Abstract:

This study summarizes the results from a study conducted in Masindi district, Uganda to
evaluate soil fertility management practices in market oriented agricultural production. A series
of policy and institutional reforms designed to modernize and increase productivity of the
economy in general, and more specifically the agricultural sector are being implemented in
Uganda. The mission of the Plan for Modernisation of Agriculture (PMA) is poverty
eradication through the transformation of the agricultural sector, especially by shifting poor
farmers from subsistence to commercial production in order to improve household incomes.
The strategy is to encourage households to specialize in what they can produce economically in
order to increase the share of what they produce for sale. Expansion of agricultural production
into previously forested or fallow land in an effort to commercialize agriculture and help
mitigate poverty is growing rapidly. It is envisaged that market oriented agricultural production
provides incentives for reinvestment in soil fertility management to sustain increased
productivity and available market options. However, there is need to understand whether more
market orientation empowers fanners to invest their additional income in soil fertility
improvement to sustain production in the long run or priority is given to other livelihood needs
like school fees, health care, nutrition, business investments, housing and savings. It is also
important to understand what factors influence farmers decisions to re- invest in soil fertility
improvements. There are variations across areas, crops, gender, wealth categories, age, level of
education and occupation. The study also explored how adoption and use of improved soil
fertility management technologies by Ugandan fanners can be enhanced to sustain increased
agricultural productivity. Understanding the complex relationship between increased
agricultural production and sustainable resource use for economic gains in market oriented
agriculture are key issues central to identifying effective strategies that will sustainably
transform the livelihoods of rural Ugandans thereby reducing poverty levels.