Museveni Applauds Agricultural Scientists at African Union Summit

Speaking at the African Union's extraordinary summit for Heads of State and Government at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala, the President credited agricultural innovations for driving Uganda’s progress toward modern, commercial farming.

President Museveni has lauded the vital role of scientific research in transforming agriculture into a catalyst for socio-economic development.

Speaking at the African Union's extraordinary summit for Heads of State and Government at Munyonyo Commonwealth Resort in Kampala, the President credited agricultural innovations for driving Uganda’s progress toward modern, commercial farming.

The summit, convened to draft a new 10-year Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) strategy for 2026–2035, brought together African leaders and stakeholders to discuss enhancing agricultural productivity and sustainability.

“Through scientific research, we ensure good quality seeds,” President Museveni stated.

He commended Uganda’s scientists for developing advanced seed varieties with higher yields and greater resilience to diseases and drought, laying a strong foundation for modernizing agriculture.

For over three decades, Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has spearheaded innovation, introducing more than 1,000 technologies and practices to enhance productivity and resilience.

These include high-yielding and climate-resilient crop varieties, positioning Uganda as a regional and global leader in agricultural science.

Key Innovations Driving Agricultural Transformation

NARO’s innovations have revolutionized the production of staple crops like coffee, bananas, maize, and cassava.

In the coffee sector, the development of 10 wilt-resistant varieties since 2007 revived production, boosting annual output from 2 million bags in 2005/06 to 8 million by 2021.

This contributed to record export earnings of $1.14 billion in 2023/24.

In maize production, NARO has introduced over 50 varieties, including stress-tolerant hybrids, enabling farmers to achieve an annual output exceeding 4 million metric tons.

Similarly, the release of disease-resistant cassava varieties has stabilized production, ensuring food security for millions.

For banana farmers, new varieties like the FHIA series have provided higher yields and resistance to diseases such as Banana Bacterial Wilt.

Rice farmers have benefited from high-yielding varieties like NARORICE, which have nearly doubled productivity, bringing Uganda closer to self-sufficiency.

NARO’s contribution extends to nutrition-focused innovations, such as biofortified sweet potato varieties enriched with essential nutrients, significantly improving diets among vulnerable communities.

In the livestock sector, NARO has developed improved goat and cattle breeds, including crossbreeds combining the resilience of indigenous Ankole cattle with the productivity of Friesians.

The organization has also pioneered an anti-tick vaccine, with trials confirming 93.2% efficacy.

These advancements align with President Museveni’s vision of harnessing science to drive agricultural transformation.

“The adoption of these improved varieties is not only enhancing productivity but also creating a sustainable path to economic growth,” he noted.

Collaboration Across Africa

The summit emphasized the importance of continental collaboration in agricultural research, seed system improvements, and scaling up climate-smart farming practices.

Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to using science, technology, and innovation to achieve food security and foster economic development across Africa.

President Museveni’s remarks underscored the urgency of adopting modern agricultural practices to combat climate change, improve livelihoods, and accelerate Africa’s development.