Browsing by Author "Fina, Opio"

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Adverse impact of Banana Xanthomonas Wilt on farmers’ livelihoods in Eastern and Central Africa
(African Journal of Plant Science, 2015-07) Fina, Opio; Eldad, Karamura; Ivan, Rwomushana; Svetlana, Gaidashova; Celestin, Niyongere; Privat, Ndayihazamaso; Leornard, Mukandala; Innocent, Ndyetabula; Jackson, Nkuba; William, Tinzaara; Gertrude, Night; Nicholas, Niko; Wellington, Jogo
Banana is a key crop in the livelihoods of many people in the Great Lakes region of East and Central Africa. For more than a decade now, the crop has been threatened by Banana Xanthomonas Wilt (BXW) which has spread throughout the region but at different rates. The disease attacks all banana cultivars and can cause up to 100% yield losses at farm level if effective control measures are not put in place. However, limited information on impact of BXW at regional level is available to guide interventions. Thus, this study assessed the impact of BXW on farmers’ livelihoods in Kagera basin of Tanzania, Burundi and Rwanda. A total of 436 households (Tanzania 120, Burundi 208 and Rwanda 108) mostly from major banana-producing and BXW-affected districts were sampled and interviewed in a household survey. Thirty-three to seventy-five of the total banana mats per farm in the three countries were infected with BXW. Banana production losses caused by BXW were valued at US$ 10.2 million and US$ 2.95 million in Tanzania and Rwanda, respectively, banana sales by farmers dropped by 35% while bunch prices unpredictably doubled. Since banana is a key component of these farming communities, the banana production losses resulted in significant reduction in household food security and incomes. To cope with these challenges, most households are diversifying into other food crops such as maize, cassava and sweet potatoes. This poses a number of socio-economic and biological implications that require further investigation.
The Effect of Water Quality on Aquaculture Produc 3 tivity in Ibanda District, Uganda
(MDPI, 2021) Zephline, Tumwesigye; Wycliffe, Tumwesigye; Fina, Opio; Chloe, Kemigabo; Boaz, Mujuni
Water quality plays a substantial role in maximizing fish productivity. Despite the efforts made by government to improve fish production, there are general complaints about small size of fish produced in aquaculture systems. The study was conducted to assess the effect of water quality on aquaculture productivity in Ibanda District. The specific objectives were to examine the status of water quality parameters (Temperature, Turbidity, pH, Alkalinity, Ammonia, Hardness, Carbon-dioxide and Iron) and assess their effect on fish pond productivity. Using data from fish farmers and water samples taken from restocked fish ponds in 10 sub-counties, the study revealed that out of the eight water quality parameters examined, only four parameters namely; average turbidity, alkalinity, hardness, Carbon-dioxide were within the acceptable ranges while Ammonia, temperature, pH and Iron were slightly outside the recom 30 mended ranges. The study also revealed that water quality parameters such as; Temperature, pH, Ammonia, Carbon-dioxide and Iron had a significant effect on the weight and size for both tilapia and catfish. The study concluded that some water quality parameters have a detrimental effect on fish farming. There is a need for educating fish farmers on how to maintain water quality at suitable levels in order to improve fish productivity in Ibanda district
Knowledge, Attitude and the Practice of Climate-Smart Agriculture among Smallholder Farmers in Isingiro District, South Western Uganda
(EAST AFRICAN NATURE & SCIENCE ORGANIZATION, 2023) Christine, Aturihaihi; Wycliffe, Tumwesigye; Fina, Opio; Geoffrey, Akiiki Beyihayo
Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) can sustainably increase productivity, improve resilience, and reduce emissions of greenhouse gases from agricultural systems. The current study aimed to establish the existing knowledge, attitude, and practice of CSA among smallholder farmers in the Isingiro District. An exploratory survey was conducted to collect data from 126 farmers randomly selected from three Sub counties. Key informant interviews were conducted with three extension workers for more information. Data was analysed using Stata 14 to generate summary tables and the Chi-square test of independence. The results revealed a high level of knowledge about CSA among the farmers, with intercropping and crop rotation as the most popular (99%) whereas rainwater harvesting was least known (71.4%). Farmers’ knowledge about CSA was significantly related to different sources of information and knowledge (P<0.05). Farmers showed a positive attitude towards the use of CSA practices except for inorganic fertilisers with 45%. The dominantly used CSA practices were Intercropping (85.7%), mulching (75.4%) and the use of contour bunds (74.6%). Several limitations that hindered the adoption of CSA practices included limited finances, extension services, availability of CSA inputs, high prices of CSA inputs, price fluctuations and land scarcity, among others. The farmers’ awareness, attitude and practice of CSA were mainly shaped by their local knowledge with limited influence of technical knowledge. Furthermore, the practice of CSA among smallholder farmers is hampered by many limitations. Therefore, there is a need for policymakers to prioritise and enact pro-CSA-relevant policies that address the barriers hampering its adoption
Smallholder Farmers’ Coping Strategies to Perceived Climate Change and Variability in Isingiro District, South Western Uganda
(African Journal of Climate Change and Resource Sustainability, 2023) Christine, Aturihaihi; Fina, Opio; Wycliffe, Tumwesigye; Geoffrey, Akiiki Beyihayo
Climate change and variability pose a major challenge facing the agricultural sector around the world and trends are feared to intensify by 2050. This is likely to complicate agricultural decisions affecting local communities who depend on the sector for their livelihood. Seasonal changes in weather patterns are projected to reduce food production due to the reduction in average yields of common food crops. With the majority of smallholder farmers in Uganda depending on agriculture for survival, building their adaptive capacity to climate change is vital to ensure household food and income security. This study aimed at establishing the smallholder farmers’ perceptions of climate change and their initiatives to cope with and manage the associated risks. A sample of 126 farming households were randomly selected from three Sub counties in Isingiro District and studied using field observations and questionnaires. Key informant interviews were also conducted with three extension workers. The collected data was analysed using Stata 14 and Excel. The findings revealed that there was increasing awareness of the climate change and variability challenge among smallholder farmers with the increasing need to take on adaptation strategies. The results showed that the major perceived changes were, increased intensity and frequency of droughts (98%), increase in daytime temperatures (92.7%), decrease in rainfall intensity (92.1%) and changes in rainfall distribution patterns (90%). It also showed that different initiatives had been taken by farmers to cope with the changes like changing planting dates (92.1%), growing crop variety mixtures (73.8%) and practising soil and water conservation (62.7%). Based on the findings of this study, smallholder farmers greatly perceived climate change and variability with negative impacts imposed on their farming operations. Although farmers have tried to adapt, there is still a need to support their coping strategies through appropriate policies. This will facilitate increased adoption of adaptation measures, thereby reducing the negative consequences of climate change in future.
Socioeconomic Factors Influencing Uptake of Coffee Production Recommended Practices in Kichwamba and Kirugu Sub-Counties Rubirizi District, Uganda
(East African Journal of Agriculture and Biotechnology, 2023) Ahimbisibwe, Jerome Ronalds; Osiru, David; Fina, Opio
The study was on socioeconomic factors influencing the uptake of coffee production recommended practices in the Kichwamba and Kirugu Sub-counties of the Rubirizi district and was conducted in February 2021. Objectives were to identify the coffee production systems and practices used, identify the socioeconomic challenges associated with the uptake of recommended practices for coffee production, and identify the policy interventions to address the challenges associated with the use of recommended coffee practices. Farmers continue to register low coffee yields hence affecting their livelihoods and incomes and achieving maximum coffee production requires that farmers apply recommended practices since the quantity and quality of the crop rely on the practices used. A cross-sectional survey was conducted using simple random sampling and a total of 376 coffee farmers were sampled. Results indicated that Arabica coffee commonly grown has two major systems intercropping and mono-cropping. The coffee-recommended practices used were weeds control (23.7%), shading (21.5%), pruning (15.5%), fertiliser application (14.1%), pest and disease management (12.2%), water drainage management (6.6%), transplanting (4.0%), and seedbed preparation (2.7%). Statistically significant socioeconomic factors affecting the uptake of recommended practices for coffee were age [p=0.014], education level [p=0.002], labour [p=0.005], Farm size [p=0.001], farming experience [p=0.031], gender [p=0.031], land slope [p=0.048], un-accessibility to credit services [p=0.032], and plot ownership [p=0.049]. Policy interventions were farmer capacity building (35.1%), strengthening agricultural extension (23.7%), credit extension to the farmers (15.7%), re-visiting land reform policies (13.6%), and group formation (11.9%). The study concluded that coffee in the study area was grown under two production systems; intercropping and mono-cropping; the major coffee recommended practices used were; seedbed management, transplanting, pruning, shading, fertiliser application, weeds control, pest and disease
Status of Banana Bacterial Wilt in Uganda
(African crop science journal, 2006) Fina, Opio; W.K, Tushemereirwe; O, Okaasai; J, Kubiriba; C, Nankinga; J, Muhangi; N, Odoi
Banana bacterial will caused by xanthromonas was first reported in Ethiopia on Ensete Ventricosum in 1968 and on Bananas in 1974. A similar disease confirmed to be caused by xcm was then reported in Uganda in 2001 on bananas in Mukono and Kayunga