Kajjansi, Uganda: The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has handed over 13 new potato varieties to nine private seed companies in a bid to boost local production and reduce Uganda’s reliance on imports.
The licensing ceremony was held on Monday, September 23, 2025, at NARO’s Aquatic Research and Development Centre in Kajjansi.
Among the new varieties are the recently released NAROPOT 7 to 10, bred specifically for industrial use and capable of yielding over 25 tons per hectare. Others include Uganda 11 (Rutuku), Victoria, KACHPOT 1, and NAROPOT 1 to 6, notably NAROPOT 4 (Rwangume).
The nine companies that signed licensing agreements with NARO are: FICA Seeds, Kabale Irish Potato Agri-business Limited (KIPAL), Okeba Uganda Limited, Parlex Enterprise Uganda Limited, Tabid Farm Seeds Africa Limited, Ujamma Seed Company Limited, CADCA Seeds Limited, Sterling Seeds Limited, and Syova Seeds (U) Limited.
Dr. Sadik Kassim, NARO’s Deputy Director General in charge of Technology Promotion, said the partnerships would ensure farmers access certified seed, while also generating revenue to sustain agricultural research and innovation.
“This is a journey we started in 2017 by setting up an Intellectual Property and Commercialization Unit at NARO headquarters. In 2021, we signed the first 10 companies, and by last year, we had 26 companies on board for different technologies. Potato is the first vegetatively propagated crop we are handing over to seed companies,” Kassim said.
NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma, emphasized the central role of seed in agricultural transformation: “Seed is the beginning of productivity. Without quality seed, there can be no sustainable transformation. This milestone affirms our mission to feed the nation, protect the environment, enhance farmer incomes, and strengthen national security,” he said.
He called on seed companies to guide farmers on best agronomic practices to unlock the yield potential of the new varieties, pledging NARO’s support with diagnostic systems to safeguard seed integrity.
Representing NARO’s Kachwekano ZARDI, Dr. Abbey Byarugaba hailed the handover as the greatest collaboration between NARO and the private sector, noting that the new varieties mature in just 90 days, making them attractive for both smallholder and commercial farmers.
Private seed firms welcomed the deal. Mr. Narsis Tushabe, Managing Director of FICA Seeds, said the move would end reliance on imports: “With this partnership, we look forward to empowering farmers with quality seed and reducing imports,” he said.
Dr. Winnie Nkalubo, Chairperson of the NARO Intellectual Property and Management Committee, described the milestone as “a celebration of science meeting societal needs.”
The new potato varieties will be officially launched during the World Food Day celebrations at NARO’s Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Fort Portal on October 16, 2025.
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