Environmental Assessment of Climate Smart Agricultural Interventions in Smallholder Crop-livestock Production Systems

The study evaluated the environmental effects of various climate s mart agricultural interventions (CSAI) in the smallholder production systems of Uganda. Soil fert ility management interventions improved soil pH, soil nitrogen, organic matter, earthworm density and microbial bio mass by 8, 55, 94, 130 and 44.2% respectively. Installation of roof-top water harvesting tanks ensured availability of good quality water whose total coliform concentration was 529, 967 and 1400% lower than in spring wells, ponds and run-off water harvesting tanks respectively. Also, fecal coliform concentration in roof-top water harvesting tanks was 17 and 28 times lower than in spring wells and ponds respectively. The methane-milk ratio fo r feed package A was 54 and 97% higher than the ratios for feed packages B and C. The results of the study implied that in the face of climate change and variability, CSAI have the potential to sustain high productivity of crop livestock through enhancing soil fert ility, water availability and feed utilisation of animals. The study called for fu rther research to establish appropriate manure applicat ion rates for different crops and manure types as well as to improve the quality of water collected in run-off water harvesting tanks.