Changing mindsets for better farming practices

Old habits die hard, changing people’s mindset needs concerted efforts, which is an uphill task.
Herdsmen tend to stick to traditional methods of keeping large herds. But with a comprehensive approach and intervention to improve income generation, food security and nutrition, environment conservation, animal health and water harvesting, life in the rangelands of Kiruhura District is beginning to improve thanks to the intervention of the Trans-boundary Agro-eco System Management Project (Tamp).

It is project implemented by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation and funded by Global Environment Fund in partnership with the Uganda Government.
Jack Kacucu, a 68-year-old retired prisons officer, is one of the beneficiary farmers. He used to have a big herd of Ankole cattle but he was inspired to adapt new methods of farming.
This was after being introduced to the importance of keeping a small herd but with high productivity.

Kacucu turned to mixed farming and the results are tremendous. He sold off 150 heads of cattle to remain with only 10 animals.

Changing perceptions
Before the intervention, he grazed his animals allowing them to roam freely without a fence. This was contributing to soil erosion and land degradation through loss of nutrients and poor pastures on top of the cattle getting ticks.
The land was also communally used for grazing by his neighbours. This was giving him additional expenses since he had to spray his animals twice a week.

“I used to graze without paddocking my land which led to loss pastures, soil erosion and poor productivity of my animals as they could not give enough milk,” Kacucu says adding that his family lacked adequate nutrition since they largely depended on milk and matooke.

In order to harness the full potential that exists in this area, Tamp has used the existing farmer groups to introduce modern farming methods through model farmers like Kacucu, who heads Sanga Bee Keepers Association (SBKA), and others to address the challenges.
Charles Malingu, a Tamp consultant, says some of the interventions were community mobilisation through farmer field schools.

They were trained to manage watersheds, mitigating the effects of gulley erosion, re-afforestation of bare hills and agro-forestry for the restoration of soil fertility in the croplands, mixed farming and use of organic manure from the animals.
Kacucu says the group has been able to achieve a lot in the last three years since the project brought them on board.

Pastures and fruits
“We have improved natural pastures by fencing off the grazing land, making paddocks, and uproot unwanted grasses. We have also planted legumes like lab lab, calliandra and other fodder to use in the dry season and also for supplementing pastures for better milk yields.”

He attributes this to farmer field schools and trainings where farmers learn from each other.
Other activities which the group has participated in include communal tree nurseries, which have enabled farmers to re-afforest the bare hills and agro-forestry that has started taking shape.

Farmers have planted about 150,000 trees for both timber and fruits. Kacucu currently has 200 grafted orange and mango trees.
Some of the trees like Eucalyptus and caliandra are not only beneficial to restoration of bare hills and cattle but also provide nectar for the bees.

Milk and food
The farmers apply animal manure in their banana plantations, and plant maize and vegetables like carrots, cabbage, egg plants and others apart from beans, which was previously unheard of in the area.

Monica Kyomugasho, the community development officer, Sanga Sub County, asserts that this has been done to improve the nutrition in the area since they largely depend on milk yet they also need crop protein.
Farmers’ lives have improved tremendously through improved milk yields, more honey, soil fertility improvement and having enough food as mixed farming slowly but surely is taking root.

Benefits from the interventions
Kacucu as a lead farmer has cause to smile. His income from milk has doubled since he has been able to triple production of milk from four litres per cow to 12 litres.
He has planted 10,000 trees, one acre of fruit trees (oranges and mangoes), two acres of bananas and an acre of pastures and legumes. He supplies the seeds to other farmers. Last season, he gave out 100kg to farmers.

He also has gardens of maize , caliandra, cauliflower, carrots and 20 bee hives. This, he says, has enabled him to change the attitude of fellow pastoralists who never thought beyond keeping animals.

George Kashokye, another beneficiary of the project, has been able to change the attitude of his folk. He also sold off 200 heads of cattle and keeps only 20.
He has planted 40 acres of pine trees, 20 acres of banana plantation, and established a six-acre orchard and a sugarcane plantation. He has also successfully reclaimed the bare hills and gulleys.

“I have inspired many cattle keepers who were laughing at me in the beginning but have emulated me by reducing the herd, planting trees thus saving the land from soil erosion.”