By Prossy Nandudu
Drought resistant soybeans, sorghum and cow peas are some of the varieties that Makerere University and the National Agriculture Research Organization (NARO) are show casing at this year’s NARO-MAK conference, taking place at Speke Resort Munyonyo.
The soy beans are being bred through the Makerere University’s Soybean program headed by Prof Phinehas Kutamuhabwa and then the sorghum from the Makerere University’s Crop improvement program and National Agriculture Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI).
While Sorghum varieties can be accessed through the National Agriculture Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), one of the research stations at NARO.
According to the Principle College of Agriculture and Environment Sciences, Prof Goreti Nabanoga, the varieties will support farmers produce for food, for income but also for the Industry.
Nabanoga who was chairing the opening session of the conference said that apart from food items, other innovations that will support production are through the promotion of soil testing technologies, technologies for post-harvest handling for fruits like Jack fruit, sweet potatoes and sorghum, among others.
The three-day conference is running under theme Innovations for Enhancing Productivity and Agro-Industrialization. Value added crops on diplay include Coffee
Areas of discussion include challenges and Opportunities in Mechanization and Agro-Industrialization, modernizing post-harvest management and food safety systems, intensification of crop productivity and seed systems, managing interactions among the changing environment, ICT based innovations for agricultural transformation among others.
