assessing the effects of forest degradation on smallholder farmers agricultural production in lwebitakuli sub county, sembabule district, uganda

Description

The study aimed to assess the effects of forest degradation on smallholder farmers’ agricultural production in Lwebitakuli Sub County, Sembabule District with three specific objectives which were; assessing the causes of forest degradation among smallholder farmer’s in Lwebitakuli Sub county, examine the effects of forest degradation on smallholder farmers’ agricultural production and to determining the possible solutions adopted by smallholder farmers to reduce the negative effects of forest degradation on agricultural production in Lwebitakuli Sub county. The study found out that 58 percent of the respondents were males, 40 percent of respondents were aged between 31-40, 38 percent did not attain any education level, 36% had attained primary level. The study found out that cattle keeping (….percentage) and settlement (….percentage) with 73 percent as the major cause of forest degradation followed by cultivation with 17 percent and 8.8 percent of forest degradation being as a result of industrialization (..percentage) and infrastructure development (… Percentage). Also, the study found out that the major effect of forest degradation was reduced rainfall and change in climate with 35.2 percent followed by soil erosion (….percentage) and loss of soil nutrients with 32.8 percent which was slightly higher than high temperature and increase in carbon How did you measure this???? with 32 percent. The study found that 40 percent of smallholder farmers adopted early planting because rainfall is seasonal and unpredictable, 35.2 percent adopted watering of cash crops such as ….. in addition to seasonal rain water and 24.8 of the respondents adopted restoration of forest cover to minimize the negative effects of forest degradation. The study recommended that the government should reduce electricity charges as an alternative source of power, fund the tree planting program, encourage smallholder farmers to make organic manure so that they reduce on the cost of agro-chemical fertilizers to improve on their crop yield.