Abi: Bringing services to the farmers

West Nile has some of the most favorable conditions for agricultural production in Uganda. This has given rise to relatively high capacity for crop, poultry, fish farming and livestock production.
To support the farmers in the region make use of the potential is the Abi Zonal Agricultural Research Development Institute (Abi Zardi), which based in Arua.
It has various programmes and products and covers Adjumani, Moyo, Zombo, Nebbi, Koboko, Maracha and Yumbe districts.
The programmes, which the scientists are working on include crop breeding. The focus is on varieties such as beans, cassava and maize, which are major staples in the region, as well as cereal crops such as sorghum.

There are also orphaned crops such as Bambara nut (Vigna subterranea), commonly known as Sungu, which is part of the groundnut family. The climbing beans are targetted for the higher altitude areas like Zombo.
Other breeding programmes cover livestock—cattle, goats, pigs and poultry—and fish farming plus forestry.
Moses Kiryowa, who is in charge of crop breeding, explained during a farmers’ meeting, organised by Naro and Science Foundation for Livelihoods and Development (Scifode) on biotechnology, that some of the experiments are carried out in greenhouses to avoid destruction from pests and diseases.

Bambara nut
One such experiment is testing bean varieties from Brazil alongside local varieties for how well they adapt. This is under a project by Naro and Embrapa—the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation. If the beans perform well, they will be released to farmers.
Another project is on Bambara nut varieties from Nigeria. It is mainly grown for consumption but farmers are being encouraged to grow it for commercial purposes. It is a nutritious legume, which can be used for processing cooking oil as well as paste for cooking.
The scientists have taken Bambara nut to field trials in Adjumani, a low altitude area, and Arua, a mid altitude area, to establish adaptation to different temperature levels, pest and disease resistance, maturity period, and selection of farmer-preferred varieties.

Two-way approach
Other crops where seed has been distributed to farmers include the following: cassava—TME14, Akena0067, Nase 14, 16, 18 and 19 varieties. Maize—TEGO varieties, open pollinated Longe 4and 5 varieties and hybrids Longe 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 varieties and KH500A varieties adopted from Kenya. Rice—Nerica upland varieties. Groundnuts—Seso 1, 2 and 3. There are also the traditional sorghum varieties, among others.
According to Kiryowa, multiplication of seed is done in a two-way approach. Farmers are given some quantity of seed and are expected to give back 70 per cent of the seed. This is given to other farmers.

Cassava cuttings from the institute are sold at Shs25,000 to Shs30,000 a bag depending on the quality and maturity period.
The legume varieties widely adopted in the region include K32 and Nabe4 in case of beans. For groundnuts, Serenut 1–6 have been given to farmers but Serenut 2, 3 and 4 have been widely adopted because they are high yielding, good for paste and contain high oil content.
Nasser Kasozi, the programme leader for livestock and fisheries, explains that farmers in West Nile rear goats and cattle though not on large scale.

A number of them keep these animals for milk and beef to supply the local market as well as neighbouring DR Congo and South Sudan.
His team sensitises the farmers on feeding, plus management of pests and diseases, which are mainly tick-borne though not rampant.
They are evaluating high-yielding forage cultivars namely Napier grass, Chloris Gayana (Rhodes grass) and Bricellaria Mulato (Lab lab). These are highly nutritious and help farmers in improvement of beef and milk production.

They are also promoting hay as a way of dry matter feeding technology. Farmers in Arua, Zombo and Nebbi are already adopting this technology.
For soil management, Emmanuel Odama, the research officer in charge, explains that the programme includes conducting adaptive research in soil fertility, water conservation, and environment management.

Fruits, trees and soils
There is also agroforestry plus fruit adaptation by farmers. Many farmers are engaged in growing improved grafted mango seedlings and citrus. The team is carrying out research on the Shea tree by grafting a young seedlings to older ones.
This is to understand if its maturity period can be shortened from between eight to 15 years to a shorter period.

The team obtained apple species from Kachwekano, in Kabale District, which has been distributed to farmers in Zombo District, who are already growing it.
Under soil and water conservation, farmers are sensitised to apply the right fertiliser to maintain soil fertility. This can be locally made manure from agricultural waste.
During times of drought, farmers are advised to conserve water in ponds or any other technology.
Farmers are also advised to improve the nitrogen content of soil, handling soil erosion and soil mapping in highland areas such as Metu in Moyo District and Zombo District.

Farmers’ experiences

I am Apollo Ezati, a fish farmer, with a hatchery in Abinyu village in Kijomoro Sub county, in Maracha District. The initial material was given to me by an Italian organisation, ACAVU.
In 2002, with the help of Naads, we formed Kijomoro fish farmers association.
The scientists from Abi Zardi linked us for training at the Fisheries Institute in Entebbe, National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) in Jinja and Kajjansi.
I started hatchery breeding in 2010 and now we have 15,000 fingerlings of catfish, which is at Shs500 each, and 20,000 Nile Tilapia, which is sold at Shs200 each.
We also breed mirror cap fish. There are 10,000 fingerlings, which is sold at Shs700 each.

I have constructed a house specifically for hatching the eggs, which is done in trays, and incubating tanks. In this, I injected in about Shs45m as capital. In a year, I sell the fingerlings five to six times.
It is a family business now and we teach other farmers how to manage fish ponda right from setting up the ponds through to harvesting fish.
In Maracha, Terego and Koboko, we have more than 300 farmers engaged in aquaculture.

I am Calebu Kamure Titia, a rice farmer in Arua district. I established a rice farm mainly growing Nerica upland varieties. I managed to purchase a rice mill, which I made as a model for other farmers to learn and do it correctly.
This is the reason why I commend Naro scientists who breed the rice varieties, which is eventually given to the farmers.
I am also happy that Naro is now engaging in farmers in the region on the discussion on biotechnology
When you hear of fears by some farmers about biotechnology, it is because they have not been sensitised. All I can say is if you do not want scientists to change you, science will change you because scientific innovations are now a global trend that leads to development of a nation.