Analysing the effectiveness of agronomic practices for the restoration of degraded agricultural landscapes in Goma sub-county, Mukono district, central Uganda.

Abstract

To feed the continually increasing global population, agricultural landscape restoration is mandatory. In order to achieve this, there has been an emphasis on the use of agronomic practices for the restoration of degraded agricultural landscapes. This dissertation presents a study about the effectiveness of agronomic practices for the restoration of agricultural landscapes in Goma sub-county, Mukono district in Uganda. The aim of this study was to create awareness about agronomic practices. The study employed a cross-sectional research design and used a mixed research approach involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data on prevalent forms of degradation, existing agronomic practices, their effectiveness in agricultural landscape restoration and the challenges farmers face in adoption were collected with the aid of a household questionnaire and Key Informant Interview guide. A total sample of 129 respondents were chosen both randomly and purposively. Out of the129 respondents, five KIIs were purposively sampled which included the Local Chairperson, the Senior Agricultural Officer, the Environmental Officer, and the LC3 Secretary, and 124 household respondents were randomly selected. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and STATA tools to generate both descriptive and inferential statistics. The study results showed that most respondents were female (57.3%), most household heads were males (68.5%) and the majority were aged between 31-50 (54.8%). The present study revealed that there was agricultural landscape degradation in the study area with pollution (48%) and soil erosion (38%) as the dominant forms of degradation. These were mainly attributed to poor land use practices such as spraying using herbicides and pesticides and population pressure. The present study further revealed that that the agronomic practices were effective with varying levels of effectiveness but the majority (53%) indicated that the practices were more effective (50%-75%). Generally, adoption of agronomic practices for agricultural landscape restoration was low due to a number of challenges that constrain farmers’ adoption including; limited financial support, land shortage, technical issues, lack of knowledge and labour shortage among others. The study recommends dealing with these constraining factors if adoption and effectiveness is to increase. Including all stakeholders right from the farmers to the higher government officials concerned with agricultural landscape restoration will also increase on adoption rates. The study also recommends further research on the effectiveness of each of the agronomic practices in agricultural landscape restoration.