Contribution of legume intercrop as a climate smart agriculture practice to coffee production among smallholder farmers in Kisozi Sub County

Abstract

This study evaluated the influence of legume intercropping, a climate-smart agricultural strategy, to coffee production among smallholder farmers in Kisozi Sub County. The study utilized a combination of research methods, including a set of well-structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with heads of subcounty agricultural extension staff at the Kisozi Sub County level. Using a descriptive research approach, 345 smallholder farmers were interviewed as a sample. The results demonstrated that climatic change has significantly impacted flowering, coffee bean falling, and leaf scorching. The legume intercrop substantially improved soil water retention, protected coffee plants from nitrogen loss, and shielded the soil from running water, among other benefits. This study found that climate change has a variety of consequences on coffee output, including an increased occurrence of drought conditions and, in some circumstances, an increase in rainfall. The study also determined that legume intercrops encourage profit maximization since smallholder farmers may harvest numerous crops at once and supply nitrogen to the soil, which coffee bushes need to feed themselves and produce high-quality beans. It was determined that elderly coffee plants pose the greatest obstacle to legume intercrops for high-quality coffee production. This study advocates promoting the concept of legume intercropping as a suitable smart agriculture strategy in coffee production.