The management practice targets crop farmers and zero grazinglivestock keepers. The Farmer Field School (FFS) approach was used fortechnology uptake and up-scaling. The practice was validated through on-farmtrials. The experiment was conducted in two (2) districts (Bulambuli andManafwa) within the Mt. Elgon area. Bulambuli district is located in the lowlands, while Manafwa is in the highlands. The soil fertility managementpractice was validated in the  twodistricts for three seasons (two in 2009 and one in 2010) using two (2) crops,maize and  ground nuts. The validationwas done by four (4) farmer groups in Bulambuli and two (2) in Manafwa. Priorto the experimental set up, the farmers were trained in soil fertilitydiagnosis using a simple-to-use soil test kit. Later on, they were fullyinvolved in site selection, land preparation, planting, plot management andharvesting.

The soil fertility management practice is fairly convenient as itinvolves use of locally available crop residues to improve soil productivity.The practice can benefit all categories of people, particularly addressing thesituation of women farmers, who constitute majority of small scale farmers.

The practice can help farmers to reap increased productivity andeconomic benefit compared to when they use inorganic fertilizer, which may beunaffordable to some farmers.

The management practice is designed toreduce the financial burden for all gender categories.

Y. Bamutaze;

Scientist, Makerere University;

P. O. Box 7062;

Kampala, Uganda.

Tel: +256 414 531 261/ +256 414 542 265

Email: yazidhibamutaze@gmail.com; bamutaze2001@yahoo.co.ku

M.M. Tenywa;

Professor, Makerere University, Department of AgriculturalProduction;

College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences;

P. O. Box 7062;

Kampala, Uganda.

Tel: +256(41)531641

Mob: +256772827710

Fax: +256(41)540708

Email: soilscience@agric.mak.ac.ug; tenywamakooma@yahoo.com

C. L. Kizza;

Scientist, Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute;

P. O. Box 7065;

Kampala, Uganda.

Email: kizluswata@gmail.com

Peter Matowo;

Scientist, Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI);

P. O. Box 6024;

Arusha, Tanzania;

Email: prmatowo@yahoo.com

N. Massawe;

Scientist, Selian Agricultural Research Institute (SARI);

P. O. Box 6024;

Arusha, Tanzania.

Tel: +255-272505212

Email: nfmassawe@yahoo.co.uk

Characterization of all the sites for pH, organic matter, totalnitrogen, available phosphorus, exchangeable bases and texture was undertaken.In Manafwa, only one (1) site was used for the experiment per season while inBulambuli, three (3) sites were planted in a Randomized Complete Block Design(RCBD). Plots measuring 10m x 5m were established in Bulambuli, while inManafwa, where land is limited, smaller plots of 5m x 6m were established.The  treatments established for maizewere as follows: (i) maize stover which was incorporated into the soil, (ii) maizestover applied at the surface, (iii) Mucuna (used as green  manure), (iv) cow dung, and (v)DAP/urea. 

Precision application of DAP was carried out by planting at a rateof 2.5 g per hole. Urea was applied as top dressing when the maize reached kneeheight at a rate of 2 g per plant. The spacing was 60 cm between lines and 30cm within the line. During the next season, crop rotation was done and thisinvolved changing from maize to ground nuts. Apart from the treatmentsmentioned for maize, two other soil amendments were included: (i) chickenmanure and (ii) rhizobia. Each treatment was replicated three times persite. 

At tassling and flowering stage for maize and ground nutsrespectively, sampling was done in each of the plots to determine biomass. Atphysiological maturity, samples were taken from an area of 1m x1m. Data wascollected along the following parameters: total biomass and grain yield. Thesoils were periodically monitored for the soil fertility parameters (thosetested before the experiments) to assess whether there was anyimprovement. 

Bamutaze, Y., Tenywa, M.M, Majaliwa, M.J.G., Vanacker, V.,Bagoora, F., Magunda, M., Obando, J. and Wasige, J.E. 2010. Infiltrationcharacteristics of volcanic sloping soils on Mt. Elgon, Eastern Uganda. Catena80: 122-130.