A typical cover crop that grows in garden (Amale Balla Sunday)
Weeds account for a substantial proportion of crop yield losses among farming communities in northern Uganda. Weeds reduce farm and forest productivity, by depriving them of soil nutrients and water, the latter especially during dry seasons.
Majority of farmers in northern Uganda weed fields using rudimentary methods such as hand-hoeing and hand picking; both of which are manual and ineffective. Mechanized and herbicide weeding methods are out of reach of typical small scale farmers in the region. Moreover, alternative, more cost effective and environmentally augmenting natural weed control methods such as cover crops or living mulch exist, but are yet to be adopted widely in the region. Cover crops are creeping leguminous crops such as Macuna beans (mucuna pruriens) and local wild beans, which are planted in fields purposely to suppress weeds, control runoff and soil erosion, conserve soil moisture, fix nitrogen, regulate soil temperature, improve soil structure and provide fodder for livestock.
In northern Uganda, cover crops are usually planted at a spacing of 2 meter by 2 meter (see figure below) and in holes of 5 cm depth. Cover mulches are generally planted after the main crops have been harvested to minimize cover crop-main crop competition for resources. Nevertheless, planting while the main crop is growing in the field is also possible. However, the main crops should be given up to five weeks to establish before planting your cover crop.
The cover crop technology, being a natural phenomenon is usually affordable by typical small scale farmers in northern Uganda. The only challenge is to access to quality seed of suitable cover crops. Otherwise, after sowing the first and purchased seed, the farmer uses own seed harvested from previous crops for subsequent season sowing. However, the farmer needs to ensure that cover crops do not become invasive in cropping fields. This is done by clearing cover crops just before their fruits mature. As such, only a portion of the cover crop to be left for seed purpose is allowed growth to full maturity.
Location: Nwoya District, Gulu, Uganda
No. of Technology sites analysed: 2-10 sites
Spread of the Technology: applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area
Date of implementation: 2013
Type of introduction
| Specify input | Unit | Quantity | Costs per Unit (uganda shillings) | Total costs per input (uganda shillings) | % of costs borne by land users |
| Labour | |||||
| During planting | personnel | 2.0 | 5000.0 | 10000.0 | 100.0 |
| Clearing | personnel | 6.0 | 5000.0 | 30000.0 | 100.0 |
| Harvesting | personnel | 1.0 | 5000.0 | 5000.0 | 100.0 |
| Equipment | |||||
| Hand hoe | pieces | 1.0 | 12000.0 | 12000.0 | 100.0 |
| Slashers | pieces | 1.0 | 6000.0 | 6000.0 | 100.0 |
| Plant material | |||||
| Seeds | kg | 2.0 | 8000.0 | 16000.0 | 100.0 |
| Total costs for establishment of the Technology | 79'000.0 | ||||
| Specify input | Unit | Quantity | Costs per Unit (uganda shillings) | Total costs per input (uganda shillings) | % of costs borne by land users |
| Labour | |||||
| Planting | personnel | 0.5 | 5000.0 | 2500.0 | 100.0 |
| Slashing | personnel | 1.5 | 5000.0 | 7500.0 | 100.0 |
| Equipment | |||||
| Handhoe | pieces | 0.25 | 12000.0 | 3000.0 | 100.0 |
| Slashers | pieces | 0.25 | 6000.0 | 1500.0 | 100.0 |
| Total costs for maintenance of the Technology | 14'500.0 | ||||
Quantity before SLM: 1200kg per ha
Quantity after SLM: 1800kg per ha
Yields pertain to maize
Quantity before SLM: poor seed
Quantity after SLM: good quality seed
Slashed cover crop as feeds
Quantity before SLM: 20000 per year
Quantity after SLM: 0
Pertains to herbicides
Now weed garden once a season. Before farmers used to weed 2-3 times per season.
