By KT Reporter
Farmers in West Nile have started embracing soil testing practice which is done before planting crops to enable them apply right fertilizers in correct amounts with the aim of improving their yield in the garden.
Soil testing is the process of analyzing a soil sample to determine its physical, chemical and biological properties to help in understanding nutrient content, potential hydrogen (pH) level, texture and any other characteristics that affects soil health and growth of plants.
Previously, farmers in West Nile could not carry soil testing, expressing various challenges ranging from lack of awareness, inaccessibility and high cost which limited them from conducting soil testing in the region.
Omia Agribusiness Development Group recently introduced the service, following an assessment by the Uganda Climate Smart Jobs program in the region that indicated only 6% of people in of 302 farmers and 29 key informants interviewed have ever tested their soil.
According to the group CEO and founder, Iganachi Razaki Omia, the aimed is to help farmers in the region to first understand their soil before planting which prevents them from spending without knowledge.
The cost for soil testing ranges between UGX 10,000 and UGX 60,000 depending on the model of testing – from NARO Soil and Plant Lab, UNBS, MUK Soil Science, AbiZARD, NARL and Ngetta.
So far, 30 farmer groups and 6 individuals in West Nile region have benefited from the group’s offer of UGX 30,000 per sample of soil conducted. These are from Arua, Koboko, Yumbe, Gulu, Adjumani and Zombo.
Amanzuru Patrick, a farmer in Adjumani District, acknowledges the benefit of soil testing, stating that it has enabled him make easy decisions on which crop to plant and to apply right amounts of fertilizer based on report issued after every testing of soil done.
However, Izati Robert Kizza, a soil testing expert, explains that many farmers make loses for apply fertilizers without understanding their soil which negative impats on the yield.
Using a soil testing machine, farmers get to know their soil profile after 5 minutes of conducting the test. A technical person scoops small portions of soil sample from 3 different points of a land. These samples are later mixed and places on a plate before beeing scanned using the soil testing machine.
The result shows immediately after 5 minutes, indicating soil status with the units of pH, nitrogen, zinc, aluminum, phosphorus and other properties in the soil. A report is then compiled with recommendation on best crops for the soil or recommended fertilizers to improve the fertility.
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