Pakistan to partner with NARO on agriculture mechanization
Apr 18, 2016
Pakistan plans to work with the Agricultural Engineering and Appropriate Technology Research Institute, Namalere
The Islamic Republic of Pakistan is to work with Uganda to boost the agriculture sector through knowledge and technology transfer of simple farming technologies to farmers.
One of the areas that Pakistan wants to help is in the fabrication of agriculture machinery through the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO) to increase the agriculture mechanization, according to Uganda's Ambassador to Iran, accredited to the Islamic Republic of Pakistani, Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Kisuule.
Dr. Kisuule, addressing journalists on Saturday, said Pakistan plans to work with the Agricultural Engineering and Appropriate Technology Research Institute, Namalere (AEATRI) a research station in Uganda, specializing in the making agricultural tools for farmers to adopt for better output.
"We want to partner with research centers in Uganda, to make use of machinery like tractors and tools that can help small holder farmers reduce post-harvest loses so as to earn more from their efforts," said Kisuule.
They also want to help the research station popularize some of the tools made but are never made available to farmers who need them most.
A farmer in Pakistan keeps his potatoes covered with grass as a way of preventing losses. Photo by Prossy Nandudu
Kisuule inspects one of the gardens with simple tools of irrigation in Pakistan. Photo by Prossy Nandudu
"The situation here is that we have many researches going on but have not been spread to the farmers and the Pakistanis are ready to come in and help," he added.
Dr. Kisuule presented to a draft memorandum of understanding from Pakistan to the Director General of the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO) Dr. Ambrose Agona, indicating areas where Pakistan wants to cooperate with NARO.
Agona promised to study the memorandum and also consult fellow researchers in the Pakistani Agriculture Research Council for further clarifications before NARO can embrace the MOU.
Once NARO accepts and incorporates Uganda's interests in the MOU, it will be implemented in June this year, added Kisuule.