Govt, China partner to promote tea production

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The Uganda government, through the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), has partnered with China's Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) to establish the China-Uganda Joint Laboratory for Sustainable and High-Efficiency Premium Tea Production.

The collaboration was actualised through the signing of a memorandum of understanding at the NARO headquarters in Entebbe, Wakiso district on July 28, 2025. Dr Yona Baguma signed on behalf of NARO, while Dr Yang Yiyang on behalf of JAAS.

Through this partnership, a state-of-the-art laboratory facility will be established at NARO’s Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Fort Portal city.

The institute is Uganda’s national hub for tea research, and the new partnership is expected to greatly boost its programme to transform Uganda’s tea sector through cutting-edge research, innovation and knowledge exchange.

Uganda's tea industry, while holding vast potential, has in recent years grappled with several persistent challenges, including declining productivity due to ageing tea bushes, limited access to improved planting material, pests and diseases, poor agronomic practices, and a lack of value addition that has restricted the country to largely exporting raw tea.

Inconsistent quality, outdated processing methods and limited investment in research and development have further constrained Uganda’s competitiveness on the global stage. This collaboration with JAAS, a globally recognised agricultural research institution, is poised to change that narrative by introducing a new wave of science-led solutions to unlock the sector’s full potential.

The partnership will also explore and utilise unique tea germplasm from both Uganda and China to support tea breeding efforts, researching tea agronomy, soil fertility, pests and diseases, and promoting tea crop improvement and plant health.

It will also prioritise tea product diversification through value addition research, standardisation of tea product specifications to meet international market requirements, and the enhancement of research infrastructure at Rwebitaba.

In addition, the initiative will support capacity building through training of tea scientists and professionals, provide general support for the smooth implementation of the partnership, and open avenues for future joint projects in areas of mutual interest.

JAAS, established in 1931, is one of China’s premier institutions in agricultural science and technology innovation. It comprises 16 specialised research institutes and 12 regional branches and hosts nearly 100 provincial and ministerial-level innovation platforms. Its Tea Research Centre, housed within the Institute of Leisure Agriculture, has led advances in tea research and processing technology across China and internationally. JAAS will provide funding for the laboratory project, leveraging its expertise and infrastructure to support joint scientific endeavours in tea development.

Baguma said the agreement reinforces NARO’s commitment to "innovate for sustainable agricultural transformation," in line with Uganda’s National Development Plan agenda that prioritises agro-industrialisation, job and wealth creation, and food security.

“This partnership will reposition Uganda’s tea sector by delivering new technologies, high-quality planting materials, and best practices that will increase productivity, competitiveness, and earnings for farmers and the country,” he said.

He noted that JAAS’s 40 years in tea research was a remarkable resource to tap into in providing solutions to the challenges facing Uganda’s tea sector.

JAAS director Dr Yang Yiyang said special attention would be placed on quality.

“We have a lot of similarities between China and Uganda, especially in agriculture, and together we can achieve a lot on this tea project and even explore other crops of mutual interest in future,” Yang said.

Former agriculture minister Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, who accompanied the delegation, commended NARO for the milestone and expressed optimism in redefining Uganda’s tea industry with the new laboratory.

The meeting was also attended by Green World International Group president Dr Deming Li, a delegation from Nanjing Agricultural University, besides a host of NARO officials from the headquarters and Rwebitaba.