Challenges Affecting and Actions to Enhance Wood Production in Greater Mubende District, Central Uganda

Limited consideration of small and medium tree planters by most researchers in academic and programme based research has remained a great limitation to promoting Farm Forestry in most developing countries over the years. Despite the contribution from small scale tree farmers in reducing wood products supply gap, major scientific research attention has always been directed to large scale tree farmers resulting into limited scientific information on how small and medium scale tree farmers contribute towards wood supply in Uganda and beyond. This study aimed at diagnosing the contribution of Farm Forestry Systems in the face of the forecasted wood supply gap in Uganda. Specifically, the study sought to:Investigate challenges affecting and actions to enhance wood production in the study area. A descriptive research design employing a cross-sectional field survey with qualitative and quantitative data collection approaches were adopted. Descriptive design was used to facilitate describing the state of affairs as they actually existed. During data collection, interviews were conducted with 63 Tree and 64 Non-tree farmers. Tree inventory and field observations, Geo-spatial analysis and review of literature were conducted. Descriptive statistics, Cross tabulation, Independent samples Man Whitney test, and Correspondence Analysis were used in the data analysis. Tree farmers were dominantly challenged with limited access to technical training in tree management and they indicated that formation of farmer groups and access to affordable credit facilities could enhance their involvement in wood production. Tree farmers should be organized into collective action groups to enable them jointly; seek financial support from different government initiatives, lobby for technical extension services such as training from local government officials like the office of the DFO and also access contractual markets. The study also points out the need for establishing demonstration farms to allow for peer learning and proper involvement of tree farmers in innovations aimed at developing local solutions to local challenge