Contribution of Agroforestry to household food security in Busoro Sub County Kabarole District

Abstract

Much as agroforestry practices are known to provide enormous products and services to several rural communities worldwide, such practices, products and services are not adequately documented in Busoro Sub-County. This study aimed at establishing contribution of agroforestry practices to food security among smallholder famers in Busoro Sub-County, Kabarole district Western Uganda. A total of 60 household heads familiar with agroforestry practices were interviewed using semi-structured questionnaires, in addition to Key informant interviews. Questionnaire responses were coded, entered and analyzed in SPSS. Generated themes from key informant interviews and questionnaires were subjected to content analysis. A total of ten (10) AFP documented in the area were; trees on boundaries, trees in cropland, trees in home garden, Hedge row intercropping, Improved fallow, among others. Some of the reported naturalized fruit trees were Mangifera indica and Persea americana and Erythrina abyssinica and Markhamia lutea were reported by 30%, 26.7%, 55% and 55% of the respondents mostly for boundaries. Major reported contributions of trees in these practices were home consumption/food, income generation, provision of construction materials, firewood and shade reported by28.3%, 66.7% and 35%. The major challenges/constraints to farmers’ participation included pests and diseases, lack of enough capital and land, inadequate knowledge and skills in agroforestry practices and management of agroforestry components. Provision of demonstration farms, adequate market information, provision of processing and storage facilities, infrastructure improvement and provision of quality planting materials were reported by 61%, 46%, 23%, 73% and 73% respectively to improve agroforestry productivity and famer’s participation. Land tenure system(X2=16.860, p=0.005) and land size(X2=17.157, p=0.000) significantly influenced farmers’ participation in agroforestry and tree planting activities at large. In general, agroforestry is being perceived as very important technology due to numerous roles it plays in the communities’ lives including being a sustainable farming system with nutritive, medicinal, economic values in rural area. Therefore there is a need to integrate agroforestry into the agricultural planning so as to enhance increased willingness and participation of local small scale famers for improved productivity and food security