Dr. Benard Yada
Principal Research Officer (Pathology) and programme Leader for Root Crops.
Dr. Benard Yada is a Principal Research Officer and Programme Leader Root Crops at NaCRRI. He holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from North Carolina State University (2014), USA; a Master’s degree in MSc Crop Science—Plant Breeding and Genetics from Makerere University (2009); and a Bachelor’s degree in BSc Agriculture from Makerere University.
He has participated in and attended several trainings in Science Leadership and Management, Fundamentals of Monitoring and Evaluation, Managing for Impact Approach, Basic Communication Skills for Agricultural Researchers, and Transformational Leadership Training, among others.
Dr. Yada joined NARO in 2008 as a Research Assistant as a Sweet Potato Breeder-Geneticist). In 2009, he was promoted to Research Officer position upon completing his MSc Degree. In 2017, he was promoted to Senior Research Officer and continued with the sweet potato breeding and genetics work. In 2022, He was promoted to the position of Principal Research Officer, Root Crops Program. In January 2024, he was appointed the Acting Programme Leader for the Root Crops Programme, where he served till April 2024 and was in April 2024 appointed the substantive Program Leader of the program.
As Programme Leader, Dr. Yada hopes to see the Root Crops Program grow into a more dynamic program that will present novel research ideas, attract and keep exceptional talent for cohesive teamwork, and aggressively mobilize additional resources for research with unwavering donor confidence due to successful result-based accountability. He anticipates a program powered by scientific rigor supported by an expanded and well-maintained physical infrastructure. He wants to see an expanded program that would include research on other root and tuber crops that are currently underappreciated but have significant food and nutritional value for the nation, such as cocoyam, taro, ginger, and beetroot. Ultimately, ensuring the program plays a significant role in the food security and agro-industrialization targets of Uganda’s fourth national development plan.
His areas of interest are plant breeding, genetics, genomics and seed systems. These are the vehicles for timely development and delivery of market demanded crop varieties for transformation of society. He sees Root Crops programme working as a functional team to achieve program goals beyond expectation