Rice Paddy Scheme and Wetland Degradation Tilda Kibimba, Bugiri District, Uganda

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to establish the impact of paddy schemes on wetland degradation in Kibimba wetland Bugiri; and in this the major concern was the factors, activities and effects of rice paddy agriculture on wetlands. The study was conducted among surrounding outgrowers, labour workers at the scheme and extension officers of Tilda rice scheme. The literature review covered relevant literature from other previous writers, journals, documentary reviews where factors of rice paddy schemes activities of rice paddy scheme agriculture and effects of rice paddy schemes will be reflected in the Literature review.The study used a descriptive study design in which both qualitative and quantitative methods were adopted. In a cross-sectional survey, a total of 40 farmers will be interviewed using several data collection methods including interviews, informal discussions based on questionnaires and observation .The researcher was focused majorly on the activities involved in rice paddy agriculture and their effects on the wetland ecosystem and this was majorly on observation of these effects and practices.Data was analyzed, coded and presented using pie charts. Factors like continuos cultivation of the wetland leads to depletion of soil nutrients, lack of awareness about wetland conservation, political factors of the rich being given free access to wetland natural resources without follow ups and economic factors were all laeding to wetland degradation. After the study, the researcher found out that rice growing has no impact on the wetland but the problem was with the activities that are involved in rice growing for example during land preparation, the use of chemical to kill weeds was a common practice that changes the wetland ecosystem compostion through contaminating it and making it inhabitable to the different kinds of biodiversity; use of fertilizers that degrade the soil that without using them in a particular season would mean very poor yields, other pests and disease control using chemical for example kills birds and fish in the water; machinized harvesting leads to compaction of the soil particles reducing soil aeration. Therefore, there is wetland degradation taking place at Tilda Uganda Limited but most of the effects can not be easily observed by a lay man physically except a few effects, therby requiring the government to come up and fund environment conservation organizations to there and do scientific studies by for example testing soil samples in laboratories, or else the wetland of Kibimba will soon become a was±e land.