Conservation Agriculture Reclaims Worn Out Land
Thanks to conservation agriculture (CA) practices like mulching and applying manure, Justus, 26, is producing beans and eggplants on “worn out” land that had been abandoned by his parents. In fact, his beans have better yields than those his parents planted on the same day in a field they thought was much more fertile (see photos for comparison).
Kabale District is densely populated and most people don’t have land for farming. Justus’ parents rented out some fields to neighbors, and after years of over-cultivation through traditional methods, the soil lost its fertility. Justus learned about CA by participating in one of the program’s youth groups and asked his parents if he could use some of the land they’d given up on.
As Justus tells it, “I restored the fertility of the land with CA.” He gets manure from his goats, gathers mulch by cutting grass from pathways, and returns crop residues to the soil to retain moisture, even during drought.
After two years of tending this infertile land Justus has seen a big difference. “I can now even plant crops that previously would not do well here. Eggplants didn’t used to survive on this land, but they do now. I planted them during the dry season, but because of mulching they have survived. These practices have helped me and I have hope in this land.”
Thanks to your generosity and support:
• Participants have increased production in fields where they use Conservation Agriculture
• Family nutrition has improved because farmers are producing a greater variety of foods
• Farmers’ new income pays for school fees, medical care, and home and farm improvements
Uganda Kabale Program
Led by World Renew and Local Partner Pentecostal Assemblies of God, Southwestern Uganda Pastorate (PAG SWU)