4. Forum with the Farmers
4.1 Explaining the project
This involved explaining the on going research on agro- biodiversity (birds, insects) and was handled by Diana
Wabwire. In her explanation she told farmers that the project is based around Lake Victoria districts like Mukono,
Mubende, Mpigi, Bujagali, Kamuli, Nakaseke and Masaka.
She said her research is about birds’ interactions with the environment especially on peoples farms while her
colleague (absent) was researching on insect interactions with the environment. She informed farmers that she
conducted the research by making plots in different homestead gardens, and at specific times she would go to these
plots and counted the number of birds flying in and out the garden, noted the species and crops they visited.
She further explained that, on the other hand her colleague who is researching on insects used containers of different
colors containing soapy water, which would attract insects in gardens and then noted the insect species and nature of
farms that they visited. With that information she thanked the farmers whose gardens were used for their
cooperation and promised to present to them with results at a later date.
4.2 Question and answer session about Agro-biodiversity
After project description, Annet opened the question and answer session. Participants were told to react to Diana‘s
presentation and ask questions on issues concerning the environment, farming and agro-biodiversity. Very many
questions were asked and among the questions was the importance of birds and insects on farms. This was reacted to
by Diana who gave the importance such as birds helping in seed dispersal and pest control then insects (bees) as
pollinators.
There was a diversionary question about giving loans to farmers. This was reacted to first, by Annet who informed
the participants that the project’s objective was training and information sharing not giving loans. She mentioned
that proper utilization of their land could tremendously improve agricultural productivity, which consequently will
improve their incomes. She also advised them to tap the prosperity for all resources provided by the government.
Secondly Dr. Musaana and Margaret also encouraged them on the same issue to form groups which can help them
save money through collective effort as well as get loans and gave an example of Basoga youth who have a working
group where they use collective labor to grow and sell crops from which they get money and help group members
by building them houses.
Several questions were asked on pests and diseases that attack crops such as matooke, coffee, rice, tomatoes, pepper,
coffee and cassava and these were responded to by Dr. Musaana and Dr. Tumuhairwe.
Matooke
She explained that matooke had pests (nematodes), which mainly attack the roots and can be identified when roots
are cut and black coloring is observed in them. It is typical of matooke with nematodes to be uprooted from the soil
incase of strong winds unlike healthy ones which break in the middle of the stem. She advised that this could be
controlled by using husks lemon grass or citronella where oil has been extracted to mulch their plantations, which
cause nematodes to come on top of mulch so that they can be picked and destroyed.
She further said banana diseases include banana wilt which can be observed from reddish water from the plant
incase the plant is cut and only controlled by cutting the plant and leave the farm under fallow for about 3-4 years.
The other disease was Bacterial wilt which is common to all the species and usually attacks the flower and can be
controlled by avoiding sharing of knives used in pruning of matooke incase one has infected plantation. Removing
the banana flower after fruiting is completed is vital to prevent pollinators to spread the disease.
Rice
Regarding rice, the concern was on how they would control the birds from destroying the rice. She advised them on
using several methods because birds can get adapted to some methods such as the scarecrows and it will not work
any more. She advised them on the use of strings, radios (expensive) and ropes with tins containing stones to keep
away different birds and gave a reference of Doho rice scheme in Eastern Uganda. She also mentioned that
sometimes it’s because of food shortage that birds resort to eating rice. She said that farmers cut down all the trees
leaving nothing for the birds to feed. She advised them to plant trees around their rice gardens because some bird
species can feed on such trees and then do not go into the gardens. David Dauna beautifully illustrated this
explanation by giving an example of famine amongst people, which forces them to eat posho or cassava, which they
would not ordinarily eat if there was enough of staple food (Matooke). Therefore, some birds resort to rice because
of lack of alternative food sources, which mostly come from trees.
Pepper and tomatoes
Her reaction was that these crops belonged to the solanum family and are attacked by similar diseases therefore
should not be planted in succession. Incase of disease outbreak on any of such crops in the area, the land can be
rested for 2-3 years without crops of the same family on it.
Plate1: A farmer(standing) asking a question
Coffee
The response was that the disease attacks the roots and causes the ripening of young coffee beans. She further
explained that the disease is hard to control because by the time it is noticed with the coffee beans the roots are
already destroyed so the plant has to be uprooted and the land rested. However she said that a resistant breed to the
disease (a cross between Robusta and Colonal) had been found by NARO and yet to be supplied since research has
shown it can do well in most areas of Uganda.
Cassava
She said that cassava species that are pest and disease resistant were already in place so they should contact their
NAADS officials to help them access the species. She concluded that also timely planting and inter-cropping can
help control pests.
On issues regarding soils for growing crops Dr. Joy told farmers that different crops grow on different soils but
major soil factors to consider would be soil fertility (black soils usually fertile), soil depth compared to crop rooting
and the acidity or alkalinity of soil which can be found out by testing the soil.
On the question concerning tree growing in the area it was postponed to the agenda of selling tree seedlings and this
marked the end of question and answer session.
5. Discussion about demonstration farms
At this point Annet asked the farmers to nominate farmers whose gardens could be used as demonstration farms.
The selection criteria were, that the farmers’ gardens exhibited the aspect of agro-biodiversity in at least one way
and no person had to select him/herself and also how many people seconded that name. Below are the names of
farmers who were selected:

Mr. Kakebe G.W

Mr. Damulira

Mr. Matutu

Mrs Muwonge
However, it was not possible to visit their farms because of lack of enough time and by consensus a decision was
made to postpone the item as a separate field visit, since the farmers were far apart.
7. Sell of tree seedlings
Dr Sophy and Olivia explained that they selected two tree species for planting, which included grafted avocado and
Grevelia spp, because of their contribution to agro-biodiversity. Avocado was chosen because it attracts insects and
birds while Grevelia because of its importance in soil improvement. Farmers were supposed to pay 200/= Uganda
shillings per seedling and limited to buying one seedling per species to enable many people get the seedlings.
Farmers willingly paid for all the seedlings. Most of the farers wanted to get a tree but we had take only 20 trees per
species. They were then advised on how to plant and manage the trees to ensure proper growth.
The meeting was concluded by Annet thanking the farmers for having kept time and having been good participants.
Farmers through their representative also moved a vote of thanks to the team for having selected Bamusuta.
Plate 2: Farmers scrambling for trees