The agriculture sector rotates around innovations to move it forward. 

These include seeds for crops that have to be improved every year for better yields and to combat extremes like diseases. 

The year 2022 kicked off with many uncertainties, including the farming world. Because the world including Uganda was coming out of a pandemic, that stagnated most programs including those in the agriculture sector.

The new Arabica coffee variety.

However, despite the challenges ranging from high fuel costs that prevented mobility of most researchers to conduct field trials and assess the performance of seed that was being developed, researchers from different institutes under the National Agriculture Research Organisation (NARO) still managed to develop and release new varieties, although many are yet to be released.

Newly released millet varieties

Finger millet is one of the staple foods, and a traditional crop, grown almost in all parts of the country. 

Apart from food, it is used in the production of food supplements including baby foods, flour for porridge and local brew.  

Although it is an important crop, few people still grow millet. According to farmers in Teso, where millet is a major staple, it's less paying and less yielding. 

That is why researchers have developed new varieties that are more yielding and mature within 95 days compared to 180 for traditional varieties.

Faizo Kasule, a researcher with the National Semi-Arid Research Resources Institute (NaSARRI), another NARO institute based in Serere, working on the millet varieties, explains that the following varieties were released and are already on the market. 

He said to access these varieties, farmers have to contact researchers at NaSARRI to guide on seed companies selling them.

NAROMIL1

Potential yield is 3 to 4 tons per hectare, matures within 100 days, medium tall, erect and lodging plant type. Resistant to leaf blast and moderately resistant to neck and finger blast. It is easy to thresh, rich in protection at 9.8% and calcium at 0.66%. Highly suitable for value addition.

NAROMIL2

The potential yield is 2,93-4.07 tons per hectare. Takes 102 days to mature, medium tall, erect and non-lodging plant type. Resistant to leaf blast and moderately resistant to neck blast. Rich in protein, tolerant to drought also suitable for value addition.

NAROMIL3

Yield potential is 2.7-4.4 tons per hectare. Matures within 110 days. Medium tall, erect, non-logging, resistant to blast, rich in protein at 10.5% and iron at 88.44mg/kg. Tolerant to drought, Diastatic unit at 40.0. Good for Value addition.

NAROMIL 4

Yield potential is 2.8-3.7 tons per hectare. Matures within 85 days, Resistant to blast, rich in proteins at 7.0% good for malting, suitable for value addition, and tolerant to drought.

NAROMIL 5

Yield potential is 2.6-3.5 tons per hectare. Matures within 100 days medium tall erect and on lodging, Drought tolerant, stays green, good for brewing, resistant to leaf blast and nutritionally rich in grain protein content at 12.2%.

Pearl millet

Still in the pipeline for 2023, three pearl millet varieties, that mature within 80 to 85 days, it is drought tolerant and yield between 3000 to 5,000 tons per hectare. It is ready and awaiting approval processes from the variety release committee.

According to Kasule, these have higher iron and zinc compared to existing millet varieties. 

He says once pearl millet is released, it will address the malnutrition challenges, especially in the Karamojong region, where this variety is grown most.