NARO has launched four new Irish potato varieties aimed at increasing farmers’ yields, improving access to quality seed and transforming Uganda’s potato production sector.
The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has started multiplying seed for NAROPOT 7, NAROPOT 8, NAROPOT 9 and NAROPOT 10, varieties developed to address some of the biggest challenges facing potato farmers, including low productivity, diseases and limited availability of clean planting materials.
The new varieties were officially launched by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, during last year’s World Food Day celebrations. They combine high yield potential, disease resistance, shorter maturity periods and qualities suitable for industrial processing.
NARO says the multiplication of clean seed will be critical in ensuring that farmers across Uganda’s highland potato-growing regions can access the improved varieties and benefit from increased production, reduced costs and better market opportunities.
Dr. Kubiriba Jerome, Director of Research at NARO’s Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (KAZARDI) in Rubanda District, said the new varieties come at a time when farmers in highland areas need technologies that can improve productivity while protecting the environment.
He explained that about 80 percent of the Kigezi region is made up of hills, making the area highly vulnerable to soil erosion. Similar challenges affect other highland areas, including Mount Elgon, the Rwenzori region and Zombo.
“When we talk about climate-smart agriculture, focus should be placed on these regions. Saving the soil sets a foundation for producing crops and having a very productive farming system,” Dr. Kubiriba said.
He noted that soil erosion is affecting both farmers and the environment, with soil washed from hills contributing to the siltation of water bodies such as Lake Bunyonyi.
“It is a double tragedy for the farmers and the lake. We need technologies to save the hills so that farmers can practise productive agriculture while also saving the lakes,” he said.
Dr. Kubiriba said hills account for about 25 percent of Uganda’s land area but support approximately 40 percent of the population, making investment in these areas important for improving livelihoods.
NARO is promoting sustainable agricultural technologies such as Calliandra and Napier grasses to improve soil health, provide livestock feed and support more productive farming systems.
The new potato varieties are expected to help farmers achieve higher production from limited land, especially in Kigezi where land fragmentation has reduced the size of available farmland.
“We cannot afford to use the little land we have for commodities which are not very productive. These new potato varieties promise more yield and will enable farmers to utilise their land more optimally,” Dr. Kubiriba said.
The varieties also offer farmers an opportunity to reduce production costs because of their resistance to potato diseases, especially late blight, which forces many farmers to spend money on repeated chemical spraying.
Dr. Kubiriba said NARO’s next priority is strengthening partnerships with extension workers, private seed producers and farmers to ensure enough seed is multiplied and distributed.
“The missing link is strong linkage between research and extension. We also need support to mass multiply this seed at NARO and with private-sector players,” he said.
KAZARDI to Become Major Potato Seed Hub
Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (KAZARDI) is being positioned as a major centre for potato seed multiplication in Uganda’s highlands.
The institute has been selected to host a potato hub expected to produce up to one million plantlets annually, which will later be distributed through other Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institutes serving areas such as Mount Elgon, Rwenzori and Zombo.
Dr. Kubiriba said designs for the facility have been completed, with construction expected to begin soon.
The institute is also developing additional infrastructure, including laboratories, offices and facilities to support researchers and agricultural tourism around the scenic Lake Bunyonyi.
Varieties Developed for Farmers and Processors
NARO potato breeder Dr. Prossy Namugga said the new varieties were developed after considering both farmers’ needs and requirements from potato processors.
She explained that researchers worked with processors, including Psalms Food Industries and Café Javas, to understand the qualities required for industrial processing.
“Because we were looking for varieties for industrial use, we took our samples to processors. We considered their recommendations for improvements,” Dr. Namugga said.
NAROPOT 7 is an early-maturing variety that takes about 90 to 100 days and has a yield potential of 30.2 tonnes per hectare. Its disease resistance and shorter maturity period give farmers an opportunity to reduce production costs and, where possible, grow two crops in a year.
NAROPOT 8 has a dry matter content of 22.1 percent, making it suitable for processing into crisps and chips.
NAROPOT 9 has the highest yield potential among the four varieties at 31.4 tonnes per hectare and has shown strong performance under farmer conditions.
NAROPOT 10 has a high dry matter content of 28.1 percent, making it highly suitable for industrial processing. It matures within 100 to 120 days and offers strong resistance to major potato diseases.
Farmers Welcome New Potato Varieties
Farmers who have tested the new varieties say they have already seen better results compared to traditional potato varieties.
Mr. Fidel Kamali, Chairperson of the Kisoro District Potato Growers Cooperative Union, said access to quality seed has remained one of the biggest challenges facing potato farmers in Uganda.
After planting five kilogrammes of NAROPOT 9, Kamali said the variety performed well, showing resistance to drought and potato blight.
“Along the way, I found that it is drought-resistant and tolerant to potato blight, so there was no need to spray. On average, I harvested nine to 13 tubers per plant. Its performance is better than the other varieties,” he said.
Kamali said his cooperative has entered into a contract with Psalms Food Industries Limited to produce the new varieties commercially, creating more opportunities for farmers.
“This empowers farmers. We are praying to government to support seed multiplication so that planting materials can be made available to farmers,” he said.
Seed Producers and Private Sector Support
The Uganda National Seed Potato Producers Association (UNSPPA) has welcomed the new varieties, saying they respond to long-standing challenges in the potato sector.
Association Chairperson Mr. Stephen Tindimuboona said seed producers have been searching for varieties that combine processing quality, drought tolerance and short dormancy.
“We pioneered farmer-based seed production, and along the way we have been searching for varieties good for processing, tolerant to drought and with short dormancy to enable planting twice in a year. These new varieties ticked off these requirements, and farmers are eager to get the seed,” he said.
Private seed companies are also preparing to support multiplication and distribution of the new varieties.
Ninsiima Nivious of Abid Farm Seeds Company said the new varieties provide solutions to seed shortages and disease challenges affecting farmers.
“With these new varieties, we are going to sensitise our suppliers to popularise them. Diseases have also been a challenge, and these varieties have an answer to that,” she said.
As NARO expands seed multiplication, the organisation says the success of the new potato varieties will depend on how widely farmers adopt them, how much they improve incomes and how effectively they support Uganda’s growing potato processing industry.
The journey of NAROPOT 7, NAROPOT 8, NAROPOT 9 and NAROPOT 10 has now moved from research stations to farmers’ fields, bringing new hope for improved potato production across Uganda.
