Researchers to focus on cassava, banana seeds

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Uganda’s food security drive is entering a new phase as researchers shift focus to developing vegetatively propagated seed to boost production of cassava, sweet potatoes, yams, and bananas.

With farmers losing millions to fake planting materials, scientists at the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) say the next frontier is producing reliable vegetative seed.

Dr Titus Alicai, NaCRRI’s director of research, made the announcement during the institute’s 75th anniversary celebrations at Namulonge, Wakiso district.

He explained that vegetative propagation using leaves, stems, or roots, will strengthen Uganda’s seed system and ensure farmers access quality planting materials, curbing cases of counterfeit seed.

John Oboth, a farmer from Tororo district planted five acres of cassava last year only to watch the tubers rot.

“Each bag of cuttings cost sh25,000, plus labour and land clearance. It was a huge loss,” he said.

Researchers later confirmed his supplier was not certified. The Uganda National Bureau of Standards estimates that 30–40% of seeds sold in Uganda are counterfeit.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations adds that fake pesticides have caused productivity losses of up to 43%, while fake cassava cuttings have triggered drops of 35% in affected areas.

Such losses highlight why strengthening seed systems is critical, especially as demand for crops like cassava grows following the recent launch of a plant in Busambu in Kamuli district.

It processes 500 tonnes daily, according to Dr Swidiq Mugerwa, the deputy director general in charge of research coordination.

While lauding their effort in strengthening seed systems, agriculture minister Frank Tumwebaze urged researchers to focus on food-insecure regions.

“We applaud your achievements, but cannot be complacent. We want to see areas with chronic shortages become food-secure, and yields grow through better varieties and technologies that make farming easier and affordable,” he said.

According to the World Food Programme, food-insecure districts include Amudat, Kaabong, Karenga, Kotido, Moroto, Nabilatuk and Napak in Karamoja sub-region.

Other districts are Lamwo, Adjumani, Kiryandongo and Yumbe in northern and eastern Uganda.

Yet even as researchers strengthen seed systems, Alicai cautioned that vegetative propagation has challenges.

Crops have limited lifespans and require replacement after a few years. They are also bulky and perishable.

To address this, researchers are innovating in laboratories and fields, including tissue culture technology for mass production of disease-free planting materials.

Commercialisation of NARO technologies

Baguma said research teams across NARO’s 16 public agricultural institutes are ensuring innovations meet industrial demand.

“We are now running market-led breeding lines, where industrialists define the traits they need in raw materials, and our research teams deliver exactly that,” he noted.

NARO is also developing product prototypes that entrepreneurs can scale into industries, linking research directly to Uganda’s agro-industrial growth.

Growth in seed production

Dr Yona Baguma, the director general at National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO), which oversees NaCRRI and other institutes, traced the institute’s history to 1947 when it began as a coffee research centre.

By the 1950s it had shifted to food crops, releasing maize and cassava varieties such as Bukalasa 7, 9, and 11. Over the past 75 years, NaCRRI has made major contributions:

Maize: Output nearly doubled from 2.8 million tonnes a decade ago to 4.6 million. About 4.5 million farmers grow maize, with 60% exported, earning Uganda $90 million annually.

Rice: Production tripled in 15 years, from 110,000 to 390,000 tonnes, covering 60–70% of national demand. Locally bred aromatic varieties reduced imports, saving over sh100 billion.

Beans: Once grown mainly for home use, beans are now a major export crop, earning betwen $54m–$70m annually. Researchers have also developed zinc- and iron-rich varieties to combat malnutrition.

Sweet potatoes: Varieties have been bred for nutrition and health. Orange-fleshed potatoes address Vitamin A deficiency in children and expectant mothers, while purple-fleshed potatoes contain anthocyanins, antioxidants linked to cancer prevention. Other bio-fortified crops include cassava, pro-vitamin A maize, and black rice.