How a pen combats severe climate impact on agriculture Publish Date: Dec 04, 2014 By David Mugabe In rural Namutamba, Bulange village, the bic pen has another use on the farm besides its role in the classroom. It has become an agriculture implement. Eleven year old Jane Namwase is using this inexpensive disposable pen to measure the equivalent depth of a basin on the farmland under the climate smart agriculture farm practice. The practice helps the soils and farmers adjust to the effects of severe climate changes like adverse drought. Using the bic pen, Namwase digs out soil 15cm deep and 35cm wide to create a basin size. She then pours back most of the soil and then plants seedlings on the now softened soil. Namwase has learnt this technology from her school Bulange primary school which is about two kilometers from her home. From the small plot in front of her mother’s house, Namwase will harvest about 50 kilogrammes of beans which could fetch her about sh75,000 (average sh2,500 per kilo). Sh75,000 can buy Namwase all her scholastic materials (books, more bic pens, mathematical sets, school uniform and a used pair of shoes) plus a few bottles of her favourite mirinda soda. In Uganda, pupils in primary school start to use the bic from level three. In less than one year since she adapted this technology, Namwase has learnt valuable lessons: “Always use your land because this technology guarantees good returns and when you use borrowed land, the owner of the land may take your yield when they see the ripe harvest,” says Namwase in Lusoga, the local dialect through a translator. Secondly, she says the basins must be 75cm apart and the seedlings must be distributed carefully to avoid waste. Another neighbouring village in Bugiri- Baligemakumunwa which means “they will touch their mouth in wonder” is experiencing the change with yields rising four fold. Piloting climate smart agriculture in schools is essential for future sustainability since school going children are also more amenable to new ideas, according to the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (COMESA), a supporter of the project. Current situation Mugabi Nimmy, Bugiri district acting district agriculture officer says rainfall is very important to Bugiri district who have also embraced the practice. “Its timing and intensity creates an impact on agriculture productivity yet rainfall is no longer reliable and difficult to predict making it difficult for us to plan for farming seasons. The district has 28,447 herds of cattle, 36,949 goats, and 8757 pigs. 92% of the cattle are low producing zebu which feed on open grass according to Mugabi. “This (grass) is rapidly reducing.” But since February, the climate agriculture introduced by both government and COMESA is changing this. To date, 159 demo gardens have been opened up mainly beans and maize and close to 200 farmer groups have adapted the practice with harvests set to grow four fold. Agriculture minister Tress Bucyanayandi says embracing this practice is part of government’s ultimate dream of having every Ugandan achieve both food security and increased income by moving away from conventional agriculture. “There are those who have already achieved both food security and increased income of above sh20m in Kalangala (palm oil) and tea growing areas,” noted Bucyanayandi. While adaption is yet to spread countrywide, the stellar performance of farmers who have embraced the practice means more people will take up the practice. “You will see more people and bigger gardens because people are coming and asking how we are doing it, we want newer knowledge and newer methods for crops and enterprises like soya and sunflower,” noted Nagaiga Kamuyat adding that the beans planted in the basins have more pods. Dr Mclay Kanyangarara, COMESA coordinating head of climate change says thousands are already applying the technology in the southern part of Africa in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe among others. “I urge you to continue with your efforts to do the things that will change your lives,” noted Kanyangarara while visiting the farm recently. The basin technology Digging the soil to create a basin helps soften the soil and avoid water running off thus retaining it for use when the dry spell sets in. The technology allows for early root development while the crops have a higher growth vigour. The other advantage is that the farmer saves money by replanting the same seed because of good seed quality from the same farm and money is used for other things like herbicides. “The main difference is that when adverse weather strikes, the technology helps withstand the weather because water is retained,” says agriculture ministry’s Zakayo Muyaka. Nandubu Hamdan is expecting 15 bags (about 1,500 kgs) using the basin technology from just one acre Yet using the conventional method, he would have picked just five bags (500kgs). With a kilogramme going for sh500 he will earn about sh750,000 from one acre. “And this is because we planted late, when you remove farm expenses, I will get something good,” notes Nandubu. Namulongo Peter, the area L.C. 3 chairperson has promised to promote the practice. COMESA has awarded a grant of $1.3 million to Uganda, Seychelles and Swaziland to upscale Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). Food situation in the region The East African Community Food Security Action Plan that roadmaps the regions targets points out low surface water storage per capita in the EAC region, inefficient utilization of water resources for agricultural production and low capacity on rain water harvesting as major constraints in achieving food security. This therefore justifies this new technology. It is estimated that between 70% to 80% of the labour force of the EAC is involved in the food sector in one way or another while between 24% and 48% of the GDP of the member countries, is attributed to the agriculture sector. Uganda is to receive $740,000 to promote climate smart agriculture practices in five districts, namely Budaka, Bukedia, Bugiri, Buyembe and Namutamba. It is expected that the support will benefit more than 15,000 small holder farmers, and 30 schools. Challenges Like in many farm products, post-harvest handling is a major challenge. Also, physical digging of the basins is tiring with farmers calling for the ripper technology that involves ox ploughs that open up more ground and faster. This would also help young Namwase graduate to ploughing larger fields and graduating from the bic pen measurement. Like the rest of the country, farmers are also grappling with the poor quality of seeds supplied by untrustworthy dealers. But the big opportunity lies in the growing food needs of the region. “We are surrounded by countries that we must feed, we have enough food and something to sell outside the homes, what I have seen here is that you can achieve this target,” notes Bucyanayandi in reference to the food needs of South Sudan, western Kenya, DR Congo and Rwanda.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Dec 2014 15:05:06 +0000
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