Browsing by Author "Maggiore Kyomugisha"

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Impact of Banana Xanthomonas Wilt Epidemics on Farmers’ Livelihoods in the South Western Agro-Ecological Zone of Uganda
(Open Access Library Journal, 2024-06-28) Peace Kankwatsa; Maggiore Kyomugisha; Robert Muzira; Hellen Mutenyo; Proscovia Renzaho Ntakyo; John Bosco Muhumuza
Banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) caused by Xanthomonas vasicola pv., musacearum (XVM), had a significant impact on the stakeholders within the ba- nana value chain, but the farmers that were highly dependent on banana for food and income were the most affected. For over two decades since Banana Xanthomonas wilt was first detected in the South Western Agro-Ecological Zone, it continues to thrive and spread within the zone, thus building-up in- oculum that may result in severe epidemics if not eradicated. This in-depth socio-economic analysis of the impact of BXW on banana productivity, food security, and incomes found out that, all the common cooking and desert banana varieties grown in this zone were susceptible. The BXW epidemics of 2009-2013 caused a serious decline in banana production, which resulted in low sales, low incomes and low savings, thus increasing the level of poverty among 84.7% of the banana farmers. To cope with this deficit, farmers initiated alternative farming and non-farming resources for obtaining food and income. Families diverted most of their money to buying food, paying for labour and non-labour inputs to control the disease. Although most food crop production trends were decreasing during the BXW epidemic period, the de- crease in banana production was reportedly higher among most respondents. Overall, banana field management costs significantly increased, and farmers who owned more than five acres incurred more money in controlling BXW. Because of the inadequate cooking banana productivity, consumption of the costly alternative foods increased farmers’ expenses, while the resource-poor families suffered hunger due to food scarcity. Therefore, incidences of: under-nutrition among children and adults; school drop-outs for lack of fees, clothing and other requirements; children-run away from home; late school-fees payment; abandon-relatives’ support, sicknesses among children and adults due to change of diet or inadequate food and child-abandonment increased in the communities. Frequent fights and quarrels within families due to the inadequacies or increased expenditures; and reduced commitment to other community functions and saving schemes, were reported. The most common mechanisms used by respondents to deal with the negative impact of the BXW epidemics were: growing and selling short season/annual food crops; borrowing money or taking loans; working as casual labourers; growing and trading in timber, trees, sugar cane, coffee and cotton; rearing and selling of livestock and operating non-farming businesses. The diversification of food crops and income-generating activities has partly reduced farmers’ over-dependence on banana, which is increasing crop production for improved food security, nutrition and income generation.
Knowledge and Perceptions on Banana Xanthomonas Wilt Control 10 Years after the Epidemics in the South Western Agro-Ecological Zone, Uganda
(Open Access Library Journal, 2024-06-28) Peace Kankwatsa; Maggiore Kyomugisha; Robert Muzira; Hellen Mutenyo; Proscovia Renzaho Ntakyo; John Bosco Muhumuza
The East African highland cooking banana (Musa spp.) is a major food security and non-traditional income generation crop in rural and urban areas of the South Western Agro-Ecological Zone (SWAEZ) of Uganda. Being a perennial crop, the vulnerability of banana to the evolving abiotic and biotic stresses is increasing in this major production region. During the late 2000s, the SWAEZ experienced wide-spread and severe banana Xanthomonas wilt (BXW) disease epidemics, which caused 70% - 100% crop and/or yield losses. Through various partnerships, the government of Uganda applied the integrated approaches to provide the needed technical, policy, legal and financial support to rapidly eradicate the disease, strengthen the farmers’ capacities to prevent further plant infections and spread of the “Xanthomonas vasicola pv., musacearum (XVM)” pathogen. Research has shown that the comprehensive and collective action, which focused on rapidly eliminating BXW, reduced the disease prevalence to <5%, but ten years after the eradication campaign, BXW is persistent in SWAEZ. A study carried out in five districts to assess farmers’ knowledge and perception about the BXW control 10 years after the epidemics, found that the disease incidences continue to gradually rise, as efforts to control it continue to decline, which makes the zone prone to another serious epidemic if strong measures are not enforced. Given the knowledge and skills previously imparted to farmers, banana productivity and production for food and income generation have been gradually increasing; livelihoods that are highly dependent on banana have improved and crop production has been diversified in some areas. However, because of the decline in the government’s effort to continue sensitizing, monitoring and enforcing by-laws, the disease inoculum continues to build up and spread. While the majority of the house- hold respondents agreed that the recommended disease control technology packages were very effective, they were also expensive (in terms of labour and non-labour inputs), and too difficult to be applied by the weak and vulnerable community members (females, children, elderly people, sick and other disabled community members). The farmers attributed the disease persistence in the zone to poor monitoring, ineffective use of the recommended disease management technology packages, increased disease pathogen inoculum in abandoned plantations, use of infected planting materials and unsterilized field tools. Therefore, in order to completely mitigate BXW from the SWAEZ, this study recommends that the government reinstate regular awareness creation campaigns, training, and functional BXW eradication task-forces in the banana-producing communities to ensure timely and effective disease control.