Kampala — The most obvious way to improve soil fertility is to use fertilisers to provide nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Unfortunately, many subsistence farmers cannot afford them.

But the Rural Community Development Centre (RUCID)officials based in Mityana have been tackling this problem for 10 years and their efforts are now paying off.

RUCID has trained small-scale farmers in the use of organic farming practices that have helped them enrich their soils.

Organic agriculture is a kind of farming system that promotes environmentally and socio-economically sound production of food and fibres dramatically reducing external inputs. Elisha Ssebadduka Bireka, an official from RUCID, says organic manure refrains the farmer from using fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides, acaricides and other chemicals, thus cutting the cost of production.

"We have also reduced the problems involved when farmers don't follow instructions of how to apply the fertilisers," Bireka said.

Organically grown products have a high demand, especially in the developed countries. There are several successful projects involving exporting of agriculture products. Farmers' incomes have increased by between 20% and 30%. Some of these export markets driven crops include coffee, chilies, vanilla and avocado.

Organic matter is important because its decay produces humus, which modifies the structure of the soil, preventing compaction.