Strengthening Soil Health Knowledge in Uganda Through the CAADP-XP4 Programme

By Genevieve Apio & Emily Arayo.

“We are lucky to have trainers from NARO, ASARECA and Makerere University because it is not a daily happening that these groups of specialized Scientists come to training together. Training in soil management is a rare opportunity for us farmers in Lyantonde. We have received good seeds and what has been missing is the soil component”, says a jovial Nakasi Jane Frances the Councilor of Lyantonsde Town Council, and a member of a Lyantonde District farmers Association”.

Jane Francis is among the farmers who received training on the “Transfer of Soil Health Enhancing Technologies and Innovations to Last Mile Stakeholders”. The trainings  were held in Lyantonde and Gulu districts in Uganda respectively.

and  converged farmers, extension workers, researchers, academia, agri-entrepreneurs, and local government leaders to strengthen knowledge and adoption of sustainable soil management practices.

Organized under the CAADP-XP4 Programme with funding from the European Commission and oversight from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The trainings formed part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the transfer and adoption of soil health-enhancing technologies and innovations among farming communities, particularly smallholder farmers who continue to face the impacts of declining soil fertility and climate variability.

 

The first training workshop was held in Lyantonde District from 12–13 May 2026, followed by a second engagement in Gulu City from 15–16 May 2026. Both trainings provided a platform for knowledge-sharing, practical learning, and collaborative discussions on improving soil productivity, climate resilience, and sustainable agricultural systems across Uganda.

The engagements officially commenced with facilitator briefings, participant networking sessions, and opening remarks from representatives of ASARECA, NARO, Makerere University, and district leadership. Delivering openingremarks on behalf of ASARECA, Blaise Amony, Capacity Development Program Officer, emphasized theimportance of strengthening the connection between research

 

institutions and farming communities to ensure that agricultural innovations effectively reach last-mile stakeholders.

She noted that sustainable agricultural transformation can only be achieved when farmers and extension workers are equipped with practical knowledge and technologies that respond to local challenges affecting soil productivity andclimate resilience. She further highlighted the importance of collaborative learning, farmer-centered extension approaches, and continued partnerships among research institutions, government agencies, academia, and local communities in promoting adoption of soil health-enhancing technologies across Uganda.

 

Participants were also encouraged to actively engage in the training sessions, sharing experiences from their farming communities, and using the acquired knowledge to support wider dissemination of sustainable agricultural practices beyond the workshop engagements.

Throughout the sessions, participants explored key soil health challenges affecting agricultural productivity in Uganda.Technical presentations and discussions focused on soil mapping for crop suitability, Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), integrated nutrient management, agro-ecology practices, and strategies for technology dissemination among smallholder farmers.

 

One of the key highlights of the training was the session on soil sampling and the importance of soil testing facilitated by Dr. Charles Luswata from Makerere University. The session attracted strong participation and engagement fromfarmers, extension workers, scientists, and local leaders who actively took part in practical group discussions and knowledge-sharing exercises.Participants discussed proper soil sampling procedures, common challenges faced byfarmers during soil collection, and the importance of soil testing in supporting informed nutrient management and crop production decisions. Through interactive discussions and practical demonstrations, participants gained a deeper understanding of how soil analysis could help improve soil fertility, increase productivity, and strengthen climate resilience among farming communities.

 

The trainings also included practical field learning sessions where participants in both Lyantonde and Gulu  districts visited banana and coffee plantation demos to observe and apply soil health and crop management practices firsthand. During the field demonstrations facilitated with support from Agape Innovations, participants learned how to properly apply ISFM practices in banana and coffee gardens to improve soil fertility and crop productivity.

 

 

Participants were also taken through practical demonstrations on how to safely destroy harvested banana plants tocontrol and kill banana weevils, one of the major pests affecting banana production. The sessions provided farmers and extension workers with hands-on knowledge on pest management approaches that can reduce crop losses and improve farm hygiene.

 

In addition, participants actively engaged in practical soil sampling exercises within garden plots to assess soil conditions including pH levels, soil acidity, and other indicators important for soil health management and fertilizer recommendations. The practical sessions strengthened participants’ understanding of the importance of soil testing before fertilizer application and crop establishment.

 

Insect management technologies  was another interactive component of the field sessions where participants learned how to use bottle trapping technology introduced by Agape Innovations to monitor and trap harmful insects affectingcrops. Farmers and other stakeholders were given the opportunity to ask questions, share field experiences, and receive firsthand practical guidance on implementing the technologies within their own farming communities.

The group-based learning approach encouraged participants to share experiences from their respective districts and collaboratively identify practical solutions for sustainable land management. The discussions also highlighted the importance of strengthening extension systems and improving access to agricultural knowledge and technologies at the community level.

 

Other sessions introduced participants to practical fertilizer optimization approaches, and methods for improving technology dissemination and adoption among smallholder farmers. The trainings also emphasized the importance of partnerships among Research institutions, Universities, Government agencies, Extension actors, and farming communities in addressing soil degradation and promoting sustainable agriculture.

 

Farmer groups and extension actors were encouraged to continue sharing the knowledge acquired during theworkshops to support wider adoption of nature-based solutions.

The successful implementation of the Lyantonde and Gulu workshops demonstrated the growing commitment among stakeholders to improving soil health, strengthening food systems, and building resilient agricultural communities in Uganda. Through collaborative learning, practical engagement, and knowledge exchange, the trainings contributed significantly to ongoing efforts aimed at promoting sustainable agriculture and improving livelihoods among last-mile stakeholders.

Inputs offered to farmer groups included  Agape Bio-Pe, t – 48 bottles, Agape Garden Boost- 24 bottles Agape Organicfertilizer – 30bags Agric lime – 10 bags,Rebirth Liquid – 120 pieces Coffee twig bore lures- 24 bottles Coffee twig borertraps- 24 pieces Testing kits- 12, Brochures – 200 Training manuals – 272

All together the two trai nings attracted 16 farners and 13 farners  Gropius from Lyantonde and Gulu respectively. Female  participants were 32 and male participants were 32 respectively.