Drip Irrigation

Dryness is one of the main agricultural issues throughout Uganda and in Lweza due to unpredictable rains. A drip irrigation system solves this by using drip lines with holes that line up directly with the root zone of crops and allows water to flow across a garden bed simply with gravity. VHP and the community, armed with evidence from our partner, Appropriate Technology Center (ATC), determined the most affordable and efficient type of irrigation system for smallholder farmers to be a bucket system.

 

The bucket drip irrigation systems were piloted in the community demonstration garden and within the community. Surveys revealed that bucket drip irrigation is affordable, effective, and instrumental in growing vegetables. Families have enjoyed improved yields and now have the ability to plant during the dry season, when the demand, and subsequent price, for vegetable crops are highest.