Seed and agronomy.
A proposal to trial and multiply licensed varieties for cooperative farmers in Teso.
Why seed
We propose to test and multiply licensed varieties for cooperative farmers in Teso.
Uganda's seed system moves seed through breeder, pre-basic, basic and certified classes, and certified seed is inspected by the National Seed Certification Service in the Ministry of Agriculture.64 In January 2024 NARO signed agreements with ten more seed companies, bringing the number licensed to multiply its varieties to 23, to push fake seed out of the market. Licensees pay royalties that fund research and seed bulking.60
The institute at Serere, NaSARRI, works on the same dryland oilseeds, legumes and cereals our cooperatives grow,54 and released three new groundnut varieties in 2024.61
The seed pathway
We propose to become a licensed multiplier of oilseed and legume varieties suited to Teso, using our estate and contract seed growers in DMI cooperatives, with the Grain Hub's seed unit cleaning, treating and packing. The programme would report field-trial results to breeders each season.
First season
| Workstream | Proposed first step | Measured by |
|---|---|---|
| On-farm variety trials | Demonstration plots with NaSARRI and NaCRRI varieties in DMI's eight districts | Yield and oil content against farmers' own seed |
| Seed multiplication | Apply for a licence; register contract seed growers; plan inspection | Tonnes of certified seed; germination; seed sold on credit |
| Soil-test based advice | Soil analysis for pilot plots through the national laboratories at Kawanda | Fertiliser response and yield per plot |
| FieldSight calibration | Trial plots and research weather stations as ground truth | Model error on a season the model has not seen |