He does his farming the smart way

Kwesigabo applies manure from his farm animals to coffee trees in his plantation. PHOTO BY OTUSHABIRE TIBYANGYE

What you need to know:

Armed with technical information from resource persons such as Sedrach Muhangi, a climatic change expert, 46-year-old Kwesigabo says he was compelled to diversify the agricultural enterprises

Luka Kwesigabo from Ruhimbo in Kabingo Town Council practises mixed agriculture. He has his hands on various enterprises, which both mitigate the effects of climate change and earn him a decent living.

He owns four acres of fruit trees, 10 acres of banana and three acres of coffee. For livestock, he rears 50 pigs, 20 goats, 15 cows and 30 sheep.

He also grows beans, maize, cassava and sugarcane. Currently, he has 10 acres of beans intercropped with maize and also two acres of juice bananas specifically for brewing local gin.

Kwesigabo’s farming methods conserve environment and tap natural resources, which make use of water runoff and keep the soils moist. There is mulching and use of organic manure under this.

Compelled to diversity
Armed with technical information from resource persons such as Sedrach Muhangi, a climatic change expert, 46-year-old Kwesigabo says he was compelled to diversify the agricultural enterprises.
This was not only to earn a living but also to check environmental degradation and satisfy his love for both aninamls and plants.
Isingiro is one of the districts in the cattle corridor that has heavily eroded hills which need urgent attention.

His farm is below the hill making it vulnerable to water runoff, soil erosion, destructive winds and occasional drought.
“There were many gulleys carrying away the top soil until I was taught how to mulch and dig trenches, among other solutions,” he says.

“I realised that I had to diversify crops because the area grows mainly matooke, whose prices drop when there is a glut in the market.”

Other challenges are lack of water for both production and human consumption, as well as bush burning practised in the area to create pastures during rainy seasons.

Against this backdrop, he embarked on smart agriculture.
There are fruit trees, which not only give fruits but also act as wind breaks. There are pine trees on the hillsides to stop water run-offs.

Having dug trenches in the fruit, banana and coffee gardens, he has planted fodder trees such as Calliandra and Lucerne (or alfalfa) as feed for his livestock.

In turn, the manure got from the animals is used in the banana, coffee and fruit gardens. With this, he has been able to improve the production of coffee and bananas.

To check water run-offs in the banana plantation, he uses mulching. It also helps to retain the moisture and maintain fertility of the soils.

Some of the mulches include maize stems left after harvests, which are rich in potassium that is good for banana plants.
“I dug trenches to trap water because during the rainy season, the mulches are washed away into the valley,” he says.

Dealing with climate change
Bush fires, lack of tree seedlings, field extension service, lack of water and tree cover and persistent long droughts with intensity are some of the major challenges facing Isingiro District.

This, Kwesigabo says, has hindered the progress of climatic change mitigation yet the repercussions of climate change in the district are glaring.

“Unless we change the mindset of our people we are not about to see significant and tangible change,” he says.