National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) - Fostering Research in Uganda
Even the longest of journeys, they say starts with a single step. And from its humble beginnings, Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) has in a record 18 years established itself as the county’s premier engine for agricultural production.
The organization despite having gone through a number of changes has gotten more focused and committed to generating fresh ideas for a region faced with many sector bottlenecks.
VISION: “A market – responsive, client oriented and demand driven institution. This vision is to be realized by a mission to generate and disseminate appropriate, safe and cost-effective technologies. NARO will fulfill its mission by emphasizing the following core values of;
- Inclusivity (where all interested stakeholders can be part of the NARS)
- Transparency for trust and partnership
- professional, integrity and ethics
- Accountability to stakeholders based on value for money principles
- Excellence in research process and outputs
- National Agricultural Research institutes (NARIs)
- Zonal, Agricultural Research & Development institutes (ZARDIs)
The NARIs are mandated to research on issues of strategic National importance (priorities) while ZARDIs address priorities that are articulated by geographically innovation platforms participatory process. These have made research more compliant with National development policies & strategies.
Achievements
The key elements of NARO’s achievements include development of commodity improvement technologies, re-orientation of agricultural research to “the people impact” focus such as responding to emerging threats and opportunities,Development of new knowledge, productivity and quality enhancing technologies and practices,Institutional reforms designed to enhance effectiveness, efficiency and relevance of research to people and their livelihood.
(a) Generation of knowledge technologies and practices are depicted below though not exhaustive.
Table 1: Technological contribution by the public sector,
Universities and civil society organization.
Service
provider
No. of out puts
technologies
(varieties, proto types)
Practices Strategies Information
Public research
institutes
2.5 206 102 1314
Makerere university 1 2 252
Others (private
sector,NGO)
1 5 --- 40
TOTAL
3.5
212 104 1606
(b) Responding to emerging issues:
NARO has responded to some emerging threats and opportunities to
develop technologies for instance;
- Cassava mosaic virus successfully contained using resistant varieties.
- Water hyacinth addressed using biological control methods.
- Rider pest success fully contained with effective surveillance to support vaccination programs
- Banana bacterial wilt -effective cultural methods of managing it, have been developed and promising solutions through the development of resistant transgenic plants have been generated
- A better understanding of Napier stunt disease pathogen
- Malt sorghum varieties which have made in roads industry have been developed.
- Promising resistant varieties to coffee wilt disease have been developed.
The key policy challenge was managing the transition of NARO into a corporate entity. This however was successfully managed with the enactment of NAR ACT 2005.The achievements include:-
- Establishment of semi-autonomous PARIs
- On going subscription of universities, private sector & civil society organizations in NARO.
- Successful launch and implementation of competitive grant schemes over the past three years
- Improvements of infrastructure, human capacity ,institutional linkages and funding modalities to undertake research in NARS
- Agricultural research and development centers (ARDC) now Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes ZARDI’s) have been established to deepen outreach in seven major agro-ecological zones.
Partnership programs are established in all ARDCs for linkages between technologies and uptake path ways to include:
- Establishment of Infrastructure for biotechnology was established at the national laboratories research institute, Kawanda as a reference laboratory in the NARs. With support from DANIDA, laboratory equipments and logistics to revamp livestock research was realized
- Long term training of highly qualified staff in crops, livestock, fisheries ,natural resources, social-economics and biotechnology has enhanced specialized skills in developing participatory research visioning, market chain and systems analysis. These have strengthened demand articulation and priority setting, intergrated agricultural research for development, dissemination of technologies and effective participation in national and international competition research grant schemes.
Strategic Objectives
In the next 10 years, NARO will steer the NARS to ensure impact orientation, adequate capacities and competences for agricultural research, resource mobilization and efficient use and in positioning NARS to influence development trends. The specific strategic objectives include:-
- Build an impact oriented, market responsive and participatory research agenda that responds to client and environmental needs.
- Improved capacity and efficiency of public and private research service provider (RSP) teams to respond to client demands and market opportunities.
- Mobilize resources for agricultural research ,and human capacity plus infrastructure development
- Influencing development trends: an inclusive platform for policy advocacy
- Institutionalizing quality assurance in the NARS. It is the obligation of NARO to inspire participants in the NARs to adapt to the core values as enduring tenets influencing their of doing business. This is especially important as these values will influence how NARO shall empower research service providers as well as engage NARs in priority research without compromising their semi-autonomy.
Some Key Milestones
During the first development of NARO ( ARTP 1: 1993-2000) the focus was primarily on research organizational development and on enhancing food security by addressing the primary production
constraints and increasing productivity. During the second phase ( ARTP 11: 2000-2009) the emphasis shifted to a more market and income focus of agricultural research in the context of greater emphasis on the market and commercialist ion of subsistence farming systems. In the same period operationalisation of the 2005 NAR Act started.
This has hastened the establishment of a pluralist NARS based on complementarity and synergy, involving both zonal adaptive research centers, as well as a wider variety of research service providers. The concern of NARO is gradually shifting from organizational strengthening and expected outputs to institutional strengthening and a process approach, through partnerships with emphasis on outcomes and impact of research and innovation in few priority product chains.
NARO has developed over 76 crop varieties, 7 livestock disease control strategies, 17 crop and livestock husbandry practices including information of strategic importance in the management of declining capture fisheries resources.
There is also a sizable contribution to global knowledge pool through 116 publications in user manuals, workshop proceedings, and internally refereed journals. Since the late nineties more attention has been given to the measurement of initial outcome of research (mainly awareness and adoption studies) as well as assessment of the impact on research. Through strategic partnerships arrangements the ZARDIs have been able to conduct 473 adaptive research trials.
One hundred seventy eight (178) technologies have been identified and adopted by at least 40% of the target households at the zonal levels, with a range of 28% for Agro forestry species and 80% for livestock breeds and breeding management practices. High adoption rates (40-80%) were found in various studies on crops such as beans, cassava, banana, maize, and sweet potatoes. The existing impact studies on mainly crop varieties and livestock technologies revealed high internal rates of return of over 50%.
The result of impact studies conducted in Uganda have indicted that investment in agricultural research had a high impact on rural household income and poverty reduction. The success was attributed to new knowledge and productivity (technologies on crops, livestock, fisheries and forestry) that enhanced production and productivity.
Improved Cassava Variety.
The achievements were made possible due to substantial investment in agricultural research and advisory services to develop and disseminate appropriate technologies. The NARS is expected to play a further role in the implementation of Government policy to eradicate poverty through the prosperity- for- all program.
To achieve this, there will be need to strengthen the capacities of NARIs and ZARDI scientists programs. NARO will need support to effect paradigm shifts to Integrated Agricultural Research for Development(IAR4D), market-oriented research; gender main streaming, environmental scanning for emerging issues e.g. climate change and bio- fuels. Institutional strengthening of the zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes, particularly in Northern will require special attention.
These activities justify continued support to Agricultural Research beyond June 2009 after the expiry of ARTP II, guided by the National Agricultural Research strategy.
Conclusion
NARO has indeed made a tremendous contribution to agricultural development in the country through research. This contribution has been enhanced through technological development, new farming
methods, tools and technologies which have increased by 425% over the last 15years. Meanwhile, research briefs have increased by over 15.000% highlighting a higher level of innovation and
productivity. Others include; an increase of 88% on collaborative research projects with institutions within Uganda, and outside Uganda by 711% between 1992 and 2007.
Staff qualification can not be ignored, for example bachelor level qualification has dropped by 52%, meanwhile those holding masters and doctoral qualification has increased by 85% and 103% respectively.
NARO awards and recognitions have increased from zero in 1992 to 14(fourteen) in 2007. Scientists winning local and international awards also increased.
