Extend services to local farmers, encourage agro-processing – Hon Seruganda tells NARO

Bufumbira South member of Parliament, Hon Alex Niyonsaba Seruganda has asked the zonal offices of National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) to extend their services to the local farmers through ordinary visits to areas under their jurisdiction. 

Hon Seruganda made the call on Thursday as he led the Parliamentary Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation on an oversight visit to Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (ZARDI) in Rubanda district. 

NARO is an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) with the mandate to coordinate and oversee all aspects of public-funded agricultural research in Uganda.

Comprised of 16 Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARIs) spread across the country, NARO is mandated to undertake research in all aspects of agriculture including crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry, agro-machinery, natural resources and socio-economics.

Kachwekano ZARDI is composed of three stations, Kachwekano (which is an administrative seat), Kalengyere and Bugongi (which are field stations).

Kachwekano ZARDI spearheads agricultural research and development work in Uganda’s south western that administratively comprises Kabale, Kisoro, Kanungu, Rukungiri, Rubanda and Rukiga districts.

During their interface with Kachwekano ZARDI management, the Parliamentary committee emphasized that their visit was in line with the oversight roles of parliament.

Hon Niyonsaba, who chairs the committee said, “we appropriate the money and seeing what this money does is part of our responsibility.”

He demanded that officials should do field visits to extend services to the local farmers from distant areas.

According to him, the staff at NARO had failed to extend services to his constituency, despite being the large producer of irish potatoes for the country.

“I have never seen or heard any staff from NARO on any of our Sub Counties. This Kachwekano belongs to Kegezi, so I want to request you that don’t have too much attachment to Kabale where you are located only.”

“Even if it’s UNRA, you can take a whole year before you see a grader of the region coming to Kisoro. Similarly, even the other government departments, have that problem. when its regional, they tend to be where they are more, than going to the field.”

On their way to Kachwekano from Kisoro, the team, comprising of 10 MPs and their support staff, also made a stopover visit at Karengyele field station.

Committee Chairperson Niyonsaba asked why the station seems abandoned, yet it would provide accessible services to Kisoro people.

But Prossy Namuga, a Senior Research Officer at Kachwekano, said Karengyele is not abandoned, but is only used for extension services, and thus has no daily activities and fulltime staff. 

Hon Niyonsaba also urged Kachwekano ZARDI to pay attention to other food crops like fruits and vegetables so that Kigezi people, where land is limited, can earn more from agriculture. He also challenged the NARO staff to emphasize agro-processing to the local farmers.

“There’s still a lot of potential for industries for agro-products in Kigezi and you are the right people to give the information to the communities.”

“In Kigezi region, there are even very few people who own more than half an acre, the majority is below half an acre. Make your model, make your research and go around the region and see what each and every community can do in their half an acre,” advised Hon Niyonsaba.

Esther Mbayo, a committee member, and Luuka District Woman Representative, reminded NARO that the president gave an exception of Kigezi and Busoga regions from wetland eviction. 

“Kigezi, Busoga where I come from and Bukedi are the special sub-regions that the president directed that a special attention should be given, due to the nature of the land formation and the climate. So, this is exactly what we need from you, you tell us what exactly you need to make Kigezi rich and more productive,” said the former minister of presidency.

According to Dr Jerome Kubiriba, the Director of Kachwekano Zardi, their aim is to help farmers get more from their small land. 

The institute operates under three programmes of Crop and Natural Resources Research programme, Animal Resources Research Programme and Technology Promotion and Outreach Programme.

Dr Kubiriba however told the Committee that they need enhanced funding of at least Ushs11.8billion to enhance enhance seed quality, which could provide returns of Ushs100 billon in the research environment.

He explained that the funding would support climate smart agriculture, that includes capacity building for farmers, improve on breeds and seeds, establish laboratories, storage, among others.