Lower Kauga, Mukono - Esta's Farm Family

Agroecology Practices.

- Harvesting rain water from road-side water -run off
- Growing and conserving a nature library of bio-diverse ,indigenous tree varieties and species, shrubs and herbs .
- Making available of bio-diverse ,indigenous tree varieties and species, shrubs and herbs for study, medicinal ,food and farm family source of income.
- Composting and making manure by using locally available resources.
- Soil and water conservation and sustainable use such as digging tranches ,mulching and crop rotation.
- Environmental protection as a mitigation measure to alleviate negative climate change starting with the farm family.
- Agroecology Farmer field exchange arrangement and networking through internet and physical engagements .

Problem statement

Uganda’s Climate is generally tropical with 2 rainy planting seasons per year (March-May and September-December).However, Mukono district where my farm--family is situated receives approximately 260 rainy days estimated at ( 71%) of the 365.5 days of the year. As much as this would be said to be God’s Blessings to our rain-fed Agroecology farming, it is very problematic to our peri-urban population. The heavy rain water runoff and drops pound and erode the top soils leaving poor yields, low family food /income availability and gaping impassable pot-holed roads/drive ways.

How I Implement the above Agroecology Practices?

1.Harvesting rain water from road-side water run off by making deliberate channels to lead run-off water ( rich with silt, minerals organic wastes though at times with of polythene materials ).

- The trenches and drainage decrease the speed of the run-off rain water so that it can be absorbed into the topsoil layer thus make available for plant-crops use. It’s speed then, will not uproot the plants especially for us in Mukono who are banana-tree growers (bananas are just huge herbs with no proper roots nor tree strengthening tissues in the stem ).
- By planting grass and plants such as vetiver(support with picture ) along the farm paths to hold the soil and plants and draws back the leached minerals and water. I use the grass to mulch in the banana garden. And because of space and urbanization, we do not keep many animals so this grass is available for the few goats and poultry feed.

2.Growing and conserving a nature library of bio-diverse, indigenous tree varieties and species, shrubs and herbs .
Limited by space and urbanization we planned to carefully select seeds and grow not more than three of the same species of the selected plant-crop. Each crop planted must have more than 5 uses to be considered in our nature plant library. The primary 5 reasons of the following :

i. Food security for the farm family
ii. Income (At a fee, community members and visitors can access a desired plant variety and thus income to meet family needs).
iii. Medicinal (local green pharmacy. Green plants give US oxygen and take away toxic fumes).
iv. Soil and water conservation by compost making and mulching using the dried leaves and plant wastes.
v. Environmentally accepted -consideration of indigenous spices and varieties is key.
vi. Educational
vii. Ornamental plants not only please the eyes but attract pollinators to our fruit-trees thus why harvesting abundantly fruits as avocado, jackfruit, berries of different types, guavas etc. with in the comfort of our compound through the year.
viii. Geographically and culturally acceptable plant varieties .

3.Field visiting and networking with other Agroecology Practitioners in search and exchange of ideas and practices.

For Environment Protection And Conservation Of Biodiversity.

- For Sustainability Of Indigenous Trees.
- For Access Of Indigenous Tree Varieties.
- For Local Tourism Development.