Technologies for intensification in SW Uganda ... - Foodnet - cgiar

ange of niches for production of commodities. Specialization into commodities most
suited for the local environment is a promising strategy.
o Low disease pressure for Livestock
(2) Market driven opportunities
° Given the generally favorable and diverse climate in the southwest, farmers have the
potential to produce a large number of crop, livestock, and tree outputs. Aside from the
local demand for wood inputs into agricultural production and processes discussed below,
national market demand will to a large part shape the pattern of production in the
southwest. It is evident that once markets are integrated with Kampala (e.g. through
matoke), a range of other opportunities opens up. Areas along major commercial routes
should be able to seize this opportunity and to respond to price and quantity signals.
Other areas that may not be as well linked to national marketing routes, may nonetheless
enjoy access to local collection centers as often the case for coffee, tea, and milk.
Evidence from around Africa suggests that cash crops are an essential element to
increased farm investment and improved land management.
(3) Demand for wood products
Trees were cleared from the highlands of southwestern Uganda more than half a century
ago (see e.g.: Lindblade et al, 1999). With increasing population density and absence of
available forest resources, farmers have seen a strong need to produce wood and other tree
products on their farms. As mentioned earlier, various wood products are inputs into
agricultural production and processing, including the main income earning enterprises. A
tree - growing culture, emerging in some areas, could form the basis of production that is
based on woody perennials that could be particularly useful for vulnerable land.
Continuous economic growth coupled with the currently unsustainable management of the
timber plantations, will result in significantly increased prices for timber. Farmers willing
to invest in woodlots for 10 to 20 years are very optimistic to achieve good returns to their
investment by the time their timber will be on the market.
Also, the abandonment of land reaching over 10% of the area (Bamwerinde, personal
communication) of the highlands offers an interesting niche for tree-based production on
the degraded land. This is an area that should be considered in IFPRI’s analysis (Bolwig
et. al, 2001) of forestry options in Uganda where preliminary conclusions suggest that
forestry is likely to be suited to low population density areas only.
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