The Potential of ecological farming in delivering social and economic development to small holder farming families (The Rwenzori experience)

Since 2009 collaboration between Sustainable Agriculture Trainers’ Network (SATNET), National Organic Agriculture Movement of Uganda (NOGAMU) and Organic Denmark (OD) has seen the establishment of over 130 ecological Farmer Family Learning Groups (FFLGs) in the Rwenzori region composed of up to 3255 farming families. Compared to the forms of conventional agriculture in which much effort has been invested in this part of the country and in the country as a whole, the FFLGs in the Rwenzori region clearly demonstrate the social and economic benefits of agricultural development approaches based on ecological/organic alternatives and strengthening of farmer collaboration. While environmental dimensions form an important motivation behind these efforts, this paper emphasize the social and economic benefits the FFLGs have fetched out of the use of ecological/organic farming alternatives. Socially, ecological farming in FFLGs has yielded benefits such as; Promoting/sustaining the culture of sharing agro-inputs, Social capital building at community level where the FFLGs operate, Learning and innovation collaborations among farmers on varying farm conditions, Guaranteed trust that is vital for collective marketing of produce that leads to higher incomes, and; appreciation for indigenous knowledge that builds confidence among farmers and serves as a stronghold for adoption of approved ecological innovations. On the economic aspect, attributes of ecological farming methods in the FFLGs such as; Cost cutting particularly on labor through farmers working together on each other’s farm, Cost effective Seed management systems that overcome the costly seed dependence common among conventional farmers , Increased production and productivity associated with optimum use of the ecological potential of farm lands and Ecological resilience to economic losses achieved through diversified farming and timely planting. The above benefits associated with ecological/organic farming alternatives are equally important in justifying the FFLG approach and must be made more visible not least given their potential role in convincing other stakeholders of the merits of these efforts.