| dc.description.abstract | Urban agroforestry systems and practices are important in the livelihoods of the people who live
in urban areas. This study was undertaken in Lira City East Division in May 2022. The
objectives were to: (i) assess the peri-urban agroforestry systems and practices, (ii) examine the
contributions of peri-urban agroforestry systems / practices to the livelihoods of the households
and (iii) document the challenges faced by household that are practicing agroforestry. The study
was conducted in atego and adekokwok wards of lira city east division. Case study design
involving household survey, focus group discussions and key informant interviews was used.
Sample size was obtained using Kish Leslies (1965) formula for calculating sample size; two
wards were purposively selected and two cells per ward selected using simple random sampling
techniques. Semi-structured questionnaires were used for household survey data collection while
checklists and background questionnaires were used to triangulate the household (HH) survey
data during Key Informant interviews, focus group discussions and transect walks. Household
Survey data was analyzed descriptively and inferentially using Excel spreadsheet and MINITAB
statistical package. Data from focus group discussions, key informant interviews and transect
walks were subjected to in-depth content analysis, coding system and analytical comparisons.
The major agroforestry systems in Lira city east division were:- (i) agro-silviculture (30.8%)
with scattered trees in crop fields, shade / nurse trees and hedgerow inter-cropping as the main
practices; (ii) agrosilvopastoral systems (27.85%) with windbreaks, hedges and live fences as the
major practices, (iii) silvopastoral systems (22.36%) with home gardens, ornamental planting and
fodder banks as the main practices and (iv) sequential agroforestry system (16.46%) with
Taungya, woodlots and water breaks as the major practices. The main contributions of
agroforestry systems / practices to the livelihoods of the households in lira city east were:
contributing to food security, reducing conflicts, providing security and acting as wind breaks,
source of building / construction materials, source of income, increasing household
sustainability and resilience, source of energy, beautifying the environment, contributing to
health and nutrition, providing fruits and nuts as copping mechanism during hunger periods, and
creating favorable micro climate for crops, livestock and humans. The main challenges were: (i)
limited land and unclear land tenure, (ii) limited extension services on agroforestry, (iii) Lack of
buffers and capital for long term investment in agroforestry, (iv) limited research, (v) limited
knowledge on agroforestry policies and (vi) other challenges such as theft of livestock, wild fires,
soil infertility and competition. The key way forward were: (i) hiring / renting / buying land (ii)
recruiting and deploying more agroforestry (AF) extension officers, (iii) getting loans from
VSLA1 /SACCO2 / Banks, (iv) conducting research and disseminating findings, (v) training
communities on agroforestry policies (vi) having dogs or security guards, creating fire lines,
training on how to improve soil fertility etc. Accordingly government should take lead in
implementing the proposed way forward if agroforestry is to be more valuable to the people of
lira city. | en_US |
