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The Future of Smallholder Farming in Eastern Africa - Uganda ...

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square kilometer. <strong>The</strong> district has an <strong>in</strong>land equatorial type <strong>of</strong> climate that is modified by<br />

the effects <strong>of</strong> altitude and closeness to Lake Victoria. <strong>The</strong> average annual temperature<br />

ranges between 22 0 C and 30 0 C while the annual ra<strong>in</strong>fall ranges from 700mm to 1200mm<br />

with 60 percent reliability.<br />

Figure 5: Agro-ecological Zones <strong>of</strong> Suba District<br />

Land <strong>in</strong> the district is generally hilly with thorny bushes. <strong>The</strong> soil type is ma<strong>in</strong>ly Vertisols<br />

(poorly dra<strong>in</strong>ed low fertility clay) and phaeozems with evidence <strong>of</strong> rocky hills. <strong>The</strong>re are<br />

signs <strong>of</strong> land degradation on the hills. <strong>The</strong> eroded soils are deposited <strong>in</strong> valleys where<br />

they form rich alluvial soils.<br />

<strong>The</strong> district has two cropp<strong>in</strong>g seasons. <strong>The</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> season starts <strong>in</strong> February and ends <strong>in</strong><br />

August. Dur<strong>in</strong>g the short ra<strong>in</strong> season, the parcels <strong>of</strong> land are left fallow with the major<br />

activity be<strong>in</strong>g communal graz<strong>in</strong>g. Those who plant crops or trees dur<strong>in</strong>g this season have<br />

to take further precautions <strong>of</strong> guard<strong>in</strong>g aga<strong>in</strong>st livestock damage. Only about a quarter <strong>of</strong><br />

the district’s land is under cultivation while the rest is idle or under livestock farm<strong>in</strong>g.

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