Environmental and Socio-Economic Impact Assessment of Solid Waste Management Practices in Mbale city, Uganda

This study assessed the environmental and socio-economic impact of waste management practices in Mbale city. We used questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions and field observations to collect the required data, which was analysed using basic descriptive statistics and Chi square test (χ2).  Results indicate that, the solid waste management practices employed in Mbale City resulted into degradation of air quality (P<0.001), water quality (P<0.001) and land (P<0.101). Socio-economic analysis indicated that costs of waste management practices outweighed the benefits. The management practices were associated with severe health issues to the households living near dumpsites and waste management employees, although revenue and employment opportunities were also created in some instances in remote areas of the city there is limited sorting of hazardous from ordinary wastes that have come with associated effects on the environment. A conclusion was reached that, despite employing many citizens, the present solid waste management practices in Mbale City responsible for injuries incurred by scavengers (waste collectors), land and air quality degradation as citizens lack knowledge of proper waste management systems. Therefore, City authorities should sensitize the masses on best waste management practices like sorting and recycling and provide incentives for collection, sorting and assemblage of recyclable non-biodegradable wastes

Sugarcane Growing and the Livehoods of Small-Scale Farmers in Jinja District, Uganda

This study focused on establishing the relationship between sugarcane growing and the livelihood of small-scale farmers in Jinja District.  It was guided by three objectives namely: to characterize individual farmers and their farms, establish benefits from sugarcane farming to the farmer’s livelihoods and find out the effect of sugarcane growing on household food security in the area. The study adopted descriptive research design. The target population of this study were sugarcane growing households’ heads and Village Chairpersons of sugarcane out-growers association.  The study employed the purposive and simple random sampling techniques. A sample size of 42 respondents from a population of 362 small-scale farmers.  The methods of data collection included; use of questionnaires, interviewing, focus group discussions and observation.  The study generated both qualitative and quantitative data. The data collected was analysed by computing percentages while qualitative data was analysed by coding and establishing common themes. The study findings revealed that although women are fully involved in sugarcane growing, ownership of farms is dominated by men. The dominant age group among the sugarcane farmers is between 30 to 60 years, with mainly primary education graduates. The average farm size was 3 acres and the larges part of the farm land is devoted to sugarcane growing. There are some positive benefits from sugar growing, though many challenges have been identified. Most smallholder farmers are experiencing food insecurity.  Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that there was need to encourage people owning land less than five acres to practice mixed farming, use scientific methods of farming such as intercropping, crop rotation, use fertilizers to facilitate better yields and crop diversification to improve both on their earnings and food security

Factors Affecting Adoption of Climate Change Adaptation Strategies by Small Holder Farmers in Mountain and Lowland Agro-ecological Zones of Eastern Uganda

Farmers in tropical rural areas are confronted with several challenges but outstandingly climate change which can only be overcome by adopting to climate change resilience strategies. This study assessed the factors affecting adoption of climate change resilience strategies in Muyembe sub-county, Bulambuli district, Uganda. We used questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions and field observations to collect the required data, which was analyzed using basic descriptive statistics and logistic regression model. Results indicate that, the dominant climate change resilience strategies adopted in the study were, soil/water conservation (65%), drought resistant crop varieties (59.4%), and irrigation (55.6). Results of the logistic regression indicated that, gender and family size were the most important factors that influenced adoption of climate change resilience strategies with coefficient -0.86 and P0.05, and0.18 and P0.05 respectively. On the other hand, the barriers to adoption of the same by majority farmers were dominated by financial constraints and adulteration of farm inputs at 93.4% and 74% respectively. We concluded that, many farmers are still locked in indigenous practices that have made them vulnerable to climate change effects characterized by low yields, crop failure hence low incomes, poverty and food insecurity. We recommended that, government should support the adaptation strategies to climate change by the smallholder farmers technically by providing both ground and surface water irrigation facilities and financially by providing agricultural loans as well as focusing on promoting awareness and advancing education on climate change to farmers through knowledge and skill sharing platforms such as training, conferences, and seminars

Contribution of Rainfall on Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting and Saving on the Slopes of Mt. Elgon, East Africa

Despite the achievements reported from using rainwater harvesting systems, the contribution and drawbacks that affect their usage in mountainous landscapes have received little attention. The uptake and usage of domestic rooftop rainwater harvesting systems (RRWHS) in developing countries is on the increase due to increasing water scarcities. We explored the effect of rainfall variability on water supply and the downsides of using the systems by rural households in Uganda. The objectives were to assess the variability of rainfall (1985–2018), categorise RRWHS used, and examine the influence of slope ranges on the placement of systems and also to quantify the harvested and saved rainwater and establish the factors that affected system usage. Rainfall variability was assessed using a Mann–Kendall test, while system contributions and drawbacks were examined using socioeconomic data. A representative of 444 households were selected using a multicluster sampling procedure and interviewed using semistructured questionnaires. Findings revealed that the months of March, April, September, August, and October experienced an upward trend of rainfall with a monthly coefficient of variation between 41 and 126%. With this, households responded by employing fixed (reinforced concrete tanks, corrugated iron tanks, and plastic tanks) and mobile RRWHS (saucepans, metallic drums/plastic drums, jerrycans, and clay pots). At the high altitude, households deployed mostly plastic jerrycans and industrial plastic/metallic drums to harvest and save water. Overall, the mean annual volume of rainwater harvested on the slopes of Mt. Elgon was 163,063 m3/yr, while the potential to save water ranged from 4% to 7% of the annual household water demand. The factors that hindered the deployment of RRWHS to harvest and save water were high operational costs, price fluctuations, unreliable rainfall pattern, inadequate funds, and limited accessibility. The rainfall received if well-harvested and saved can redeem households of water insecurity, though there is an urgent need of subsidies from the government to increase accessibility of the systems

Sugarcane Growing and the Livehoods of Small-Scale Farmers in Jinja District-Uganda

This study focused on establishing the relationship between sugarcane growing and the livelihood of small-scale farmers in Jinja District.  It was guided by three objectives namely: to characterize individual farmers and their farms, establish benefits from sugarcane farming to the farmer’s livelihoods and find out the effect of sugarcane growing on household food security in the area. The study adopted descriptive research design. The target population of this study were sugarcane growing households’ heads and Village Chairpersons of sugarcane out-growers association.  The study employed the purposive and simple random sampling techniques. A sample size of 42 respondents from a population of 362 small-scale farmers.  The methods of data collection included; use of questionnaires, interviewing, focus group discussions and observation.  The study generated both qualitative and quantitative data. The data collected was analysed by computing percentages while qualitative data was analysed by coding and establishing common themes. The study findings revealed that although women are fully involved in sugarcane growing, ownership of farms is dominated by men. The dominant age group among the sugarcane farmers is between 30 to 60 years, with mainly primary education graduates. The average farm size was 3 acres and the larges part of the farm land is devoted to sugarcane growing. There are some positive benefits from sugar growing, though many challenges have been identified. Most smallholder farmers are experiencing food insecurity.  Based on the findings of the study it was recommended that there was need to encourage people owning land less than five acres to practice mixed farming, use scientific methods of farming such as intercropping, crop rotation, use fertilizers to facilitate better yields and crop diversification to improve both on their earnings and food security

Factors affecting adoption of climate change adaptation strategies by small holder farmers in mountain and lowland Agro-ecological zones in Eastern Uganda.

Abstract Farmers in tropical rural areas are confronted with several challenges but outstandingly climate change which can only be overcome by adopting to climate change resilience strategies. This study assessed the factors affecting adoption of climate change resilience strategies in Muyembe sub-county, Bulambuli district, Uganda. We used questionnaires, interviews, focused group discussions and field observations to collect the required data, which was analyzed using basic descriptive statistics and logistic regression model. Results indicate that, the dominant climate change resilience strategies adopted in the study were, soil/water conservation (65%), drought resistant crop varieties (59.4%), and irrigation (55.6). Results of the logistic regression indicated that, gender and family size were the most important factors that influenced adoption of climate change resilience strategies with coefficient -0.86 and P0.05, and0.18 and P0.05 respectively. On the other hand, the barriers to adoption of the same by majority farmers were dominated by financial constraints and adulteration of farm inputs at 93.4% and 74% respectively. We concluded that, many farmers are still locked in indigenous practices that have made them vulnerable to climate change effects characterized by low yields, crop failure hence low incomes, poverty and food insecurity. We recommended that, government should support the adaptation strategies to climate change by the smallholder farmers technically by providing both ground and surface water irrigation facilities and financially by providing agricultural loans as well as focusing on promoting awareness and advancing education on climate change to farmers through knowledge and skill sharing platforms such as training, conferences, and seminars. Key words: Agro-ecological zone, Early warning, Soil/water conservation, Farm insurance, Resilience