The Agricultural Utility of Wetlands of the Lake Kyoga Basin

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Periodical article

Title:	The Agricultural Utility of Wetlands of the Lake Kyoga Basin
Author:	Mwaka, Victoria M.
Year:	1990
Periodical:	Eastern and Southern Africa Geographical Journal
Volume:	1
Issue:	1
Period:	February
Pages:	10-25
Language:	English
Notes:	biblio. refs., ills.
Geographic terms:	Uganda East Africa
Subjects:	water irrigation Agriculture, Natural Resources and the Environment Development and Technology Agriculture, Agronomy, Forestry Lake Kyoga Basin (Uganda) wetlands agricultural development
Abstract:	Available evidence indicates that wetlands in Uganda have previously been looked upon as areas of little utility mainly due to poor drainage procedures. However, with the increasing scarcity of well-watered areas and with the discovery of irrigated rice as a profitable crop, irrigation farming through swamp reclamation has gained significance. This paper discusses the agricultural utility of the wetlands of the Lake Kyoga Basin in eastern Uganda. It outlines the factors which have contributed to the increase of small-scale irrigated rice cultivation - a favourable physical environment, a shortage of agricultural land, the market potential of rice as a cash crop, the existence of government irrigated rice schemes, and the positive response of the population - and discusses the problems involved in the continued reclamation of wetlands. Bibliogr., sum.