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)

National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) - Uganda

1.3 Conditions regarding the use of data documented through WOCAT

When were the data compiled (in the field)?

24/01/2018

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:

Indigenous Micro Organisms (IMO) are homemade microbe mixtures which foster rapid anaerobic digestion of waste to create and maintain a healthy deep bed litter flooring leaving behind a fertilizer rich material whilst ensure no smells or flies. The microbe mixtures are produced by fermenting natural plants with sugar.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

Natural pig farming is a non-polluting system of raising healthy pigs that uses the Indigenous Micro Organisms (IMO) in the sty’s deep bed litter floor to rapidly decompose pig waste.
Indigenous Micro Organisms (IMO) is a homemade microbe mixture that fosters rapid anaerobic digestion of waste. It is produced by fermenting plant materials like sweet potatoes or rice with sugar.
Piggery is a profitable enterprise but there is a belief that pigs are dirty animals. But if they are well looked after, they are clean farm animals. The use of Indigenous Micro - Organisms (IMO) in piggery creates and maintains an aesthetic and sanitized deep bed litter floor. The micro-organisms in the IMO mixture help in breaking down and convert the fecal matter rapidly into an unharmful product leaving the farmer with a rich fertilizer material whilst ensuring an odorless environment that attracts no flies. Many pig keepers are now adopting the use of IMO to improve piggery.
The IMO is applied to wood dust and the micro-organisms digest the cellulose in wood dust. The bedding including the IMO is frequently turned to mix it with the pig excrete. The IMO solution is sprayed to the bedding once a week which ensures a high level of micro-organism activity thus keeping the bedding healthy and free from smell.
The following are the materials needed to make IMO:

-sweet potatoes
-sugar
-water
-mineral lick (crude salt)
-saucepan
-a 100-litre container

The IMO production process requires boiling 20kg of sweet potatoes with crude salt (200g) until the potatoes are well cooked. The cooked potatoes are mashed into a paste, placed into a polythene bag and buried in the ground, about two 5cm deep, in a shaded area, preferably under trees to protect it from direct sunlight. The mixture is buried for 1 week. After this period, the mixture is unearthed and for every 2kg of it 500g of sugar are added and mixed. The mixture is kept in a plastic bucket and left to stand for another full week. After this time, the mixture would have changed color to black without a smell. To multiply the mixture, add 1kg of IMO to 200 ltrs of water and keep for two days. You may add some brown sugar to make the multiplication process quick. After 2 days the solution is ready for use.

The advantages of the IMO are that the pigs’ excrements become odorless, clean and dry that you literally don’t even have to clean it out. The micro-organisms in the wood dust help in breaking down fecal matter rapidly, leading to the elimination of odor. The inputs are made from natural materials, which are not only safe for the environment, but actually invigorate and rehabilitate the ecology. In terms of disease control the conditions inside the sty do not favor survival of disease causing pathogens due to the presence of IMOs which literally feed on the pathogens. The system is non-labour intensive as sties don’t require daily, weekly or even monthly mucking out. Production of high quality organic fertilizer as the decomposed litter will be removed from the sty after 9 months and used as manure. This manure is rich in IMO and is useful in improving the soil health than chemical fertilizers.

The disadvantages of the technology are that the sweetness of the IMO solution attracts the pigs to lick the wood dust which can led to the ingestion of the bedding material including endoparasite eggs. It is therefore, recommended that the farmer controls such potential infections through regular deworming of the animals.

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

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• through projects/ external interventions

Comments (type of project, etc.):

The land user was introduced to the technology through a study tour to the United States of America

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• improve production
• create beneficial economic impact

• Control disease out break, source of organic manure

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

3.3 Further information about land use

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

• mixed rainfed-irrigated

Comments:

The farmland has a swamp which is the main source of water

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 2

Specify:

Two rainy seasons

Livestock density (if relevant):

200 pigs per 0.5 acre

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• integrated crop-livestock management
• integrated soil fertility management
• waste management/ waste water management

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

Comments:

The pigs are confined in the stalls and the other land is used for cropping.

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

Comments:

Bp: micro-organisms help break down fecal matter rapidly leaving a fertilizer rich material whilst ensure no smells or flies. They produce various materials such as anti-biotic substances, enzymes and lactic acids which suppress various diseases and promote chemical reaction in the soil.

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 decomposed litter is used as manure (Organic fertilizer). The manure is rich in Indigenous Micro Organisms and is useful in improving the soil health.

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

The sty is 50 m by 40 m and 1.5 m deep below the ground. Materials needed to construct included bricks to build the wall up to 1.2 meters high, wooden poles, roofing sheets (some transparent), welded wire mesh for the upper potion to allow proper ventilation. The floor is covered with wood dust to a depth of about 0.5 m, mixed with IMO solution while tapped water provided.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology unit

Specify currency used for cost calculations:

• US Dollars

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

3600.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Plan and make the budget	Management	Monthly
2.	Purchase of the IMO ingredients	Management	Monthly
3.	Prepare the mixture	Management	Monthly
4.	Storage of the mixture	Management	Monthly

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:

159.12

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour	Wage	1.0	111.1	111.1	100.0
Equipment	Potatoes	Kg	20.0	0.417	8.34	100.0
Equipment	Water	Litres	400.0	0.028	11.2	100.0
Equipment	Sauce pan	piece	1.0	8.33	8.33	100.0
Equipment	Sugar	kg	5.0	0.972	4.86	100.0
Equipment	Salt	kg	2.5	0.56	1.4	100.0
Equipment	100 Litre Contianer / drum	piece	1.0	13.89	13.89	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					159.12

Comments:

The land user bore all the costs. Some of the costs are bore only at the initial establishment of the technology thus the costs vary with time

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Changing of wood shavings / dust	Management	After 9 months
2.	Turning of wood shavings / dust	Management	Everyday
3.	Provision of feeds	Management	Everyday

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

If possible, break down the costs of maintenance 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 maintaining the Technology:

1509.66

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Labour	Month	12.0	111.1	1333.2	100.0
Equipment	Wood shavings / dust	Bags	200.0	0.139	27.8	100.0
Equipment	Sweet potatoes	kg	12.0	0.417	5.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Mineral licks	Kg	100.0	0.278	27.8	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Feeds	Kg	100.0	0.19	19.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Sugar	kg	30.0	0.97	29.1	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Salt	kg	10.0	0.056	0.56	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Water	Litres	2400.0	0.028	67.2	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					1509.66

Comments:

The maintenance costs have been calculated on the annual basis. The price of water has been estimated since the land user uses free water piped from the swamp.

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Initial pig sty establishment costs and regular deworming costs.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• not relevant

Comments and further specifications on topography:

Bushenyi district is a low lying plateau with undulating hills.

5.3 Soils

5.4 Water availability and quality

Is water salinity a problem?

No

Is flooding of the area occurring?

No

Comments and further specifications on water quality and quantity:

Water quality is sometimes affected by the run off water that collects in the swamp.

5.5 Biodiversity

5.6 Characteristics of land users applying the Technology

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:

• individual

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Production

Water availability and quality

Income and costs

Socio-cultural impacts

Ecological impacts

Soil

6.2 Off-site impacts the Technology has shown

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 establishment costs are very high compared to the benefits gained in the short run but the benefits increase over time.

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• 1-10%

If available, quantify (no. of households and/ or area covered):

10 households in the village.

Of all those who have adopted the Technology, how many have did so spontaneously, i.e. without receiving any material incentives/ payments?

• 90-100%

Comments:

Private initiatives.

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
It's a clean system of piggery using IMOs which create a healthy environment since it eliminates bad smell.
The wood dust can cheaply be obtained locally.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
The technology is environmentally friendly as it does not produce bad smell which is common in normal piggery enterprises.
The technology is not labour demanding since only one full time labourer is employed.
The saw dust once removed from the sty is used as manure which improves the soil health hence increases crop production.

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?
The technology is relatively expensive to establish

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
High initial costs to start the technology	Once established, it can be used for a very long time

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

URL:

https://www.scribd.com/doc/54536534/Organic-Piggery-in-Uganda-IMO

Title/ description:

Natural Pig farming

URL:

https://www.naturalpigfarming.com/microorganismuse.htm

URL:

https://insteading.com/blog/indigenous-microorganisms-imo/

Title/ description:

Bushenyi District Local Government

URL:

https://www.bushenyi.go.ug/lg/population-culture