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A REPORT ON STUDY TOUR TO NATIONAL TREE SEED CENTRE (NTSC AND KAYUNGA DISTRICTS BY THE NTUNGAMO ORGANIC PINEAPPLE

INNOVATION PLATFORM MEMBERS

From 04th – 06th November 2014

Figure 1: Ntungamo Organic Pineapple IP members listening to Masambu Diphas while explaining his

activities on farm.

Background

Pineapple growing is one of the fast growing fruit Sub Sector in Uganda grown in many parts of

the country especially Kayunga, Luweero, Masaka, Isingiro, Bushenyi and Ntungamo Districts

among others and have had a high potential for improving farmers livelihoods through

increased income from both domestic and export market.

Due to its economic potential, the pineapple enterprise was selected as a market driven crop with

a focus on improving production of organic pineapples and utilization through development of

appropriate technologies that will address significant constraints and challenges such as pests and

diseases, failure to penetrate the market niche and natural resource degradation among others.

Access to quality planting material, knowledge and skills on the appropriate practices and

technologies while integrating crops , agroforestry trees and value addition continue to be a

big challenge to the production system faced by the Ntungamo Innovation Platform (IP)

members. Under the Sub-Saharan African Challenge Programme(SSACP) , there was need to

link Ntungamo Organic Pineapple IP members to quality planting material , soil and water

conservation technologies integrated with agroforestry and value.

From 4th – 6th November 2014, ICRAF with support from the SSACP through Makerere

University facilitated a three day field visit to National Tree Seed Centre, three farmers farms

and Kangulumira Area Cooperative Enterprise in Kalagala village, Kangumira parish,

Kangumira sub-county , Kayunga district . A total of 18 participants (14 males and 4 females)

who included farmers, researchers, extension agents, policy makers and the private sector

participated in this visit. The tour was interactive with questions and answer sessions from both

the IP members, farm owners/facilitators and the Research team form ICRAF and

MBAZARDI. The tour aimed at achieving the following :

1. To share experiences in organic pineapple production and management practices as well as

soil and water conservation techniques among farmers.

2. To benchmark the integration of agro forestry technologies with crop- livestock systems

already used in Kayunga

3. To understand some of the cost effective technologies used by Kayunga pineapple farmers

which can be replicated in Ntungamo for increased quality pineapple production and soil and

erosion control

4. To explore linkages with the National tree seed Centre and Kayunga farmers on the

possibility of accessing quality planting materials, value addition and market opportunities

for organic pineapple products.

Expected Outputs of the visit

At the end of the visit , participants were expected to acquire knowledge and skill s on the

integration of agro forestry technologies in to the existing crop- livestock systems by the farmers

of Ntungamo Organic, sources of quality panting materials and soil and water conservation

technologies that can be promoted within Ntungamo to address soil and water erosion problems

in addition to value addition and processing of organic pineapple into products that can fetch

more money into farmers pockets

Day one: 4th November 2014

On the first day, the team visited the National Forestry Tree Seed Centre (NTSC) located in

Namanve, Wakiso District. NTSC is under National Forestry Authority(NFA) but formally under

the Forest department. According to the nursery manager at the seed centre, Nabankema

Apolonia the NTSC started in 1992 as a seed project supported by the UNISAW, Norway and

Netherland funding following decline in forests cover. The NTSC is mandated to provide

adequate quantities of seed and plant materials with desired genetic and physiological quantities

to meet the demand for tree planting activities in the Country. The services provided by the seed

center include seed and seedling sales, tree seed source development, training and advisory

services and employment of a number of skilled personel.

Apolonia took the visiting team through the nursery activities  right from soil mixing, potting,

sowing, and pricking out, sorting and grading, management of pests and diseases to hardening

off. She also highlighted the four tree species categories raised in the nursery namely agro-

forestry, timber, ornamentals and fruit trees. Apolonia suggested agroforestry tree species

namely Calliandra calothyrsus, Sesbania sesban, leauceana leucocephala and fruit trees like

mangoes and jack fruit among others to be integrated with the pineapples. She however noted

that these should be planted at the boundary since pineapples do not require a lot of shade. These

trees would be used for fodder, add fertility to the soil and their fruits sold for income. Apolonia

also suggested broad leaved trees like Tectona grandis to be planted in Ntungamo in order to tap

into the carbon markets. She

Linkage of the IP members to the quality planting material being one of the purposes for the

tour, Muhumuza Enock inquired from Apolonia how the IP members could easily access good

quality tree seedlings that were suitable to the Ntungamo environment. In her response, Apolonia

mentioned that seedlings at the seed center were supplied based on their suitability to the

environments in the planting area and these if bought would be transported to Ntungamo at a fee

from the tree seed center. She also suggested that the farmers tap into the community tree

planting programs at NFA and Farm income enhancement and forest conservation project

(FIEFOC) under the Ministry of Water and Environment.

Courtesy call to MUZARDI: Meeting with SSACP- Task Force 2 Leader - Proffessor

Moses Tenywa.

After the National Tree Seed Centre, the IP members with the facilitators passed through

Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Centre (MUZARDI) where they met the

SSACP taskforce leader for Uganda Prof. Moses Tenywa. In his encouraging words he had this

to say” As IP members you need to strengthen 3 cooking stones if we want to have quality

products for increased income and food security on the plates (promoting collective action on

natural resources management (social capital) markets and finances through self-help groups-

SHG’s while integrating Agroforestry technologies. Exposure visits and trainings is the way to

go for information sharing and learning. We are impressed with what the Ntungamo IP and

ICRAF is doing as a partner with other several partners. Let us know what other trainings you

would like to conduct in future as an IP and Partner so that we can see how to facilitate them

where possible”. He however mentioned about bush burning practice which is being promoted

among farming communities and the issue of weak policies and decline in enforcement

mechanisms. The local government need to look into this.“ We also need to see the local

government coming up to support the IP with finances and budget and mainstream the IP into

the Local government plans and allocate resources. Mukono Has allocated 2, 000, 000 million

shillings to support IP activities and a cheese has already been given to the IP members in

Mukono. This is what we would like to see in Ntungamo IP” Mentioned by Moses Tenywa.

Moses was handed over 5 packets of pineapple crisps which they have processed from their own

organic pineapple.

Prof. Tenywa being given the dried pineapple crisps

The first day ended with a travel to Kayunga where the team spent the night in preparation for

day 2.

Day Two (5th November 2014)

On the second day, the group travelled to Kangulumira Area Cooperative Enterprise in

Kangulumira Sub County, where they visited a pineapple garden belonging to Masambu Diphas,

a model farmer in Kalagala village and the production unit of the cooperative. The cooperative is

an umbrella organization that brings together all 28 cluster pineapple farmers who are engaged in

the value chain of pineapple growing. The total membership of this cooperative society is 247

registered members. In his narration, Masamba gave an insight of how he started growing

pineapples right from 2003 up to now. He is growing organic pineapples on a 3.5 acres of land

and expects to harvest 36,000 pineapples by the end of the 2nd season. He sells each pineapple at

1000/= regardless of the size. His pineapples when ready for harvesting weigh between 3- 5 kgs.

Masamba integrates banana into the pineapples and within the garden exists trenches and ditches

for controlling soil and water erosion and walking paths through the garden which all these are

not practiced by the farmers in Ntungamo. Masambu mentioned that tree integration with

pineapples was not a common practice in the area since the pineapples do not require a lot of

shade which the trees provide hence recommended that these be planted along the farm

boundaries. Masambu also mentioned that he feeds his cattle with pineapple peelings and banana

leaves. He advised the Ntungamo farmers to lime their gardens with ash in order to reduce the

acidity of the soil and hence reduce the acidity of the resultant pineapple fruits. He cited

pineapple wilt as the only challenge to apple growing but that he had managed to overcome this

through proper farm management practices. He also mentioned competition in the market since

there was no differentiation between organically grown and inorganically grown pineapples.

Masambu has other enterprises namely coffee, maize, paw paws in addition to banana and

organic pineapple.

The visiting team in Masambu’s (lower right) well managed pineapple garden

He practices proper husbandry management technologies which include planting in raised strips

spaced at 5ft between the strips, using coffee husks as both manure and mulching materials,

integration of bananas and pineapples. The spacing between the ridges and coffee husks used

allow for soil and water conservation with in the pineapple garden.

Mrs Kayanga’s farm was also visited . In her farm, there was an integration of coffee with

bananas, fruits trees and fodder tree like Calliandra.

The production unit of the cooperative was visited last. Here the cooperative processes

pineapples into juice, wine and crisps which are sold to both local markets namely fruits of the

Nile(FON ), FlORAN; and international markets. These products are processed using solar driers

both locally made and imported and machines for juice and wine making. The cooperative

manager took the team through the wine making process and emphasized wine making as a

profitable and cost effective venture with a lot of market demand. Value addition is also done for

fruits namely apple bananas, jack fruit and paws.

The visiting team being taught how to make wine and dried fruit crisps

The field visit ended by 5.30pm with the Ntungamo IP members going to look at the Ferry in

which connects Kayunga to Kamuli. This was the first time to look at this for most of the IP

members.

Lessons learnt:

• From what we have seen from the garden, the quality planting material of pineapple in

Ntungamo seems not to be an issue because the two have the same planting material(

smooth cayne). Secondly Farmers in Ntungamo may not allow other planting materials as

they believe it can cause diseases like Banana caused banana wilt when new seed was

introduced from other areas. The only problem in Ntungamo is the acidity of the soil which

the IP members can use Ash and more manure and coffee husks to reduce the acidity in the

soil. This is an area for further research

• Spacing: In Ntungamo farmers uses 2ft x2ft and this leaves a big space and makes the

pineapples to fall. In Kayunga farmers use 1.5 x 1.5 ft. and this is better. This kind of spacing

supports pineapples. This is something that we need to practice when we go back as IP

members.

• Integration of banana, pineapples and agroforestry was appreciated by the Ntungamo farmers

and realized this is something they need to do as bananas provide mulching materials for the

pineapples when integrated together.

• Farmers in Ntungamo need to begin using coffee husks as mulching materials

• The integration of Soil and Water Conservation(SWC) technologies into banana and

pineapples improves fertility of soil and reduces water and soil run off. The dug ditches

within the gardens also are used for planting in banana. This is a lesson that we need to take

back home.

• It was observed that there were no paths left by farmers in pineapple gardens in Ntungamo

while paths are left in farmers gardens in Kayunga to allow easy movements and reduce

destruction. This creates and reduces chances for destruction

• The visit improved the understanding of the pineapple- cattle and agroforestry interactions

and how they benefit from one another

Reflection meeting with IP members on 6th Nov 2014 and next steps

On 6th November 2014, the team conducted a brief meeting to re-cap on the two days visit

facilitated by Muhumuza Enock IP chairman and Rick Kamugisha (ICRAF staff) and below is

the summary of what was discussed and agreed upon

1. Appreciation of the visit and thanked ICRAF and Makerere and the entire project for

supporting the visit where a lot new things on crop-livestock integration and value addition

of pineapples into juice, wine and crisps were learnt.

2. The integration of trees and soil and water conservation technologies has also been a very

important lesson that we need to take forward. IP members to follow up on this

3. The use of coffee husks as mulching material has not been known to farmers and promised

to promote this in their IPs. IP members to follow up on this

4. Conduct feedback session on the needs assessment report, training in soil and water

conservation training and understanding of water shed management with Ntungamo IP

members for 2 days in December 2014 before 10th. Rick and Moses to follow up on this

5. Develop IP work plan for 2015 activities focusing on crop –livestock integrated with

agroforestry technologies and share with ICRAF and Makerere University. Moses Sabiti and

Rick to follow up to follow on this

6. Initiate a proposal to Agribusiness initiative trust (ABI) for financial support to increase

solar dries among the IP Members(Moses Sabiti and Rick)

Appendix

Participants List

Name Sex Institution Telephone number

Sabiiti Moses M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0703000712

Rugyendo William M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0781505273

Cassim befuuza M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0754105524

Kariisa Moses M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0773042119

Buhangiro Odomaro M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0704297573

Atuhairwe Bernard M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0779928001

Muhumuza Enock M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0782431722

Mugume bernard M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0782559575

Bwankarikali Frencis M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0775157397

Katusiime Scovia F Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0774343281

Katsigano Fabius M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0782575079

Tumuhimbise Jenniffer F Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0787457156

Turyakira E M Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0775936504

Mujurizi Angel Salongo M Ntungamo Fruit Dryers Association 0759804404

Tumuramye Kellet F Ntungamo Organic Pineapple I.P 0773245479

Hadard Kwesiga M MBAZARDI 0772492173

Kamugisha Rick M ICRAF 0703638166

Biira Jenipher F ICRAF 0776728244

PROGRAMME OF STUDY TOUR (4TH -6TH NOVEMBER 2014)

Date and Time Activity Where Responsible

26th -30th October

2014

Pre-visit to Kayunga Kayunga- Waswa’s

farm

Jenipher

4th November 2014

6.00 am - 1.00 pm

Travel from Ntungamo to Kampala and have

Lunch in Kampala or outside Kampala

Hotel in Kampala/

Outside Kampala

Sabiti Moses and

Kato Geoffrey

2.00 pm-2.30 pm Welcome remarks, brief updates on Ntungamo

IP activities ICRAF and visit to NTSC –

Agroforestry activities on station.

NTSC NTSC / Moses /

Clement /Rick

2.30 pm-5.00pm IP members visit/ tour around NTSC and

discussions

NTSC

5th November 2014

9.00 a.m – 5.00pm

Visit to Kayunga farmers : Organic pineapple

value chain, Soil and water conservation

practices/technologies , quality planting and

mulching material and exploring opportunities

for supplying quality planting material and

wrap up

Waswa’s

farm,Masamba Diphas

farm , Mrs Kayanga

Rose farm a and

Kangulumira Area

cooperative society

Waswa/Rick

6th November 2014

9.00 am

Reflection meeting and IP members travel

back to Ntungamo

Ntungamo Sabiti Moses and

Kato Geoffrey

4th-8th November 2014 Documentation Rick/ Jenipher

Photo gallery