We characterize land use at the household level and identify two types of long-term uncultivated lands–those that are intentional fallows and those that are neglected or abandoned. We then use a multinominal logic model to examine the determinants of plot abandonment and long fallows in order to propose policy interventions that lead to optimal and sustainable management of land use systems in Kigezi highlands. Household factors such as age, and formal education positively influenced farmers’ decision to abandon plots.. However, farm size and household type had no significant influence on abandonment of plots. Plot variables such as slope and distance between the homestead and the plot had the expected positive signs while soil fertility had a significant negative sign as predicted. From the analysis different typologies of uncultivated lands were defined depending on their inherent characteristics and distance to the homestead. Farmers then provided technological and policy options as to how these types of plots could be made more productive
Publication year
2006
Authors
Bamwerinde W; Bashaasha B; Ssembajjwe W; Place F
Language
English
Keywords
agricultural development, land use, cultivated land, soil productivity
Geographic
Uganda
