The Executive Director of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), Dr. Yona Baguma has urged the government to allocate additional funds to enable the agency to continue its research activities effectively.
Dr. Baguma stood before a gathering of dignitaries, his voice infused with urgency at the hallowed premises of the National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI) in Kituuza, Mukono.
It was October 16th, a day consecrated to the global celebration of sustenance – World Food Day 2023, held under the theme: “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.”
With conviction etched on his countenance, Baguma painted a vivid tapestry of the challenges besieging the smallholder farmers of Uganda, their toil marred by the capricious whims of nature.
He spoke of the underfunding that has hindered NARO operations and relentless challenges that gnawed at the roots of farmers’ livelohoods, which have withered the promise of good harvests. Their plight was the call to action, a resounding plea for a lifeline.
“NARO according to our strategic plan, we desire to have a funding level of UGX 300 billion annually, we are now at a level of UGX 600 billion annually. We believe if we are given that resource, we should be able to continue generating technology and innovations, to improve agriculture in this country,” Baguma affirmed.
Minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Hon. Frank Tumwebaze, urged citizens to restore the country’s lost green cover through afforestation and reafforestation programs. This action is crucial in combating desertification, which hinders agricultural initiatives.
Hon. Tumwebaze, representing Vice President of Uganda Major Jesca Alupo as the chief guest, also engaged in various activities during the day at NaCORI. These included touring numerous agro-industry exhibitions, inaugurating the multipurpose lab complex, and overseeing the release of new crop seed varieties developed by NARO.
He further commended the dedicated work of researchers and breeders who operate behind the scenes to ensure the integrity and sustainability of Uganda’s food systems.
Food-oriented NGOs in Uganda, led by Food Rights Alliance Uganda (FRAU), criticized the government for not allocating sufficient funds to develop the agricultural sector, despite it being the backbone of the country’s economy.
Agnes Kirabo, the Executive Director of FRAU, particularly highlighted the concerning realities in Uganda, notably corruption tendencies where some government officials embezzle and misallocate substantial sums of money that could have been redirected towards agricultural initiatives.
Kirabo emphasized, “If, as a nation, we dedicate our efforts to bolstering the agricultural sector, famine could become a thing of the past in our beautiful nation, Uganda. The annual allocation of UGX 300 billion that NARO is requesting is not an excessive amount. We’ve heard of instances where a single individual misappropriates these funds and flees the country. However, when you consider it, these funds requested by NARO for the entire year are not an unreasonable demand for the state to meet.”
NARO, the bedrock of agricultural innovation in Uganda, has been gasping for fiscal breath. Its annual allocation, a meager UGX. 166 billion, stretched thin across the expansive landscape of research.
Disease-resistant crop varieties, the bulwark against nature’s caprices, clamored for attention. Pesticides, wardens of green sanctuaries, sought reinforcement. The wages of the steadfast laborers, the custodians of this verdant haven, yearned for just recognition. Research laboratories, the crucible of progress, yearned for expansion.
In unvarnished terms, Dr. Baguma beseeched the government for a lifeline, a sum of UGX. 144 billion, a call to arms to safeguard the nation’s agricultural heritage.
This entreaty was no mere supplication, but an imperative born from the crucible of necessity. It was a clarion call to stand resolute against the trials that besieged the lifeblood of the nation.
As the echoes of Dr. Baguma’s impassioned plea reverberated through the hallowed premises, the somber reality hung heavy in the air. The fate of Uganda’s smallholder farmers hung in the balance, and NARO stood as their stalwart defender.
In the crucible of NaCORI, on this solemn World Food Day, the plea was cast, echoing forth, a beacon of hope in the face of adversity.
The theme of the day rang true – “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind.” And so, the call resounded, echoing across the verdant landscapes of Uganda, a plea for sustenance, for resilience, for a future rooted in fertile soil and bountiful harvests.
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