1.2 Contact details of resource persons and institutions involved in the assessment and documentation of the Technology

Name of project which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Scaling-up SLM practices by smallholder farmers (IFAD)

Name of the institution(s) which facilitated the documentation/ evaluation of the Technology (if relevant)

Uganda Landcare Network (ULN) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

10/05/2017

The compiler and key resource person(s) accept the conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT:

Yes

1.4 Declaration on sustainability of the described Technology

Is the Technology described here problematic with regard to land degradation, so that it cannot be declared a sustainable land management technology?

No

2.1 Short description of the Technology

Definition of the Technology:

A banana (musa acuminata) and pineapple (ananas comosus) inter-cropping system focusses on optimal land utilization and efficient use of available resources for small holder farmers. This is a good practice for controlling long term soil loss in agro-ecosystems. It involves less crop- and soil management practices as compared to annual intercropping systems.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in close proximity. Traditional growing of many annual crops like soybean, groundnut, beans and vegetables like tomatoes and onions as intercrop in banana plantations increased the risk of soil erosion in the agricultural land of Uganda. These crops require more cultural farming practices that enhance the removal of top soil layer. Therefore, the intercropping system of banana with pineapple is practiced for optimum land utilization and control of soil loss. As these crops are perennial, they require less soil and crop management practices as compared to annual crops.

The banana pineapple intercrop pattern was established with the aim of making effective use of available resources, optimum land utilisation, and sustainable production. The technology was established in 2016. The area experiences a bimodal rainfall pattern with annual rainfall ranging between 700mm-1200mm. The farm lies on 0.32 ha of land located in the valley and from observations the soils on this farm could be classified as clay loams. The bananas grown are a local Musa spp. Bananas are planted at a spacing of 4 m×4 m from row to row and plant to plant and are taken as the major crop in this technology. The pineapples are an improved variety (smooth cayenne) which is yellow cylindrical and juicy, planted at a spacing of 60 cm × 60 cm inter and intra row and planted at a distance of 75cm from a banana plant.

Establishment activities for the banana plantation were bush clearing, ploughing, excavation of 60cm×60cm planting holes, animal manure application (obtained from the owner’s farm) mixed with top soil and used to fill half the planting holes and, lastly planting the banana suckers. After a year the farmer introduced pineapples which, involved digging planting holes, the application of animal manure and the planting of pineapple suckers. Planting of bananas took 2 man days whereas planting of pineapples took 4 man days. Maintenance activities included regular spraying of pineapples with pesticide and fungicides, pruning, desuckering and thinning of bananas, weeding and watering.

According to the farmer, inter-cropping bananas with high value crops such as pineapples increases his income while ensuring food security. It reduces his vulnerability to climate change since the pineapples act as soil cover and therefore increase soil moisture retention. “With this technology we reduce management costs since we do not need to weed, spray, apply manure on 2 separate gardens” he says. In addition inter-cropping minimizes risks associated with growing a single crop and ensures stable subsistence food availability and possible income. It also promotes the effective use of available resources, increased crop productivity and soil erosion control.

The disadvantages of the technology include:
- Increased competition for water and nutrients
- Weeding in banana pineapple inter crops becomes challenging since pineapples have a prickly leaf
- During establishment of the bananas and pineapples plantations trees are cut down to create space for the crops and this leads to deforestation
- Pineapples habour pests and diseases that may cause damage to bananas
- This intercrop requires a high level of skills from the farmer

2.3 Photos of the Technology

2.4 Videos of the Technology

2.5 Country/ region/ locations where the Technology has been applied and which are covered by this assessment

2.6 Date of implementation

Indicate year of implementation:

2016

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

• Farmer to Farmer adoption

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The land user got knowledge on establishment and management of the inter-cropping system from a fellow farmer in Luwero District Central Uganda

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• reduce, prevent, restore land degradation
• adapt to climate change/ extremes and its impacts
• create beneficial economic impact

3.2 Current land use type(s) where the Technology is applied

If land use has changed due to the implementation of the Technology, indicate land use before implementation of the Technology:

The area was originally a private woodlot which was cut to establish this enterprise

3.3 Further information about land use

Water supply for the land on which the Technology is applied:

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

During the dry season the farm depends on pumped water from a stream (River Adiidi) which flows through it

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 1

Specify:

Pineapples and bananas are a perenial crops. However the banana is harvested once annually whereas the pineaple is harvested twice annually

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• improved ground/ vegetation cover
• integrated soil fertility management
• improved plant varieties/ animal breeds

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• evenly spread over an area

If the Technology is evenly spread over an area, indicate approximate area covered:

• < 0.1 km2 (10 ha)

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

Comments:

Pineapples act as a soil cover because it spreads out

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

The pineapples once well established act as a soil cover enhancing moisture retention, reduction of soil erosion and increase of soil fertility in the field when the leaves decompose

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

Specify the goal of the Technology with regard to land degradation:

• prevent land degradation

Comments:

The pineapples cover the soils hence prevent soil erosion

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The banana-pineapple inter-crop lies on a 0.32ha land size with 300 suckers of local banana variety bought from Kasese District Western Uganda and planted at a spacing of 4m×4m . The size of the banana planting hole was 60× 60 cm.

Some of the pineapple planting material (500 suckers) was sourced from the Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) a government programme and the other planting material (7500) was bought from Luweero District and planted at a spacing of 60× 60 cm within the banana plantation. The pineapple variety grown is 'Smooth Cayenne'.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

other/ national currency (specify):

UGX

Indicate exchange rate from USD to local currency (if relevant): 1 USD =:

3650.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Bush Clearing	Management	August 2016
2.	Excavating planting holes for bananas	Management	August 2016
3.	Application of manure	Agronomic	September 2016
4.	Acquisition of planting material	Management	September 2016
5.	Planting	Agronomic	November 2016

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

If possible, break down the costs of establishment according to the following table, specifying inputs and costs per input. If you are unable to break down the costs, give an estimation of the total costs of establishing the Technology:

-1.0

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Bush clearing	people	14.0	6600.0	92400.0	100.0
Labour	Excavating planting holes	hole	100.0	1000.0	100000.0	100.0
Labour	Application of manure	basket	100.0	500.0	50000.0	100.0
Labour	Planting	plant	100.0	200.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Water pump	piece	1.0	50000.0	50000.0	100.0
Equipment	Pangas	piece	3.0	10000.0	30000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hoes	piece	3.0	10000.0	30000.0	100.0
Equipment	Hose pipes	Roll	1.0	100000.0	100000.0	100.0
Equipment	Jerricans	pc	4.0	7000.0	28000.0	100.0
Plant material	Banana suckers	piece	300.0	1500.0	450000.0	100.0
Plant material	Pineapple suckers	piece	8000.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Animal manure	bgs	20.0	15000.0	300000.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					1250400.0

If land user bore less than 100% of costs, indicate who covered the remaining costs:

500 pineapple suckers were given to the farmer by the OWC. The remaining 7500 suckers were received from Luweero District, Central Uganda.

Comments:

The farmer bought the banana suckers from Kasese District

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Weeding	Agronomic	twice a week in dry season
2.	Watering	Agronomic	thrice a year
3.	Spraying with pesticides	Agronomic	once a fortnight

4.7 Costs and inputs needed for maintenance/ recurrent activities (per year)

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	weeding	pp	3.0	6600.0	19800.0	100.0
Labour	watering	pp	3.0	6600.0	19800.0	100.0
Labour	spraying	knapsack	3.0	3000.0	9000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Pesticides	liters	6.0	20000.0	120000.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					168600.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Peoples attitudes (people fear weeding in pineapples because they are prickly and pineapples habour snakes), labour scarcity

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

5.5 Biodiversity

Comments and further specifications on biodiversity:

Biodiversity is medium on farm but the surrounding area is a woodlot with a diversity of organisms

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

Indicate other relevant characteristics of the land users:

The owner of the farm is a medical doctor

5.7 Average area of land owned or leased by land users applying the Technology

5.8 Land ownership, land use rights, and water use rights

Land ownership:

• individual, titled

Land use rights:

• individual

Water use rights:

• communal (organized)

Comments:

For this land, the farmer owns a land title. However because it is close to a river, other members are allowed to use the river water resources

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Income and costs

Ecological impacts

Soil

6.3 Exposure and sensitivity of the Technology to gradual climate change and climate-related extremes/ disasters (as perceived by land users)

Gradual climate change

Gradual climate change

	Season	Type of climatic change/ extreme	How does the Technology cope with it?
annual temperature		increase	well
annual rainfall		decrease	well

6.4 Cost-benefit analysis

How do the benefits compare with the establishment costs (from land users’ perspective)?

How do the benefits compare with the maintenance/ recurrent costs (from land users' perspective)?

Comments:

The land user, at this point in time, has not yet started harvesting the pineapples. He, however has started harvesting the bananas and their yield has slightly increased.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

Comments:

The land user adopted the technology from another region. Adjumani is an area with relatively longer drought periods, so far he is the only farmer practicing this technology.

6.6 Adaptation

Has the Technology been modified recently to adapt to changing conditions?

No

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Income diversity
Weeds are suppressed
Optimal utilisation of land

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Moisture retention
Reduction of total crop failure risk
Maximisation of resource utilisation

6.8 Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks of the Technology and ways of overcoming them

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the land user’s view	How can they be overcome?
Weeding is challenging	Hire labour
The pineapples have prickly leaves	Put on overalls while weeding
As pineapples grow they close the spacing in between making field maintenance difficult	Use chemical control for weeds

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Competition for water and nutrients is enhanced	Apply animal manure
Inter-crops habour pests that are harmful	Spraying using herbicides and regular crop checks for effective mangement
The bananas may provide a lot of shade for the pineapples thereby reducing their productivity	Make the banana spacing a little wider

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

Intercropping and its application to banana production in East Africa, Ouma, 2009

Available from where? Costs?

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/228488472_Intercropping_and_its_application_to_banana_production_in_East_Africa_A_review