© 2019 JOY Goat Development Programme

Home Introduction Why goats Activities More Projects About us Contact

.

This site does not use cookies

Soil quality

Erosion control banks stop fertile topsoil from being washed away; and keeps rainwater, where the crops are.

If the trees are nitrogen fixing, they provide high-protein feed for the goats, as well as fertilising the soil.

Dung from the goats contains nitrogen and water-retaining organic matter  -both needed by tropical soils. The urine is also a useful source of nitrogen.  

Tree seedlings

JOY Youth Training Centre, has been active in encouraging the setting up of small scale tree nurseries. The trees include nitrogen-fixing shrubs which improve soil fertility, fruit trees and timber trees. All of the types used can also be used to feed goats, and result in a more nutritious and better balanced diet than when only grass and crop residues are used.

more..

Hills

The fertile, well-watered hills of southern Uganda are very densely populated. Consequently they are the most intensively farmed areas. Keeping goats encourages farmers to plant the lines of trees and grass as erosion control, providing fodder for the goats but ensuring long-term environmental protection.

Are goats an environmental hazard?

It is often claimed that goats are a hazard to the environment. But where the main activity is all year round crop growing, the goats are kept tethered and do not get the opportunity to damage trees or to overgraze. This applies to the hilly areas where we are concentrating our efforts; because these are the very areas where there is a shortage of milk.