Uganda's Agriculture Minister Frank Tumwebaze has called on government scientists to focus research efforts on practical solutions that boost farmer productivity, improve livestock breeds and build resilience to climate change. Tumwebaze made the appeal on Thursday while overseeing the groundbreaking ceremony for a research and management complex at the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) institute in Kikyusa, Mukono District. The National Enterprise Corporation, the commercial arm of the Uganda People's Defence Forces, will manage the construction project.
The minister emphasised that the success of agricultural research should be judged by its contribution to farmers' production and incomes. He stressed that the quality of seeds and livestock breeds available to farmers directly affects farm output, warning that poor-quality varieties undermine productivity while improved and climate-resilient options help farmers adapt to changing weather patterns. Tumwebaze said research must address the growing threats posed by climate change, including increasingly unpredictable weather that threatens both agricultural production and farmers' livelihoods.
Tumwebaze said continued investment in research infrastructure is necessary to provide scientists with the facilities and technology needed to develop innovations for agriculture and other livelihood challenges. He stated that the government is deliberately supporting the research system with physical and technological infrastructure to enable work on solutions for livelihood problems. The minister also credited President Museveni with consistently supporting scientific research and innovation in government planning and budgeting.
The construction of the research and management complex is part of broader government efforts to strengthen Uganda's agricultural research system. The impact of the facility will depend on the research it enables, the technologies developed and how effectively those innovations reach farmers in the field.