By Umar Nsubuga
Joseph Bukenya, a commercial farmer based in Kabwomero village in Luwero district says mixed farming has advantages and disadvantages.
He explains some of them.
Advantages
-It diversifies a farmer’s source of income since he or she has many commodities to sell. Farmers who practise mixed farming usually have something to sell all year round.
If there are no sales from crops, there will be sales from the animal section. For example, while most seasonal crops like maize and beans are harvested between August and September and between January and February, you can have piglets, goats, eggs and chicken for the rest of the year.
According to Bukenya, there is maximum use of land. Land that is not good for crop cultivation can be used for rearing animals, which ensures that there is no wastage of resources.
He says different enterprises on the farm can depend on each other. For example, animal droppings can used as manure for crops, while crop residues can be used as animal feeds.
In some instances, farmers keeping fish construct chicken houses above the fish ponds. This is because chicken droppings make good feeds for fish through a process called aquaponics.
Disadvantages
-Control and management of the farm is difficult. The farmers incur losses as a result of being overwhelmed. For example, the animals can sometimes eat planted crops if care is not taken.
Bukenya says it divides the attention of the farmer and unless they are alert, one might fail to manage all the enterprises.
-Some of the enterprises on the farm may be making losses without the knowledge of the farmer, since they may be masked by other profitable ventures.
– The farmer needs a lot of resources to take care of the farm.
