Gully erosion in the west of Uganda has driven farmers to practice agroforestry which is not only holding the soil but also proving profitable.

An article in the Daily Monitor tells the story of farmer, George Kashokye from Nyakigando Village in Kiruhura District. He lost numerous cattle after they were washed away due to erosion gullies. Vast amounts of fertile soil as well as houses were also lost from the hilly areas as the erosion gullies grew.

Then in 2011 the Trans-boundary Agro-eco System Management Project (Tamp) got underway. It aimed to address soil erosion and land degradation, including its impacts on downstream Lake Victoria.

Through the advice of the project, Kashokye and fellow farmers began reducing the size of their herds and fencing off land. They planted pine trees and sugarcanes in the gullies, and live hedge barriers of calliandra trees and creeping plants to hold the soil and prevent run off.

Kashokye now earns a reasonable sum from his sugarcane and uses the calliandra to feed his animals which boosts their milk production. He has also planted fruit trees, including mango and orange, in the fertile soil of the valleys.

Others are following Kashokye’s lead and using agroforestry to restore land and control soil erosion while at the same time increase their household income.

Read the full story: Using trees and sugarcane to reclaim eroded hillsides