1. AGRICULTURE AND ENVIRONMENT

2. DISCLAIMER
These slides are part of a training package that includes a Trainers Manual, User Guidelines and a CD-ROM with references and presentations
The production of this package was commissioned in by the Office of the Prime Minister, as part of the Northern Uganda Agriculture Livelihoods Recovery Programme (ALREP)
The training package was produced by consultants of the Makerere University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
The contents of the package do not necessary reflect the views and opinions of the Government of Uganda and the European Union

3. Session Objectives
To understand the agricultural impacts on environment (social and bio-physical)
To examine ways of carrying out sustainable and profitable agriculture

4. DEFINITIONS OF AGRICULTURE
Agriculture is the tilling of the soil, growing and harvesting crops, breeding and raising livestock, fishery and forestry activities
Agriculture is the production, processing, marketing, and use of foods, fibers and byproducts from plant crops and animals
(what do think about these definitions, are they sufficient and broad enough?)

5. EXAMPLE: Passion fruit growing
High value crop. Can be done on small acreage

6. Low-tech furrow irrigation
High-tech overhead sprinkler irrigation
Organic agriculture, intercropping
Discuss the impact of all systems on the environment and human wellbeing

7. CATEGORISATION OF AGRICULTURE
Smallholder semi-subsistence mixed farming. Generally low input – low output farming, whereby soil fertility is maintained through fallow and some import of manure from livestock. Farm size is between 1-10 acres, of which 1-4 acres are farmed.
Smallholder semi-commercial farming: larger focus on markets, for instance sesame, rice, soybean, maize, cotton. Use of fertilizer, pesticides and improved seeds on a relatively small scale
Transhumant herding – as practiced by the Karimajong. Livestock is following rain and grass availability over relatively long distances.
Livestock ranching, for example the Aswa Ranching Scheme
Extensive, mechanized cultivation (cotton, sugar cane, rice)
(Participants may expand the list)

8. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON ENVIRONMENT
Land transformation (Due to the use of land to yield goods and services)
CAUSES
Deforestation to create gardens
Drainage of wetlands to grow crops like rice
Landscape degradation through activities like road construction for transport of agricultural produce

9. DEFORESTATION FOR AGRICULTURE
FOREST TRANSFORMED INTO AN AGRICULTURAL LAND

10. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON ENVIRONMENT
IMPACT 2. Land degradation (the long-term decline in ecosystem function and productivity)
CAUSES
Soil erosion
Soil exhaustion
Soil salinisation
Overgrazing
Frequent burning
Loss of soil biodiversity due to use of agrochemicals

11. SOIL EROSION IN A MAIZE GARDEN

12. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON ENVIRONMENT
3. Water pollution
CAUSES
Soil erosion and agrochemicals (fertilizers & pesticides) from agricultural fields
Effluents from agro - processing factories
Soil from infrastructure development (eg road construction)

13. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON ENVIRONMENT
4. Loss of biodiversity
CAUSES
Slash and burn
Use of agrochemicals
Monoculture cropping
Water eutrophication from agricultural fertilisers
Genetic engineering

14. MONOCROPPING
LEADS TO LOSS OF AGRO- BIODIVERSITY AND IS SUSCEPTIBLE TO PEST INFESTATIONS

15. CROP DIVERSITY
HELPS TO KEEP PESTS UNDER CONTROL AND ENSURES FOOD SECURITY

16. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON ENVIRONMENT
5. Atmospheric pollution
CAUSES
Burning (bush and garden clearance)
Use of fertilizers – produces GHG
Rice growing and keeping of cattle and other ruminants – which produce methane gas (a GHG)

17. NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF AGRICULTURE ON ENVIRONMENT
6. Marginalisation of small –scale farmers
CAUSES
liberalization of agricultural trade under WTO
legalizing the use of export subsidies
Use of agricultural subsidies for inputs by developed countries

18. STRATEGIC AGRICULTURAL PLANNING
Aware of Agriculture Sector Development Strategy and Investment Plan: 2010/
The Plan is inclusive of ALREP with Component being on “Access to Markets” with the lion’s share of Shs 28.5 billion of the Total ALREP budget of Shs 68.5 billion
However, this is basically access to local markets

19. ACCESSING INTERNATIONAL MARKETS BY SMALL FARMERS
Requires strategic planning that involves increased production of traditional cash crops like cotton, coffee and tea, and non-traditional ones like simsim, soybean, bird eye peppers, maize

20. ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
Opportunities for organic agriculture because of expanding international markets and premium prices
It is a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances ecosystem health, including biological cycles and soil biological activity
Is based on minimising the use of external inputs, avoiding the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides
Usually more labour intensive
Requires soil fertility imports in the form of manure

21. % share of organic certified land in Africa
Uganda 38%
Tanzania 17%
South Africa 14%
Zambia 6.5%
Ghana 6%
Tunisia 6%
Egypt 5%
Morocco 4%
Cameroon, Mozambique, Madagascar 3%

22. ORGANIC AGRICULTURE IN UGANDA
The number of small holder farmers in Uganda certified to international standards and linked to export markets grew from 40,000 by beginning of 2005 to 206,803 by mid 2008
It is led by National Organic Agricultural Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) – an NGO
As a result of NOGAMU leadership, facilitation and coordination:
- The value of organic exports increased by 124% between and 2008 from USD 10 million to USD 22.8
- The number of organic export companies/ projects increased from 17 at the beginning of 2005 to 38 by mid 2008

23. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ACTIVE PARTICIPATION