Environmental research

The proposed approach for mitigating climate change is to plant 20,000 Prunus africana trees in the farmland, along roads, and in homesteads in Manafwa district. The trees will sequestrate carbon thus reducing the amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. In the coffee plantations, Prunus africana provides good shade, reduces soil erosion, and its roots stabilize the soil, while the falling leaves return nutrients to the soil. As the trees grow old, the bark can be removed and sold to pharmaceuticals to provide another source of household income. For further improvement of land productivity, the project will promote the use of Mountain Micro-organisms (MM) to make organic fertilizer. In addition, the project will support farmers to make trenches along contours to reduce soil erosion and improve soil water management. Farmers will be supported to adopt various organic farming practices which will eventually enable them to qualify for organic certification in future. To sustain the project activities, farmers will be encouraged to diversify their sources of income to increase household earnings. The project will support them to intensify the current production of honey (from beekeeping), chilies and apples, as well as saving more money in the village bank. As members of the same organization, farmers will use peer pressure to encourage each other to sustain the environment conservation activities.

Uganda