
BY DRAMADRI FEDERICK
ARUA: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2024
The National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) under the auspices of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), has commenced research into developing new suitable varieties and technologies applicable for rice farming to reverse the effects of climate change due to wetland degradation in Uganda.
This five-year Promotion of Sustainable Rice Farming Development (Eco-PRiDe) Project which runs from June 1, 2024 – March 31, 2029 is financed by Japan International Corporation Agency (JICA).
Emmanuel Ogwal, the rice desk officer at Eco-PRiDe, explains that the research seeks to come up with 25 breeder seed varieties and 11 basic seed varieties that are high yielding and suitable for all the consumers, and to provide guidelines for sustainable Rice production in Uganda.
He said other objectives are to derive technologies to be deployed, establish suitable land types and mechanisms of improving soil fertility for rice production, establish local seed producers and suppliers at regional levels, Marketing linkages and other mechanisms among others.
“This research will help us establish the level of degradation of wetlands caused by rice production in waterlogged areas to guide the country in deriving better means or solutions of improving rice production,” said Ogwal.
In 2021, the government of Uganda prohibited the cultivation of rice and other crops in wetlands in a bid to protect wetlands from degradation with National Environment Management Authority figures indicating a sharp decline in the wetland coverage from 15.5% in 1994 to 8.9% in 2022 due to encroachment.
Dr. Emmanuel Odama, the Senior Research Officer at Abi Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute, reveals that the Promotion of Sustainable Rice Farming Development Project (Eco-PRiDe) is focused on addressing the challenge by shifting rice farming from low lands to upland areas.
Odama explained that they are promoting some varieties of the rice including Narica which grow well in upland areas but are facing resistance from farmers as consumers do not like it due to lack of aroma.
“The unreliable rainfall is the biggest hindrance to our farmers. Rice is a water loving crop, therefore any undertaking in Rice Farming is dependent on the timing of rains and our ecology being the upland rice growing ecology means if the farmers delay their activities right from land preparation affects the whole value chain,” he explained.
Odama added: “On the other hand the challenge of access to quality seed is been addressed through Narica promotion project, Eco-PRiDe 1 and 2 which is producing a very good viable seeds in the growing community.”
Eco-PRiDe is being piloted in the five districts of Koboko, Yumbe, Maracha, Nebbi Municipality and Madi-Okollo in the West Nile sub-region.
Robina Opiru, the Agricultural Officer of Oleba Sub County in Maracha District, says the intervention is timely as farmers are almost giving up in the production of the water loving crops following the massive enforcement of the National Environment Act 2019 that bans destructive human activities in the wetlands.
“Most farmers here love super rice, they’re after the aroma not knowing that it only grows better in the low land, like swamps, they said if you plant rice in wetlands or waterlogged areas, they get high yields than planting in upland areas,” Opiru stated
The government of Uganda under the Agriculture sector Strategic plan recognizes rice as a priority and strategic crop with potential to improve food security and incomes of about 400,000 smallholder farmers.
With the annual increase in rice production at an average rate of 7.33%, however, the country’s current rice productivity lies below the potential.
It is estimated that both lowland and upland rice variety yields are lagging below the potential by about 45% and 67% respectively while the rice demand is estimated at 230,000 metric tons and 383,000 metric tons for milled rice and paddy rice respectively.