Effects of Agricultural Intensification On Wetland Conservation in Nsambya Sub-County, Kyankwanzi District, Uganda.

ABSTRACT Agricultural intensification is defined as “the relation to constant land, the substitution of labour, capital or technology for land, in any combination, so as to obtain higher long-term production from the same area. The objectives of the study were to identify the agricultural activities in wetlands and factors that influence people to carry out agriculture in wetlands, to examine how agricultural intensification affects the wetland ecosystem and explore the measures put in place to ensure wetland conservation amidst intensified agriculture on wetlands. The study was descriptive in nature comprised of both qualitative and quantitative designs and a total of 80 respondents was chosen as the sample size. The sampling techniques were simple random sampling and purposive sampling. Data was collected using questionnaires, observation and document review. The data was mainly analyzed using frequencies and percentages and presented in form of pie-charts and frequency distribution tables. The greatest agricultural intensification activity carried out in R.Kafii wetland was crop farming in form of monoculture and crop rotation while the least activity. The most grown crop in the wetland was maize while the least was sweet potatoes. The greatest factor influencing people to cultivate in the wetland is the reliable water supply while the least was the availability of other products. The greatest agricultural intensification activity affecting the wetland was crop farming in form of monoculture while the least was the use of inorganic fertilizers and pesticides. The greatest measures used to conserve the wetland are creating awareness or sensitization while the least was capacity building. The measure suggested by the respondents to be implemented to ensure proper wetland conservation was increased sensitization and more capacity building. The study recommended the following; Crops and animals that mature faster and give higher yields should be more promoted, periodic research and inventory should be developed and conducted and finally more funding should be mobilized by the concerned authorities for ensuring proper wetlands conservation.