Browsing by Author "Byarugaba, Dominic"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Medicinal plants use in and around kalinzu central forest reserve, Western Uganda
    (JMPS, 2017-10) Musinguzi, Danson; Tumushabe, Anne; Sekabira, Kassim; Basamba, Twaha A; Byarugaba, Dominic
    This study assessed medicinal use, diversity, and conservation techniques for plant species used in the treatment of various ailments among the local communities living around Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve in Western Uganda. The objectives of the study were: (1) to assess the diversity, use, and conservation of medicinal plants in and around Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve; and (2) to evaluate the importance of medicinal plants to communities surrounding the tropical forest. Plant species were identified and their distinctiveness such as their mode of extract preparation, parts used, and ailments treated documented. In-situ study and information on plant species was obtained by using transects or quadrant methods, Semi-structured questionnaires and interviews. Eighteen (18) plant species belonging to thirteen (13) families and sixteen (16) genera were identified by local communities for medical purposes. The utilization and preference of plant products included fruits, vegetables, medicines, fire wood, construction materials, and other purposes as 76.7% of the local people use the forest as a source for medicines. Shannon Weiner Index, H’ = 2.554 and Species Evenness, EH = 0.8836 were calculated. These values indicated uneven distribution of medicinal plant species especially in areas where there is no replacement. Adherence to traditional norms and cultures, inadequate medical services and other health care services put medicinal plants at the centre of basic primary health care. This has made it difficult to effectively implement conservation measures in Kalinzu central forest reserve due to the high dependencies on the forest products by the surrounding communities.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Use and Adoption of Family-Sized Bio-digesters as Renewable Energy Sources in Ngoma District, Rwanda
    (Preprints (www.preprints.org), 2018-05-25) Musinguzi, Danson; Kayinamura, Emmanuel; Tumushabe, Ann; Omuna, Daniel; Eniru, Emmanuel I; Akiyode, Oluwole O; Mwebesa, Edson; Byarugaba, Dominic; Basamba, Twaha A.; Katongole, Hadijjah
    1) Background: The environmental, financial and social questions in Africa remain unanswered up-to-date, with the rapid increase in human population and the demand for fuel energy, trigger the need to generate data on the socio-economic factors influencing the knowledge of use and adoption of family-sized bio-digesters. The increasing prices of fossil fuels and taxes on energy sources require finding the alternative, clean and economical sources of energy for households in developing countries. Moreover, in Africa, the consumption of firewood and charcoal continues to increase, with wood fuel consumption predicted to increase by 2030 to over 140%. The study objectives were 1) to determine the socio-economic characteristics of the people in Ngoma district, 2) to assess socio-economic factors influencing people to use and adopt family-sized biodigesters. 2) Methods: Quantitative data collected with semi-structured questionnaires and interviews were analyzed using descriptive statistics. 3) Results: The results show that many households had not realized the potential benefits of biogas use and adoption in Rwanda. The study further found that a number of factors such as household income levels, socio-economic, technological, and institutional influence the household use and adoption of biogas energy. 4) Conclusions: At the end, the study suggests the need for all players such as Government, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO's) and local communities to work together to provide incentives and favorable environment that can attract individual households to invest in biogas energy production and utilization.