Working with Households towards Integration of Livestock.

In 2023 Joint Effort to Save the Environment (Jese) under Mpanga Super Farmers Program (MSFP) worked with 450 households in Kicwamba to foster agroecological transition at the household level. The key highlight was the support towards the integration of livestock by households into their farming systems. During the year, a total of 246 households were supported to realise this dream. The support focused on the provision of small animals including goats, pigs, chicken, and rabbits as well as the improvement/construction of animal structures for improved animal welfare and management of zero grazing. Due to challenges of space for grazing and limited access to animal feeds, the program further supported these households to establish animal fodder around their farm through the provision of seedlings for different fodder species including Napier and Calliandra.

The intervention created tremendous results at the household level. With good housing, farmers say they

are finding it easy to manage the hygiene of their animals, and this comfort has led to increased farm productivity. The households say “it’s now easier to collect manure which is being used to improve soil fertility, ultimately leading to increased crop productivity for bananas and vegetables. The fodder plants are being used as livestock feeds, while chicken dough is used as mulches in the plantation (soil and water conservation). Overall, these two practices have built resilience of farm and increased productivity. The farmers are able to easily access feeds for their animals because it’s on the farm and the improved well-managed soils are able to resist shocks of climate change.