Simon Alibu, Arthur Wasukira, James Ekebu, Patricia Driciru, Cho Ilho, Partial Substitution of Mineral Fertilizers with Organic Fertilizers to Increase Yield and Profitability of Irrigated Lowland Rice Cultivation, Journal of Agronomy Research, Volume 5, Issue 4, 2026, Pages 15-30, ISSN 2639-3166, https://doi.org/10.14302/issn.2639-3166.jar-26-6095.
(https://oap-journals.net/agronomy-research/article/partial-substitution-of-mineral-fertilizers-with-organic-fertilizers-to-increase-yield-and-profitability-of-irrigated-lowland-rice-cultivati-2392)
Abstract: Uganda has the world's lowest fertilizer use rate at just 1-1.5 kg per hectare. This limited use is a key factor hindering rice productivity in the country. Farmers can use affordable organic fertilizers to partially replace expensive mineral fertilizers, increasing the profitability of rice cultivation. This study focused on identifying the optimal combinations and application rates of inorganic fertilizers and organic inputs to enhance the yield and profitability of irrigated rice, particularly by varying nitrogen levels, the most limiting nutrient. Using a combination of organic and inorganic fertilizers improved paddy yields by enhancing nitrogen efficiency and increasing profitability, as demonstrated by the cost-benefit ratio. In contrast, mineral fertilizers produced the lowest yields and profits. The optimal fertilizer option identified was a combination of mineral and organic fertilizers, using a low nitrogen rate of 30 kg/ha. This approach yielded the highest cost-benefit ratio of 4.7, resulting in a net benefit of UGX 11.4 million per hectare. The second-best option was the organic fertilizers providing 90 kg N/ha, which achieved a cost-benefit ratio of 4.3 and a net benefit of UGX 9.7 million per hectare.
Keywords: Nitrogen use; manure; cost-benefit analysis; Doho; Uganda