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

these woodlots. However, in most cases a balanced approach is most successful. For
instance, an early attempt to work exclusively with a women’s group on agroforestry in
Kabale was not successful until the group was reformulated as the 2-Wings group which
included men.
• No major changes in farmers’ practices
Replacing a variety with a new one that does not require any other changes in the farming
practice makes adopting relatively easy. There are a number of examples where new varieties
spread from farmers to farmers without significant external effort when varieties are easy to
multiply and clearly superior to the traditional varieties.
On the other hand, new enterprises that require a major change in farming practices must be
accompanied by training and technical support. Ideally, new technologies should be build
upon existing farming practices (supporting or complementing them).
• Intensive extension effort
More intensive extension efforts are usually required to introduce new innovations that
need significant new areas of knowledge and changes in farming practices. Most
innovations in Natural Resources Management as well as changes in land-use systems fall
under this category. To overcome initial resilience and to build knowledge and confidence
intensive and longer-term efforts are required.
Demand driven technologies sometimes may make extension service self supporting in
sense that farmers are willing to pay for services.
• Contract farming
Contract farming, providing inputs on credit and a guaranteed market are very attractive to
smallholder farmers. Success cases at hand are: smallholder tea producers in Bushenyi or
cotton farmers in Kasese. The pyrethrum contract farming in Kabale is less successful,
probably because the income from the labour - intensive work is not very attractive.
• Subsidy
Clonal robusta coffee seedlings and arabica coffee seedlings are currently distributed in many
areas free of costs. Some other agricultural inputs are distributed free of charge by
departments and NGOs. This is highly appreciated by farmers and leads to rapid adoption. It
entices farmers to invest in areas they previously may not have liked to invest in. Although
most subsidies are on non - edible cash crops, they may have an impact on food security as
well, since farmers may use the income to buy inputs for food crops or buy food directly.
An important question however is whether subsidies do not in the medium - term discourage
farmers own initiatives and the development of undisturbed markets for agricultural products
or inputs.
5.2.3 Opportunities for providing appropriate intensification options to farmers in SW
Uganda
The survey found a number of opportunities in SW Uganda that support the intensification of
farming in the area, such as:
• Priority areas under the PMA
The southwestern highlands are a priority area in the PMA for cotton, coffee, tea, horticulture,
potato, livestock and fish. These commodities have improved funding to support research and
dissemination efforts. The marketing issues are also being handled and hence these
commodities have better opportunities.
60