By Herbert Musoke
Potato stakeholders have asked the Government to intensify and quicken the process of reforming the seed law as a foundation for the formation of a comprehensive seed system that will enhance potato production and productivity.
During the potato stakeholders’ conference organised by the Uganda National Potato Organisation at Kira in Wakiso district, recently aimed at discussing how to promote production and productivity across the production value chain, players asked for a law reform to enable researchers to easily release new varieties and innovations.
The formal seed system is a deliberately constructed one that involves a chain of activities leading to genetically improved products: certified seed varieties.
The canon starts with plant breeding or a variety development programme that includes a formal release and maintenance system. The director, National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Dr Yonah Baguma, explains that farmers’ access to affordable and quality seed is important for increasing agricultural production and productivity.
He adds that with the support from the Government and the people of Uganda provided to NARO, they have come up with new potato varieties that are highly productive, early maturing and resistant to drought and diseases.
According to Dr Baguma, this is aimed at causing the desired social economic transformation via agricultural transformation.
“We have Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development (KAZARDI) in Kabale, as the centre dedicated to all the innovations for the transformation of potato in Uganda. Potato seed research started in the early 1990s to get varieties adoptive to low land areas, to increase on the areas that can grow potatoes other than the known high altitude areas of Kabale, Kisoro and Elgon, among others,” he said.
Dr Baguma recalled that, at that time, Rwanda wanted Uganda to supply it with potato seed and there was a struggle to build capacity of a seed system to take on the Rwanda potato seed market which was lacking.
However, over 30 years later, Uganda is still struggling with the seed system to make it vibrant, viable and sustainable for farmers to get quality, improved, reliable seed in the right varieties and quantities a t the right time.
He called upon stakeholders across the sector to co-ordinate and commit to establishment of an interlinked network to ensure that quality potato seed is produced in the right volumes and distributed to farmers timely, to enable them produce at a level that meets the market demand of quality Irish potato seed, which is about 239,328 tonnes and only about 10% is readily available for farmers per season and the rest use part of the previous harvest or import seed.
“There is no way we are going to sustain any market when production is not supported by a vibrant seed system. It is the only way the new varieties released by NARO and technologies will benefit the farmers. It is what all the negotiation with the Government should focus on,” he stressed.
Dr Alex Barekye, the former head of KAZARDI, explains that as researchers at NARO, they have numerous innovations, but find it hard to release them.
“NARO has invested intensively in new products, not only in potato, but also in other crops like cassava and banana, among others. But we seek the Parliament to provide us a voice, such that such innovations can be released to the farmers,” he says.
Dr Barekye explains that NARO seeks inclusive policies, plans and action that build resilient and sustainable agricultural food systems as a way of implementing the urban food agenda by providing potato, as food for the growing population, not only in Uganda but also in other countries.
Promoting seed system
Dr Denis Ngabirano, the director of Sumz Industries, expresses concern over the potato used to produce crisps because the varieties grown in Uganda are not of good quality.
“Most of the varieties produced by Ugandan farmers have high sugar levels which makes them burn while frying thus producing poor quality crisps yet farmers don’t seem to have a way forward,” he says.
Dr Barekye notes that the greatest challenge with potato has been lack of a seed system and for now, NARO’s focus is on the development of a comprehensive potato seed system to bridge the gap that forces farmers to recycle their seed, which reduces productivity.
“We have tissue culture from which we develop materials into conventional screen houses like the ones farmers have to generate mini tubers given to farmers to multiply. We also provide initial tissue culture materials and then farmers are trained such that they can multiply and bulk their own seed,” he adds.
Dr Barekye adds that through partnerships with organisations like the International Potato Centre, they have helped NARO in coming up with new varieties, disease diagnosis and promotion of technologies.
Also, in partnership with private Dutch companies, NARO has developed varieties suitable for processing in accordance with shape, taste and colour, among others.
“With International Fertiliser Development Centre (IFDC), which has worked with NARO since 2014 under the potato sector, we have developed farmers’ capacity to get screen houses as we give them tissue culture plantlets and they produce mini tubers. We work with them closely to ensure quality” he explains.
Potato is a complete food
Dr Barekye explains that Irish potato is considered to be a perfect food with well-balanced nutrients like vitamins, potassium and it has low fat, which means it can be consumed by diabetic people.
He says the potato market is widening globally with increased demand for frozen chips, crisps and potato flour for thickening soup.
Barekye notes that potato has competitive price rates as it can go for as high as sh300,000 a sack weighing 120kg while a sack of seed weighing 60kg can go for sh600,000.
He says an average farmer can get a net profit of about sh1.5m to sh2m from an acre, yet it matures early, because it is harvested in 70-100 days and can adapt to climatic change with early maturing varieties.
Barekye adds that with support from the Embassy of Netherlands through organisations like the IFDC through its initiative called building resilience and inclusive growth of highland farming systems for rural transformation, farmers have been helped to get varieties that are resistant to climatic changes for increased production.
“Potato growing is now moving to areas which have not been known for its production like Oyam district as we have been receiving farmers requesting for seed. For now, we have Naropot 4 (Rwangume) and Victoria varieties that can grow in mid and high-altitude areas,” he explains.
Barekye cited as an example for increased production, a farmer in Masaka who is growing potatoes under intensive agronomical practices, who can harvest up to 40 tonnes per hectare yet others are harvesting 10 tonnes.
Valve addition
Dr Yonah Baguma cautioned stakeholders that after solving one problem, you create another. With a vibrant and reliable seed system, there will be a lot of production and there should be a system to release this production to another layer to avoid a negative pressure on farmers.
“Gone are the days of transporting potatoes from Kabale, Kisoro, Elgon and elsewhere to Kampala. We need to stop trading potatoes as raw material with hardly any value addition. We need to diversify products and invest in cottages that produce different products from potatoes,” he says.
Baguma cites examples of China, where potato is processed into flour used to make biscuits, which is even flown to Uganda yet all the potato used in such industries is imported.
“The error of trading potatoes as raw material should stop with our generation,” he says.
Baguma adds that potato is the future crop for the country, but requires funding and therefore, the Uganda National Potato Organisation leaders need to co-ordinate with financial institution.
