Agroforestry handbook for the banana-coffee zone of Uganda: farmers' practices and experiences

Agriculture supports livelihoods of most people in Uganda, especially the rural-based farmers. It is the policy of the government to improve production through modernisation of agriculture. To achieve this, the government has adopted a number of strategies which include: • Promoting specialisation in production, • Modernisation of rural economy, • Promoting improved agricultural technologies, • Promoting profit-driven investment activities (commercialisation), • Promoting diversification of land use such as through adoption of agroforestry, • Control of land fragmentation, and • Promoting the growing of high value crops. Agroforestry has been practised by farmers in Uganda for many generations. It has been part and parcel of their traditional production systems. However, agroforestry research started in the country around the mid 1980s. Since then, some of the technologies generated have been promoted and passed on to farmers for adoption. Effective promotion and dissemination of agroforestry has been limited by several factors notably inadequate number of extension staff, lack of suitable extension materials and limited support resources and facilities. Development agencies concerned with promotion of agroforestry and related farming practices have recognised the gap in availability of suitable extension materials. Though various programmes have produced subject specific materials, a comprehensive manual on agroforestry to serve needs of farmers and agroforestry extension staff has been lacking. This handbook has been prepared as one of the strategies to address the lack of suitable agroforestry extension materials for farmers and within agroforestry extension services in Uganda.

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