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)?

20/05/2017

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 vegetable garden (also known as a vegetable patch or vegetable plot) is a technology promoted by small and medium scale farmers in Western Uganda to grow vegetables and other plants namely spinach, egg plants, sukuma wiki, onions and tomatoes for human consumption and income usually established in backyards.

2.2 Detailed description of the Technology

Description:

The vegetable varieties grown are egg plants, spinach, sukuma wiki, tomatoes, and amaranths for human consumption, income and soil fertility improvement. It is a small-scale form of vegetable growing that includes a compost heap, and several plots or divided areas of land intended to grow one or more types of plants in each plot. Plots may also be divided into rows with an assortment of vegetables grown in those different rows. It is usually located in back gardens.
This practice can be carried out by anyone willing to invest some time every day to nurture the plants. It doesn’t take a lot of money or time. Backyard gardening provides fresh and nutritious fruits and vegetables having a higher nutrient content than vegetables that have traveled several hundreds of miles to markets. The technology uses family labour which is readily available and relatively cheap compared to hired labour.
The activities involved in establishing such a technology include (1) clearing area where vegetables will be grown, (2) buying seed (3) weeding (4) acquiring pesticides, if required to spray the garden. Scarcity of water during the dry season may affect production while litter from plant material can increase productivity in the short run.
Inputs required for establishing such a technology include: labour, seed, hoes and panga. With this technology a farmer reported establishing the garden on an area size of 10 x 24 meters. Various vegetable varieties were planted in different specified plots. The farmer reported to have used UGX 208,100/= two hundred eight thousand one hundred shillings only.
Vegetable gardening is becoming more popular both as a part time job and as a source of income. One of the most important aspects needed for this practice is water, which makes up 90 percent of a plant’s weight. However, watering is a heavy and difficult job so the farmer established her garden near her house in the compound making access and watering easier.
Home gardening offers an opportunity to reduce the amount of pesticides used because plant and pest control can be tighter close to homesteads. Gardening increases physical activity. It is a great way to engage the whole family in physical activity and take responsibility for the garden. Vegetables grown in homegardens will promote health because they are rich in nutrients, especially in phytochemicals, anti-oxidants, vitamin C plus A and foliate.

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

If precise year is not known, indicate approximate date:

• less than 10 years ago (recently)

2.7 Introduction of the Technology

Specify how the Technology was introduced:

• as part of a traditional system (> 50 years)

3.1 Main purpose(s) of the Technology

• create beneficial economic impact

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

Number of growing seasons per year:

• 3

3.4 SLM group to which the Technology belongs

• home gardens

• Horticulture

3.5 Spread of the Technology

Specify the spread of the Technology:

• applied at specific points/ concentrated on a small area

3.6 SLM measures comprising the Technology

3.7 Main types of land degradation addressed by the Technology

3.8 Prevention, reduction, or restoration of land degradation

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

• not applicable

4.1 Technical drawing of the Technology

4.2 Technical specifications/ explanations of technical drawing

Size of the vegetable garden is 10 by 24 meters. There is no standard spacing between the vegetable plants grown. Some 5 hybrid varieties of vegetables are gown mostly in settlement backyards.

4.3 General information regarding the calculation of inputs and costs

Specify how costs and inputs were calculated:

• per Technology area

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

3650.0

4.4 Establishment activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing
1.	Buying seeda and planting the vegetable seeds nursery bed	Management	Once
2.	Clearing the area where the garden will be established	Agronomic	once
3.	Applying manure to designated garden area	Vegetative	Every after a month
4.	Transplanting the seedling from seed bed to the main garden	Agronomic	After two weeks
5.	Watering	Management	Daily
6.	Spraying the plants	Management	After two weeks
7.	Weeding the vegetable garden	Management	After two weeks

Comments:

Above mentioned activities are stated as reported by farmer.

4.5 Costs and inputs needed for establishment

	Specify input	Unit	Quantity	Costs per Unit	Total costs per input	% of costs borne by land users
Labour	Clearing garden area	person-days	2.0	3200.0	6400.0	100.0
Labour	Applying manure	person-days	1.0	5000.0	5000.0	100.0
Labour	Transplanting seedling	person-days	2.0	10000.0	20000.0	100.0
Equipment	Watering the plants	person-days	32.0	2000.0	64000.0	100.0
Equipment	Spraying	person-days	24.0	3600.0	86400.0	100.0
Equipment	Weeding	person-days	3.0	3600.0	10800.0	100.0
Plant material	Buying Seeds	Pieces	5.0	3100.0	15500.0	100.0
Total costs for establishment of the Technology					208100.0

Comments:

The estimation cost stated above was given by farmer.

4.6 Maintenance/ recurrent activities

	Activity	Type of measure	Timing/ frequency
1.	Spraying the vegetable garden with pesticides	Vegetative	Every after two weeks
2.	Applying manure	Management	Every after a month

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	Application of manure and pesticides	person-day	3.0	3200.0	9600.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Pesticides	Litres	5.0	6000.0	30000.0	100.0
Fertilizers and biocides	Manure	kg	50.0	1000.0	50000.0	100.0
Total costs for maintenance of the Technology					89600.0

4.8 Most important factors affecting the costs

Describe the most determinate factors affecting the costs:

Maintenance costs e.g pesticides and manure costs.

5.1 Climate

5.2 Topography

Indicate if the Technology is specifically applied in:

• concave situations

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

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:

• open access (unorganized)

5.9 Access to services and infrastructure

6.1 On-site impacts the Technology has shown

Socio-economic impacts

Income and costs

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

Climate-related extremes (disasters)

Biological disasters

	How does the Technology cope with it?
insect/ worm infestation	not 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)?

6.5 Adoption of the Technology

• single cases/ experimental

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

• 90-100%

6.6 Adaptation

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

Yes

If yes, indicate to which changing conditions it was adapted:

• changing markets

6.7 Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities of the Technology

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the land user’s view
Increase of incomes.
Improved standards of living as a result of increase in famer's income.
Home gardening promotes saving in a way that instead of buying from the market one is able to harvest from his/her garden.

Strengths/ advantages/ opportunities in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view
Gardening increases physical activity and supports human health.
It is a great way to engage the whole family in responsibility for the garden.

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?
Relatively expensive to start.
Maintaining is moderately expensive

Weaknesses/ disadvantages/ risks in the compiler’s or other key resource person’s view	How can they be overcome?
Pest problems are often easy to spot: leaves or fruit look chewed or puckered from sucking pests

7.1 Methods/ sources of information

7.2 References to available publications

Title, author, year, ISBN:

A vegetable garden for all, Manual “A Vegetable Garden for All” 5th Edition. Zero Hunger Challenge- Antigua and Barbuda, 2014, ISBN 978-92-5-108105-1

Available from where? Costs?

http://www.fao.org/3/a-i3556e.pdf

7.3 Links to relevant information which is available online

Title/ description:

Common Vegetable Garden Problems

URL:

https://harvesttotable.com/common_vegetable_garden_proble/