Land cover and use changes in the rangelands of Central-Uganda: Impacts on soil quality and pasture productivity

Abstract: 
This study determined the patterns and magnitudes of land cover and use changes, their driving factors and impacts on soil quality and pasture productivity in Nakasongola district. Satellite data (1970 - 2009), surveys, soil and pasture sampling techniques were used. Woody and bare encroachments are major changes affecting soil quality and pasture productivity. Changes in fire regimes, poor stocking densities, termites, climatic variability and tree cutting are major drivers of the land cover and use changes. Sustainable management practices are required to avert current trends of degradation if the integrity of rangelands and pastoral livelihoods are to be saved from extermination.
Cette étude a déterminé les tendances et l’ampleur des changements de couverture et d’utilisation de terre, leurs facteurs moteurs et les impacts sur la qualité des sols et la productivité des pâturages dans le district de Nakasongola. Les données satellitaires (1970 - 2009), des enquêtes et les techniques d’échantillonnage des pâturages et des sols ont été utilisées. Les empiétements boisés et vides sont les changements majeurs qui affectent la qualité des sols et la productivité des pâturages. Les changements dans les régimes d’incendie, les densités de stockage pauvres, les termites, la variabilité climatique et la coupe des arbres sont les principaux moteurs des changements de la couverture et de l’utilisation de terre. Les pratiques de gestion durable sont nécessaires pour éviter les tendances actuelles de dégradation si l’intégrité des pâturages et les moyens de subsistance des éleveurs doivent être sauvés de l’extermination.
Language: 
English
Impacts on soil quality and pasture productivity
Date of publication: 
2010
Country: 
Region Focus: 
East Africa
University/affiliation: 
Collection: 
RUFORUM Conferences and Workshops
Licence conditions: 
Open Access
Access restriction: 
Form: 
Printed resource
Publisher: 
ISSN: 
E_ISSN: 
Edition: 
Extent: 
569-573
Notes: 

About the RUFORUM 2010 Biennal Conference
"The 2010 RUFORUM Biennial Conference was the second in the series. The main objective of the Biennial conferences is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholders in agriculture. It is especially dedicated to graduate students and their supervisors, grantees in RUFORUM member universities and alumni. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. This record contains an extended abstract accepted under the theme of Natural Resource Management"