Overview of Buganga village

Buganga village is located about 80km west of Kampala, close to Lake Victoria along the Equator. The area has good potential for agricultural production, though it is prone to droughts partly caused by the extensive deforestation and poor farming practices. Food production is almost 100% rainfed; very few farmers can supplement crop water requirements through hand-watering. Sustainable farming practices like composting, mulching, appropriate diversification (crop rotation, intercropping and agro-forestry), soil conservation, and proper waste management are non-existent. Recent interventions include promotion of the use of synthetic pesticides and fertilisers as a way to increase agricultural production. Such interventions are actually propagating the problem in a way that these inputs are generally unaffordable and unaccessible to these poor farmers, and pose greater health risks due to lack of suitable protective gear and storage facilities.
This programme is therefore aimed first, at establishing a clean water source within a reasonable distance from most households, and secondly, at demonstrating and raising awareness about proper water usage for agricultural and domestic purposes. This will ensure increased productivity and improved livelihoods. This programme will complement the idea of establishing a demonstration centre for Sustainable Agricultural practices in the area, which is to serve as a model for the farmers in all neighbouring communities. It will focus on promoting organic, biodynamic and permaculture technologies.