NARO partners with Rwenzururu Kingdom to promote transformational agriculture in Rwenzori region

The National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Kingdom of Rwenzururu to promote transformational agriculture, targeting socio-economic upliftment communities in the Rwenzori region. The partnership is a strategic alliance focused on improving the dissemination and adoption of technologies, innovations and management practices (TIMPs) generated by NARO.

The Omusinga (King) Charles Wesley Mumbere, while witnessing the signing event held at the Rwenzori International Hotel in Kasese town, described the partnership as an important milestone on the path towards fostering collaboration, innovation and development of communities in the Rwenzori sub-region and beyond. .

“To NARO, thank you for recognizing the potential and aspirations of our people. The Memorandum means a new chapter in our commitment to the advancement of knowledge, technology and sustainable development in our region,” commented the King.

He noted that the partnership was laying the foundation for research, technological innovation and capacity-building initiatives that will benefit communities for generations to come.
“Therefore, I am full of hope and optimism for the road ahead. Let us embark on this path together, with determination and unity of purpose, knowing that through our collective efforts we can achieve transformative change.” He said.

Over the years, NARO has developed more than 1,000 technologies, innovations and management practices aimed at sustainable agricultural transformation, aligning with the agroindustrialization goal of increasing the commercialization and competitiveness of agricultural production and agricultural processing.

In his remarks, the Director General of NARO, Dr. Yona Baguma, noted that through the partnership, the two organizations are committed to collaborating to mobilize communities, facilitate technology adoption and provide necessary support for implementation.

He stressed that the effort aligns perfectly with the directives of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni who has emphasized the importance of mobilizing the masses for wealth creation in Uganda and ensuring that agriculture participates in the monetary economy.

“By working in synergy with the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, other government agencies, local governments, religious and cultural institutions, civil society, the private sector and other stakeholders, NARO aims to amplify the impact of its initiatives and drive sustainable agricultural growth, fulfilling President Yoweri Museveni’s long-standing call for wealth creation,” Dr Baguma noted.

Under the partnership, the Kingdom of Rwenzururu will play a pivotal role in mobilizing the masses to embrace these developments, while also offering land for the establishment of demonstration sites and model farms. This approach is poised to accelerate the adoption and utilization of improved technologies, encouraging greater production and productivity across the region.

The partnership with the Kingdom of Rwenzururu adds to a number of other Memorandums of Understanding that NARO has with similar institutions, including the Kingdoms of Tooro, Buganda and Bunyoro.

Preparations are also underway to formalize partnerships with the Busoga Kingdom, the Uganda Interreligious Council (URCU) and other institutions across the country.

Dr. Baguma said partnerships allow the strength of each entity to be leveraged to benefit farmers and all stakeholders along the agricultural value chain. He noted that the persistence of poverty among actors in the agricultural sector is a result of the low acceptance and utilization of technologies that have been developed to support agriculture as an engine of economic growth.

“There is great potential to change the situation and improve livelihoods in the sector by utilizing the technologies developed, from improved seeds to value-added prototypes and machinery that reduces human drudgery; the transformation can be rapid with adaptability “, said.