Research improving food security in Uganda
What you need to know:
Training of farmers on maize growing
The Agriculture Ministry and its partners have also given extension training services on maize grain and seed production.
Farmers in 28 districts have been equipped with the required skills through implementing partners like the International Institute for Rural Rescue (IIRR) operating in central and western regions of the country.
“The business service provider is working to ensure that farmers are trained on modern maize production, timely production, selection of suitable ing,” Dr Kasozi says. Farmers harvest certified rice seed at Aber, Oyam District. ALL PHOTOS/PETER SSERUGO
Adding that, efficient maize production enables farmers to realise better profits than when planted hazardously.
“For example, when planting, we must ensure that farmers follow standard spacing. For maize, it is 0.75m from one row to another and 0.25m from one plant to another within a row,” he emphasised.
Maize seed production
The government mobilised various districts into groups such as Luweero, Buvuma, Buikwe, Iganga, Buyende, Kamwenge, Kyegegwa and Kasese. These were trained about the differences between seed and grain.
Maize seed is what is used for the production of maize grain while maize grain is what is produced commercially or at a subsistence scale for consumption or trade.
After successful training, the farmers have since started to communally produce coated flared seeds for open-pollinated varieties (OPV) in districts such as Luweero, Buikwe, Iganga and Buyende.
Awareness
Out of continuous research, NARO has also developed at least 10 information, education and communication materials on the proper growing of maize seed and grain.
The developed materials include posters on the management of maize diseases and grain post-harvest handling, materials on maize seed post-harvest handling, the maize cropping calendar, striga management, maize grain production materials and maize seed production materials, among others.
Challenges
Despite the many milestones in the maize value chain, there are several challenges.
Weak linkages: Dr Kasozi says there is a need to strengthen the linkages between seed companies and research as well as seed companies and farmers for proper maize production.
“If we can ensure that we strengthen those linkages, the farmers will be able to know more about the improved maize and be able to understand where to timely access it,” he says.
Improved linkages between seed companies and research will enable seed companies to access early-generation seeds promptly and also guide researchers to plan and understand the amount of early-generation seeds required by the seed companies and when it is required.
At the moment, there is low adoption of the new cereal varieties and the associated technologies for producing these varieties.
Understaffing: This is in regards to researchers at NARO and Dr Kasozi calls upon relevant authorities to ensure to recruit more experts to the centre.
“We have only one agronomist for both maize and rice and only one pathologist. These often get overwhelmed making it impossible to handle some issues,” he said.
Rice value chain
With a need to replace some rice varieties, more so those predominately grown in wetlands, Dr Jimmy Lamwo, a rice breeder and programme leader for cereals at NARO says the research centre in recent years engaged in research to release new rice varieties, partially under AVCP arrangements.
The new varieties can grow in the rain-fed lowlands and uplands.
This was buffered by the government’s shift towards research-based agriculture. As such, the missing links such as popularisation of the released varieties, were bridged in the process of preparing for the rice variety release.
For instance, in 2021, the government pooled resources which enabled NARO to do research, and testing and release four rice varieties, one variety was released in 2022 and others in 2023.
“NARO was stuck with several rice varieties which needed final testing and release. However, the government, through AVCP, supported the meetings for pre-release, final testing and release of six varieties,” he says.
Dr Lamwo says releasing six varieties within three years has been a lot of work, hence commending the Agriculture Ministry for the unwavering support to NARO, at all levels of releasing the varieties.
The new rice varieties include NARORICE-1, NARORICE-2, NARORICE-3 and NARORICE-4.
“They are resilient to diseases but also aromatic because we wanted to compete with the aromatic variety which is susceptible to diseases, known as Super Rice,” Dr Lamwo said.
Under rice research, NARO has also cumulatively produced 34.78 MT of rice foundation seed and 8.7 MT of breeder seed for 10 varieties.
These include NARORICE-1, NARORICE-2, NARORICE-3, NARORICE-4, WITA-9, NamChe-1, NamChe-2, NamChe-4, NamChe-5, and NamChe-6.
Unique characteristics and adaptation
NARORICE-1 is commonly known as New Super, it is very similar to Super rice with big grain and high yields.
Since its release, farmers have highly embraced NARORICE 1 because it can be grown twice a year, with the added advantage the harvested grain can be re-planted. That saves farmer’s resources.
NARORICE-2 and NARORICE-3 are slender like Basmati and are usually referred to as the New Basmati
They have both local and regional markets such as Tanzania and DR Congo, where it is sold as New Basmati.
NARORICE-4 is of medium size like Kaiso rice, but also aromatic. It has performed very well in slightly sandy areas and those with less fertile soils like the Northern region.
Experts at NARO commended the agriculture ministry for the continuous support that has made the varieties available through supporting their final testing and release.
Other developments
Dr Lamo says NARO also set up demonstration farms for the released varieties which popularized them among the general public.
“Oftentimes when varieties are released, it takes long before people know about them. However, through the project, we established season-long demonstration farms, where we planted the same set of each variety every two months.
“The National Agricultural Research Organisation after immense input, released two maize hybrids. These are; NARO MAIZE 63 VITA, which is rich in Vitamin A and NARO MAIZE 64 STR, which is tolerant to striga weed. The government fully supported the early stages of research while AVCP facilitated the later stages of evaluation and ultimate release of both maize varieties,”
Dr Charles Lwanga Kasozi, maize breeder, National Agricultural Research Organisation, Namulonge
These farms are used by NGOs or any other players who may want to train people about rice growing,” he says.
People are also able to see the crop at different growth stages.
The ministry has also set up a seed production irrigation mini-facility, which has enabled farmers to grow rice throughout the years. That addresses a very critical issue of droughts in grain production.
Improving grain quality
The Agriculture Ministry through AVCP has spent $150,000 (about Shs583m) to buy equipment for seed cleaning, and testing for physical and foreign bodies that affect seeds and grains.
The standard equipment has enabled NARO to produce internationally competitive seeds.
Dr Lamwo says before the procurement of this equipment, the seeds from NARO were not going through the final testing or cleanliness.
“For quality to be maintained, seeds should be dried under good temperatures and moisture for them to germinate well. The government constructed for us a solar dryer that is drying various grain types,” he said.
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