Rising temperatures and inconsistent rainfall are threatening traditional methods of production in Uganda, pushing farmers to expand agricultural land into natural forests. Due to the increased population, the demand for agriculture is rising resulting in a high rate of deforestation. Coffee and bananas, important crops in Uganda, are vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Sustainable agriculture and climate-adapted coffee and banana varieties are needed to safeguard carbon sinks.
Biotechnology and smart farming solutions will make agriculture more resource efficient and lead to a reversal of deforestation. A modern biotechnology laboratory will be set up for research and development in the tissue culture of coffee, banana and shade tree species. As a result, coffee and banana varieties will be developed which are more resistant to the effects of climate change and diseases.
New plant breeding technologies will also be used and agronomic practices will be applied to make agriculture more sustainable. Coffee and banana waste will be used as raw material for biofuel.
The coffee-banana agroforestry system, composed of shade trees (75%), coffee trees (18%) and banana and plantain shrubs (8%), will contribute substantially to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions as this system offers a higher carbon stock than a monoculture system.
By using climate-smart agricultural practices, the project will contribute to Uganda’s ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cropped land by 0.33-0.35 million tons CO2 per hectare per year.
Dependence on charcoal from deforested trees will be reduced by converting coffee and banana waste into an environmentally friendly fuel.