Sustaining Industrial Forest Plantations Beyond The First Rotation Crop In Uganda

This paper is based on a study conducted in three government industrial plantations namely Katugo, Mafuga and Mwenge, being harvested by concessionaires, where the Forest Department imposed a condition to replant an area equal to that harvested. The aim of the study was to contribute to the general understanding of the constraints to replanting rate in relation to harvesting rate: access the local people's perception of ownership of the replanted industrial forest plantations; and identify socio-economic and institutional factors that affect eh sustenance of timber supply from forestry administered questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data, which were analysed using SPSS statistical package. The results indicated that the average annual harvesting rate was 16.2 ha., and the replanting rate was 0.3 ha. By December 1998, replanting percentage over the area harvested by the concessionaires was 6.1%. Only 28% of the concessionaires had established tree nurseries and only 24% had attempted to replant the areas harvested. Concessionaires were not willing to carry out the replanting although, each miller was willing to make a monthly contributing of Ugandan shilling (Ug shs) 193,750 (US$143) to the Forest Department towards the replanting of the area (1.35 ha) they harvested monthly. Yet, the cost of replanting 1 ha by the Forest Department was about Ug. Shs. 400,000 (US$ 300). Local people prefer government ownership of the second rotation plantation to other forms of ownership; the replanting rate is far replanting. Therefore, the current level of management of industrial forest plantations in Uganda by the Forest Department unsustainable. TJFNC Vol. 75 2004: pp. 44-5

Determinants of Land Use in the Densely Populated Kigezi Highlands of Southwestern Uganda

We use a multinominal logit model to examine the determinants of plot abandonment (unintentional fallows) and long fallows (intentional fallows) in order to propose policy interventions that lead to optimal and sustainable management of land use systems in Kigezi highlands. Household factors such as age, and post primary education positively influenced farmers' decision to abandon plots. Therefore, more fallows and abandoned terraces were common with older farmers compared to younger ones. However, farm size and household type had no significant influence on abandonment of plots. Plot variables such as slope and plot distance had the expected positive signs while soil fertility had a significant negative sign as predicted. Two types of interventions are recommended. Those aimed at highly cultivable, moderate slopes and those aimed at uncultivable and fragile areas. For the former, the probability of adoption and intensity of use of appropriate agrobased interventions is likely to be very high. The latter require specific interventions that are profitable and yet allowing farmers to keep the land under cover for a very long time. Furthermore, we recommend incentives aimed at minimizing distances to plot fields.abandoned terraces, Land use, Kigezi Highlands, multinominal logit, Land Economics/Use,

Farm-Level Adaptive Capacity to Climate Variability in Rice Production, Northern Uganda

Rice is Uganda’s second major cereal crop however; its productivity has been considerably low and stagnant between 1.3 to 2.4 tons per hectare over the last 15 years. One of the underlying factors of low productivity is the current growing conditions which are not optimal for production due to climate variability. Adaptation is therefore pivotal in countering climatic challenges in production. Empirical evidence however, point to limited adaptive ability of farmers. This paper assessed farm-level adaptive capacity and its contribution to rice yield enhancement in Northern Uganda. The study was conducted on a sample of 240 rice producers in northern Uganda during 2010 - 2014 growing seasons. Adaptation capacity was measured quantitatively using indicator of access, use, knowledge and consultation levels. The study results revealed that the average farm-level adaptive capacity was 0.64 which falls in the range of moderate adapters. The study drew the following conclusions: adaptive capacity regarding use of local coping strategies was high contrary to the conventional strategies such as improved variety and herbicide. The moderate to high adaptive capacity was due farmer’s ability to access and use coping strategies than knowledge and consultation on the strategies. There was a considerable difference in yield between the low and high adapters. In order to improved farmer adaptive capacity, there is need for: early weather information sharing on specific crops and locality, research on rice production technologies, validating, strengthening and out-scaling of relevant local coping strategies, improving adoption of conventional coping strategies and access to quality seeds. Keywords: Coping strategies, Adaptive capacity, Climate variability, Rice

Effects of Climate Variability on Technical Efficiency of Rice in Acholi and Lango Sub-regions, Uganda

Despites government positive policies towards rice sector development, its productivity has remained low throughout its main growing areas. Several detrimental conditions that are climatic, biological and household specific are attributed to low and stagnant yield. The objective of this paper was to determine effects of climate variability on technical efficiency of rice production in Acholi and Lango sub-regions. Analysis of Cob-Douglas stochastic production function on 211 households showed that rice producers are operating in stage three of production function with respect to some inputs, production function exhibit decreasing return to scale and mean technical efficiency was 51%. Rainfall and temperatures improved technical efficiency in production while credit and labour reduced technical efficiency. The study concluded the following: More room exists for output improvement through expansion of acreage, inefficiencies characterize rice production in the sub-regions, the current rainfall amount and mean temperatures are adequate for attainment of efficiency while credit and labour constraints pose a serious challenge to attainment of efficiency in rice production. The study recommended: Promote of rice production in the upland areas, introduction of new rice variety suitable for the agro-ecological conditions and increase access to formal credit facilities.Keywords: Rice, Climate variability, Household characteristics, Technical efficiency, Uganda

How Climate Variability Influence Rain-Fed Rice Production Frontier: Northern Agro-Ecology of Uganda

This study examined the impact of climate variability on rain-fed rice production in the northern agro-ecological zone (NAEZ) of Uganda. We used stochastic frontier model to analyse a four year (2013-2016) farm-level data. The results of the maximum likelihood estimates revealed negative effects of mean rainfall and coefficient of variation in rainfall on rice output but coefficient of variations in mean temperature was positive. The production frontier exhibited increasing returns to scale technology, low level of efficiency was exhibited and inefficiencies were driven by location, age, plot size and number of crops. We therefore conclude that rice farmers are producing inefficiently and increased variability in climate has adverse effects on rice production frontier but inefficiencies are being propelled by farmers’ characteristics. Based on the findings, we recommend promoting awareness about climate variability and potential response alternatives for rice production and further research into coping strategies being used by rice farmers. Keywords: Production frontier, Rainfall, Rain-fed rice, Temperature DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-14-09 Publication date:July 31st 2019

Analysis of institutional incentives for sustainable management of tropical moist forests A case study of mengo forests, Uganda

Available from British Library Document Supply Centre-DSC:DXN007501 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreSIGLEGBUnited Kingdo

Determinants of Land Use in the Densely Populated Kigezi Highlands of Southwestern Uganda

We use a multinominal logit model to examine the determinants of plot abandonment (unintentional fallows) and long fallows (intentional fallows) in order to propose policy interventions that lead to optimal and sustainable management of land use systems in Kigezi highlands. Household factors such as age, and post primary education positively influenced farmers' decision to abandon plots. Therefore, more fallows and abandoned terraces were common with older farmers compared to younger ones. However, farm size and household type had no significant influence on abandonment of plots. Plot variables such as slope and plot distance had the expected positive signs while soil fertility had a significant negative sign as predicted. Two types of interventions are recommended. Those aimed at highly cultivable, moderate slopes and those aimed at uncultivable and fragile areas. For the former, the probability of adoption and intensity of use of appropriate agrobased interventions is likely to be very high. The latter require specific interventions that are profitable and yet allowing farmers to keep the land under cover for a very long time. Furthermore, we recommend incentives aimed at minimizing distances to plot fields

Effective monitoring of decentralized forest resources in East Africa

There is no doubt that state control of forest resources in many countries has proved to be ineffective in solving and halting the rate of deforestation. The financial and human resources available to government forest departments are inadequate to carry out the task of policing forested areas without the participation of local communities . However, the success of decentralizing resources to local communities depends on solving three puzzles; the problem of supplying new institutions, the problem of credible commitment and the problem of mutual monitoring. IFRI, studies in Uganda have known that monitoring and rule enforcement is very important for the success of decentralized forest resources (Banana and Gombya- Ssembajjwe 1999). Trying to understand how use-groups and /or communities have monitored their own conformance to their agreements as well as their conformance to the rules in the E. African region is the challenge of this study. The study revealed that an effective monitoring strategy involves having good incentives for the monitors and a mechanism to supervise or monitor the monitors themselves. Where effective was effective, there are few illegal activities, high basal area and the physical and biological condition of the CPR was expected to improve with time