Capacity Building 

At least 4,000 local and international visitors receive agricultural skills and knowledge at MuZARDI’s two stations annually. These include interns, secondary and university students, primary pupils, volunteers, farmers, Operation Wealth Creation (OWC) officers, NGOs and CBOs.

The interns are mainly students from neighboring universities and institutions like Makerere, Kyambogo, Muteesa 1 Royal, Nkozi, Uganda Christian University and Busitema. One day tours are also organized for both primary and secondary school children. Individual farmers similarly make day-to-day consultations on agricultural practices and agri-business enterprises.

Internally, the institute has continued to boost its human resource performance by regularly providing Masters and PhD scholarships to its workforce in both local and international universities. Study leave is always granted.

Training Facilities 

The institute organizes trainings for its diverse stakeholders including farmers, students, NGOs, CBOs and district local governments

Though some of these are conducted at various venues especially at district or sub-county headquarters, the majority are done at the Institute.

With its spacious training rooms, classrooms and big conference hall complimented by the Institute’s sparkling, serene and picturesque scenery, Mukono ZARDI provides the perfect setting for any trainee.

There are five dormitories and several guest rooms offering boarding facilities to workshop participants. Additional services provided on request include secretarial services, LCD projectors, public address systems, a stand-by generator, internet services and satellite television. Also guaranteed are tasty meals from a fully functional kitchen.

Reaping the Benefits of the KR Coffee Varieties 

Coffee wilt disease (CWD) is a fungal disease that causes low yields in the production of Robusta coffee varieties commonly grown in the Lake Victoria Crescent zone.

The disease spreads quickly and widely through infected coffee plant debris, infected farm tools and soil. Unfortunately, once infected, a tree will die since there is no cure. Control measures include uprooting and burning infected coffee trees on site as soon as symptoms are seen and then disinfecting farm tools using flames or Jik solution (5%).

However, with the increasing global demand of coffee, it was important that a lasting solution be found to fight the disease.

Therefore, MUZARDI scientists introduced the Coffee Wilt Disease resistant varieties KR 1-7 lines at both the Ntawo and Kamenyamiggo stations, where they are multiplied and disseminated to famers in the zonal districts.

In addition, farmers visiting the Ntawo and Kamenyamiggo mother gardens and nurseries also receive training in proper coffee management practices.

During the previous FY 2019/20, KR clonal plantlets totaling to 17,061 and 4,605 plantlets of elite coffee were sold to farmers.

Helping Farmers Adopt NARO Technologies through the Domino Project 

While research technologies are disseminated using various uptake pathways, poor quality planting materials are still a big problem in the Lake Victoria Crescent Zone. Additionally, several technologies developed by NARO still remain on the shelves.

The Domino Project seeks to establish the adoption rate of selected technologies by farmers in the Institute’s neighbouring communities in a distance range of 10km, 20km and 30km from the Institute.

For that reason, farmers have been categorized into two groups – one that is using the technologies and the other that is not. The project has also classified farm typologies and their implication for technology adoption besides identifying the factors limiting or enhancing  it. Subsequently a model will be developed to enhance  its adoption.

So far, in some community interactions carried out in the districts of Lwengo, Luwero, Buikwe and Bukomasimbi, many farmers said there was a need to develop strategies that would enhance technology adoption.

Quality Banana Planting Materials to Enhance Food Security 

Banana is one of the most important food crops in Uganda. It is currently being grown by about 75% of the farmers on 1.3 million hectares.

With most of what is produced consumed locally, the banana crop is also a good income source for farmers all year round in addition to providing soil surface cover and reducing soil erosion on steep slopes. It also acts as a principal source of mulch for maintaining and improving soil fertility.

However, the majority of the small holder farmers in Uganda obtain suckers from the informal seed sector. This means that many multiply, select and distribute the suckers.

This practice though increases the risk of the fast spreading of pests and diseases such as Banana wilt. Subsequently, productivity is affected both in terms of quantity and quality, threatening the food sector in the long-term.

Mukono ZARDI scientists have as a result established two on-station mother gardens at Ntawo and Kamenyamiggo to provide disease-free planting materials to farmers.

Selected banana cultivars of Mbwazirume, Kisansa, Mpologoma, NAROBAN 5 and Nakitembe, which are all high-yielding, were planted for multiplication and dissemination to stakeholders in the Lake Victoria crescent zone.

Farmers visiting the Institute on one day tours and some of those within the neighbourhood have been able to receive practical skills on proper banana management.