TITLE:
Evaluation of Various Soil and Water Conservation Practices Using Qualitative Criteria by Diverse Stakeholders in the River Katonga Micro-Catchment of South-Central Uganda
AUTHORS:
Matabaro Wivine Adidja, Joseph Ssekandi, Akalu Teshome
KEYWORDS:
Soil and Water Conservation (SWC), Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA), Farmer Preferences, Katonga Micro-Catchment, Uganda
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment,
Vol.15 No.1,
February
27,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study evaluated various SWC practices utilizing qualitative criteria by engaging farmers, environmental experts, and local leaders in Mityana, Butambala, and Lwengo. The Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) process was used and included determining objectives, identifying alternatives, establishing evaluation criteria, determining the effects of alternatives, and aggregating and ranking the alternatives. Data collection employed qualitative and quantitative methods, including surveys (200 farmers), key informant interviews (20 local leaders and environmental experts), and 12 focus group discussions. The most commonly used SWC practices are trenches/ditches, mulches/cover crops, grass bunds/hedgerows, and agroforestry/tree planting (p