Farmer participation in soil management research process: The case of Matugga farmers of Uganda

Abstract

With the high rate of soil degradation in Uganda, research to address soil fertility problems has to involve farmers at all stages of the process as active participants. Farmers' participation is very important in identification of agricultural problems, their causes as well as potential solutions as farmers are knowledgeable of their farming systems. Experiments designed together with farmers to alleviate these problems are likely to be well based in reality and meaningful to farmers with high subsequent adoption rates. Therefore, farmer participation in research is important for the in tegration of farmers' knowledge, perceptions and skills with those of researchers, and is a learning process for both farmers and researchers which in the long run is hoped will enhance agricultural technology adoption. In case of Matugga village, farmers' perception of their soils, soil related problems and possible solutions to the problems were observed by the researchers. Indigenous technical knowledge of farmers in regard to their soils was a base for future research work on soil fertility management in the area.