Traditiona l a groforestry systems, tree uses and management in northern Uganda

Abstract

A survey was conduct ed in Apac Dist rict, northern Uganda between Sep tember 1995 a nd December I 996 to assess t he
t raditional agroforest ry systems, tree uses and management. Tree a nd sht·ub species in t he fa r ming syst ems wer e
identified and fa rmers' indigenous knowledge of agrofor estry systems documented. Men (96%) headed most households.
Both natura lly growing a nd pla nted tree speci es wc1·e found on farmland a nd t he fa rmers had clear r easons fo r
p r otecting or planting the trees a nd sh r u bs on farms. H omcgardens had more trees than farmland situated away from
the homesteads. Markhamia lu l etl (Bcnth.) K. Schum., Eucalyptus and Cassia tree spp. domina ted t h e zoned
a r rangentcn ts while Ficus spp., Comhretum collin urn Fressen. and Lonclzocarpus laxijlorus Guill. & P err. naturally
gr ew a mong cr ops ;~nd/or nea r homes tead s. T he lrecs and shr u bs provide fru its, shade, poles or firewood. Alt hough
over 98% of the household heads interviewed were aware o f the adva ntages of p lanting t rees, 65 % p la n t ed t r ees.
In adequate supply of seedlings, poor extension services, a nd lack ofland a s well as restr icted roles of women limited
t ree-planting activities. There arc opportunities for im prov ing a nd in creasing agroforestJ;y in th er egion through
integrated r esearch, adoption of better land management techniq ues and p lanting oftrees /shrub species desired by
fa rmcrs.An in-depth study of fa rmers' indigen ous knowledge in protec ti ng, p la nting and mana ging trees would help
improve the existing agroforestry systems.