Tanzania farmers advised on human manure use

by Meddy Mulisa

A group of 20 farmers from Kagera Region, Tanzania who recently visited Kabale District, in Uganda, were highly impressed by the use of human manure. The method is said to be environmentally friendly as opposed to the use of industrial fertilizers.

The farmers went to Uganda to learn agricultural methods being adopted by Ugandan farming communities who engage in sustainable farming.

One of the farmers in Kabale district, Ms Beatrice Twayangga, said, ''By using human manure, I have been able to double the maize production from three bags to 40 bags per hectare,'' she said.

Kabale's Africa 2000 Network Co-ordinator, Mr Polly Mubangizi told the visiting Tanzanian farmers that the human manure has to be mixed with ashes, urine and leaves from certain tree species to provide an ingredient that would not attract harmful insects to attack crops.

Farmers n Kagera region use very little fertilizer on their farms. Data indicates that during the 1988/89 season, a total of 478.1 tonnes of fertilizers were distributed to villages in the region out of which only 159 tonnes were used by the farmers.

In the 1991/92 season a total of 258.05 tonnes of fertilizers were distributed to villages but only 85.2 tonnes were utilized.

Daily News