In a move to strengthen Uganda’s potato value chain, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has handed over 13 improved potato varieties to nine private seed companies for multiplication and distribution to farmers across the country.
The handover, conducted at NARO’s Aquatic Research and Development Centre in Kajjansi, marks the first time the organisation has released a vegetatively propagated crop to private sector players.
It is part of NARO’s commercialisation strategy aimed at ensuring farmers’ access to high-quality seed for increased productivity, incomes, and reduced reliance on imports.
Among the varieties released are the recently bred NAROPOT 7 to 10, designed specifically for industrial use and capable of yielding more than 25 tons per hectare.
Other varieties include Uganda 11 (popularly known as Rutuku), Victoria, KACHPOT 1, and NAROPOT 1 to 6, with NAROPOT 4 (Rwangume) among the most prominent.
The licensing agreements were signed by nine private seed companies: FICA Seeds, Kabale Irish Potato Agri-business Limited (KIPAL), Okeba Uganda Limited, Parlex Enterprise Uganda Limited, Tabid Farm Seeds Africa Limited, Ujamma Seed Company Limited, CADCA Seeds Limited, Sterling Seeds Limited, and Syova Seeds (U) Limited.
Dr. Sadik Kassim, NARO’s Deputy Director General in charge of Technology Promotion, said the agreements establish a streamlined system that enables farmers to access certified seed while also generating revenue to sustain agricultural research and innovation.
“This is a journey we commenced in 2017 by establishing an Intellectual Property and Commercialisation Unit at NARO headquarters, later signing the first 10 companies in 2021.
By last year, we had signed 26 companies in total for different varieties of NARO technologies,” Kassim explained.
NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma, emphasised that seed is central to agricultural transformation.
“Seed is the beginning of productivity.
Without quality seed, there can be no sustainable transformation. This milestone affirms our mission to feed the nation, protect the environment, enhance farmer incomes, and strengthen national security,” he said.
He also urged seed companies to complement the new varieties with farmer training in agronomic practices to maximise yields, while noting that NARO will continue providing diagnostic support to safeguard seed quality.
Dr. Abbey Byarugaba, representing NARO’s Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, described the collaboration as “the greatest” yet between NARO and the private sector. He noted that the new potato varieties, which mature in just 90 days, are suitable for both smallholder and commercial farmers, making them a game-changer for national production.
Private sector leaders welcomed the partnership as a solution to long-standing seed shortages. Mr. Narsis Tushabe, Managing Director of FICA Seeds, said the deal will help curb Uganda’s reliance on imported potato seed.
“Access to quality seed has been a major bottleneck for potato production. With this partnership, we look forward to empowering farmers and reducing imports,” Tushabe said.
The chairperson of NARO’s Intellectual Property and Management Committee, Dr. Winnie Nkalubo, called the handover a celebration of science meeting society’s needs.
The new potato varieties will be formally unveiled during World Food Day celebrations on October 16, 2025, at NARO’s Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Fort Portal.
With potato cultivation now spreading beyond the highlands, NARO says establishing seed hubs across the country will be critical to scaling adoption and transforming Uganda into a regional leader in potato production.