The inauguration of harvesting of new high-yielding and climate-resilient upland rice varieties (ARICA-5, NERICA-4 and NamChe-3) on a
3,000-acre rice farm run by Vinayak Agro-Farm Ltd. in Northern Uganda, took place on 6 July
2016.
A delegation comprising Dr Ambrose Agona, Director General of the
National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO); Prof Joseph Obua, Chairman
of NARO Council; Dr Asea Godfrey, Director of the National Crops Resources
Research Institute (NaCRRI); and Mr Joseph Bazaale, Commissioner Seed
Certification and Inspection under the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry
and Fisheries (MAAIF) inaugurated the harvest ceremony.
The event symbolized the success of an innovative public-private
partnership to scale up new rice technologies in Uganda. It also testified to
the success of the government’s strong support to the rice sub-sector in Uganda
following the 2008 food crisis, when Uganda like other African countries,
experienced severe shortage of rice. Since then, the Government of Uganda has
come up with a range of strategies to prevent a repeat of the crisis.
NARO, with support from the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice), Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the Alliance for a Green
Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and the World Bank’s East Africa Agricultural
Productivity Program (EAAPP), has focused on training a new cadre of rice
scientists, addressing constraints along the value chain and developing new
technologies.
This culminated in the release of new high-yielding, climate-resilient
upland rice varieties with high grain quality, namely ARICA-4, ARICA-5,
NamChe-2, NamChe-3, NamChe-5 and NamChe-6 in 2013.
Subsequently, Uganda embarked on a model to out-scale these technologies
through an approach called the Rice Sector Development Hubs with support from
the project ‘Support to Agricultural Research for Development of Strategic
Crops in Africa (SARD-SC)’ funded by the African Development Bank through
AfricaRice.
Under this model, two stakeholders, namely Naseco Seed Compny and a seed
producers’ association (ADAG ANII), were trained and contracted to produce seed
of improved varieties.
Growing
commercial interest in rice
“It takes time to
defeat poverty and food shortage, but when you venture into commercial farming,
poverty will be history in the shortest time possible and food is
guaranteed," said Mr Peshwa, one of the directors of
Vinayak Agro Farm Ltd, which is growing rice on large scale in Nwoya district
in Uganda.
"NARO Rice Breeder Dr
Jimmy Lamo guided us well on rice cultivation. Therefore this season we expect
to harvest more than 4,000 tons, even though there was drought,” Mr Peshwa
added.
“The production of rice in
Uganda is estimated at 260,000 tons, leaving a gap of 40,000 tons,” said Dr
Lamo.
Vinayak Agro
Farm Ltd will sell locally as well as export their rice, maize and green gram.
It has around 50 out-growers. The investment includes tractors, combine
harvesters, seed store and factories.
"In addition, we aim to develop interventions for economic growth
by investing in agriculture for higher productivity, food security, employment,
income generation and capacity building," Mr Peshwa said.
Earlier
Hon. Simon Oyet, Member of Parliament of Nwoya County, along with other local
government leaders and farmers had visited the Vinayak Agro Farm and appreciated
the opportunities offered by the Agro Farm, in particular relating to
employment. Hon. Oyet called on more investors to negotiate with landowners and
the communities directly, but not through third party, for transparent
transactions.
Speaking
about the benefit of Vinayak Agro-Farm, Isaac Odongo from the local community,
said, “It is a good development, because there are so many out-growers, who
will mill their rice here and sell."
-- Article contributed by Dr
Jimmy Lamo, NARO Rice Breeder, Uganda
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