Korea to improve Vegetable seed quality in Uganda

The Korean government through the Korean Project on International Agriculture (KOPIA) plans to link seed companies in Uganda with those in Korea to enable Ugandan farmers to access quality vegetable seeds.

This was revealed by the director KOPIA Uganda, Dr Shim Hongsik, while responding to farmers' requests and demand for hybrid vegetable seeds from Korea that have been on trial at Kawanda for two years.

"It's not easy for Japan to directly export its vegetable seed to Uganda, but I will link Ugandan seed companies to their Korean counterparts to enable farmers access these seeds," he said.

The KOPIA project is hosted at Kawanda Research Institute. Through the project, the Korean government is promoting consumption and growth of vegetables in Uganda to increase nutritional levels and household incomes.

Hongsik said the seed currently grown at Kawanda is for trial to establish their suitability to the Ugandan climate.

He added that lack of technology; skills and different weather partners preclude Uganda from ably producing hybrid seeds.

"In Korea seed is produced per season (winter, autumn, spring and summer). The only place where Uganda can try and produce hybrid seeds is in the highland areas of Rwenzori and Elgon," said Hongsik.

Recently NARO, KOPIA and National Agriculture Research Laboratories (NARL) Kawanda conducted a survey on the status of vegetable growing in Uganda.

According to Rita Nabuzaale, the survey was to establish gaps in vegetable production, varieties currently grown as well as constraints and opportunities to increase quality seed production.

According to Dr Onesmus Semalulu from the vegetable department, the baseline survey was conducted in Wakiso and Nakaseke district. It highlighted challenges faced in quality seed production such as lack of seed, drought and the increasing demand for foreign vegetables whose seed is not readily available on the market.

"There is need to address the seed issue in vegetable growing taking into consideration the increased demand for foreign vegetables in Uganda," said Semalulu.