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Moisture stress grossly limits crop yields in sub-Saharan Africa. Ca-bentonite holds and avails water for plant uptake. However, despite its availability and increasing droughts in Uganda, its use is limited, partly due to inadequate empirical evidence about its benefits. This 3-season on-farm study assessed the benefits accruing from Ca-bentonite use. Crops included: maize (Longe 10H), finger millet (Seremi-2), sorghum (SESO-3), green-grams (Mauritius) and groundnuts (Serenut 6). Treatments were: Ca-bentonite (2.5 t ha -1 ), Ca-bentonite combined with manure (FYM) and/or phosphate (DAP/SSP), replicated five times in CR design. Ca-bentonite (2.5 t ha -1 ) increased the grain yields of maize, millet, sorghum, green-grams and groundnuts by 11, 20, 14, 17 and 5% above the control. Bentonite combined with DAP/SSP and/or FYM increased maize, finger millet, sorghum, green-grams and groundnuts yields by 14-82%, 22-42%, 23-42%, 32-42% and 4-26%, respectively. Higher grain yields were partly attributed to increased soil moisture following bentonite application. Compared to other crops, bentonite was more profitable when used on the higher priced groundnuts. Considering the high bentonite cost, application on high value crops, blending with other materials and policy support are recommended, to make this locally available resource economically viable for smallholder farmers, thereby help them cope better with increasing droughts.

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Climate change is increasingly affecting farm-level decisions on when to plant and which climate smart agriculture (CSA) options to use. This study was conducted to determine the profitability and farmer acceptability of different CSA options for maize-bean production in drought-prone areas of Uganda. It was conducted on-farm in Rakai and Nakasongola districts during 2020 and 2021. Variables included: planting date (early vs late); varieties (common beans: NABE 4 and NAROBEAN 2, and maize: Longe 5 and Bazooka); intercropping versus pure stand; and fertiliser use (manure, Diammonium phosphate (DAP) or combination). The experimental design was split-split plot, replicated six times. Over two years, early planting caused 16% and up to 46% higher yields of maize and beans, respectively, than late planting, resulting in 14% -28% and 18% -43% higher Benefit/Cost (B/C) ratio for maize and beans, respectively. Intercropping reduced maize and beans yield by 16% -25% and 52% -57%, respectively. The B/C was highest for sole maize; intercropping was more profitable than sole beans. Fertilizer (DAP) was most profitable when Bazooka was early-planted as sole crop followed by intercrop. For late planted-crop, manure was better. These practices were more beneficial when applied simultaneously for both crops excluding bean variety. Farmers' lessons stressed the importance of early planting and fertilizer use; however, majority indicated they were to adopt more than two of the practices tested.