Impacts of agroforestry technologies on Ankole tea estate and farmlands on the livelihood of the local communities.

Abstract

The study was carried in ANKLOE TEA ESTATE and neighbouring farmlands in Kyamuhunga Sub-county, Bushenyi District. The study was. carried out' focusing to assess the impact of agroforestry technologies on tea growing to the livelihood of the neighbouring communities in Ankole Tea Estates, Kyamuhunga Sub-county, Bushenyi District. The objectives of study were to assess the impacts, of agroforestry technologies and farmlands on the livelihoods of local communities. The methodology used for the study was a descriptive research design with qualitative and quantitative research approaches and explanatory research and secondary data was collected by reviewing estate reports, district statistical abstract. The data collected using questionnaires and was coded cleaned and entered in Ms excel and transferred to STATA 12 statistical software for analysis. Descriptive statistics like frequency tables and pie charts were used and inferential statistics like chi square were used to analyse relationships between agroforestry technologies and livelihoods of local communities The key findings showed that tea growing, wood lot, home gardens scattered trees in the garden boundary trees, multipurpose trees, wind breaks and shelter belts were the most practiced agroforestry technologies in the study area. The key benefits got by the tea estate and local communities were fuel wood medicine, timber, shade, soil protection, water catchment areas. The major impacts of agroforestry technologies to the tea estate and local communities were increase in income, alternative fuel wood, water catchment places, increase in crop yields, I recommended that agroforestry technologies on farm lands should be sealed up, local. communities sensitised about the importance of agroforestry in the area.