The transformation of agriculture in Kigezi, western Uganda, 1500 - 2001

Abstract

This study investigated how agriculture in Kigezi region of south-western Uganda transformed between the years 1500 and 2001. The study was guided by three objectives: to discuss the nature of agriculture in the pre-colonial Kigezi region (1500-1911), to examine the ways in which the British colonial administration transformed agriculture in Kigezi region (1911-1961) and to assess how the transformation of agriculture impacted the economy and lives of people of Kigezi region from 1962 to 2011. The Modernisation Theory of Development as developed by Smith was used to analyse the transformation of Agriculture in Kigezi, 1500-2001. Qualitative data; both primary and secondary, was collected. Primary data was collected by use of oral interviews and archives, while secondary data was gathered from written sources. Public and private libraries with agricultural information were consulted for secondary data. Data collection tools used were interview guides and content analysis forms. In summary, the study found that the transformation of agriculture in Kigezi was gradual. In the pre-colonial period, traditional indigenous farming practices and crops dominated. Tools were rudimentary and made from iron and wood. Crops grown included millet, sorghum and potatoes, and were produced by use of family labour, on communally owned land. A shift from the use of rudimentary technology and tools to a more modernized agricultural sector backed by increasing mechanisation and industrialisation was realised in the colonial era (1911-1961). A number of new crops were introduced at the inception of alien rule in 1891 and continued up to 1908, although some of the crops which existed in pre-colonial times were maintained and improved through research in colonial and post-colonial period. Soil conservation practices and market trends significantly changed following the introduction of a monetary economy. The study concluded that the new monetary economy, together with supportive policies and continued investment by the postcolonial government of the Republic of Uganda tremendously increased agricultural production in Kigezi region from 1962 to 2001. The study adds to earlier arguments on transformation of agriculture in Uganda by highlighting the inter play between indigenous practices and external interventions over time. It under scores how the resilience and adaptability of local communities laid the foundation for agricultural advancements introduced during colonial and post-colonial periods. From this study, areas for further research would include examining gendered impacts on agricultural practices, comparative analyses with other regions, and exploring the environmental consequences of modernization policies to close the gaps that would have been left by this study.