Abstract:

This paper reports on a Participatory Learning and Action Research (PLAR) process that
17 was initiated in three villages in Eastern Uganda in September 1999 to enable small-scale farm18 ers to reverse nutrient depletion of their soils profitably by increasing their capacity to develop,
19 adapt and use integrated natural resource management strategies. The PLAR process was also
20 used to improve the participatory skills and tools of research and extension personnel to sup21 port this process. The farming systems of the area were characterised for socio-economic and
22 biophysical conditions that included social organisations, wealth categories, gender, crop, soil,
23 agro forestry and livestock production. Farmers identified soil fertility constraints, their indi24 cators, and causes of soil fertility decline, and suggested strategies to address the problem of
25 soil fertility decline. Soil fertility management diversity among households indicated that most
26 farmers were not carrying out any improved soil fertility management practices, despite pre27 vious research and dissemination in the area. Following the diagnosis stage and exposure visits to other farmer groups working on integrated soil fertility projects, the farmers designed 11
29 experiments for on-farm testing. One hundred and twenty farmers then chose, for participa30 tory technology development, sub-sets of these 11 experiments, based on the major agricul31 tural constraints and the potential solutions identified and prioritised by the farmers.
32 Quantitative and qualitative results from the testing, farmer evaluation and adaptation, train33 ing, dissemination strategies and socio-economic implications of these technologies are
34 discussed