By Alex Pithua

Kyenjojo: In a move intended to actualize Government’s agro-industrialization agenda, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), is purposely engaging industrialists to provide research-backed solutions that address bottlenecks in scaling agribusinesses and expanding farmer participation.

The visits to various agro-industrialization sites started early this week;

Riding on Memoranda of Understanding [MOU] signed with a number of sector entities, NARO is strengthening partnerships with private sector investors to unlock productivity, value addition, and inclusive growth across key agricultural value chains. NARO management revealed

This commitment was underscored during a business visit led by NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma, to Amafh Farms in Mityana District, and Clarke Farm and Njojo Agro-based Industries in Kyenjojo District.

The three large-scale agribusinesses are spearheading macadamia, coffee and hass avocado/maize production respectively.

The visit was aimed also at exploring practical areas where agricultural research can support private investments to overcome production challenges, improve productivity, and deepen value addition.

Positioning Macadamia as Uganda’s Next High-Value Export Crop.

At Amafh Farms in Nambaale, Mityana District, the NARO team was hosted by Mr. Morvi Asim, Managing Director of the 1,200-acre enterprise that has been pioneering macadamia farming in Uganda since 2003.

Over 700 acres are currently under macadamia cultivation, positioning the farm as a trailblazer in the emerging value chain.

Amafh Farms specializes in growing and processing high-quality macadamia nuts for both local and international markets, integrating sustainable farming practices and innovative processing technologies along the entire value chain, from seed to finished product.

NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma (center), the Amafh Farm Managing Director, Morvi Amis (right) and other staff inspect the 750 acre Macadamia farm in Mityana. By Alex Pithua

“Our vision is to transform Uganda into a leading macadamia producer,” Mr. Asim said, while speaking to NARO officials during the visit noting that global demand for macadamia far outstrips supply. “If you have 100 tonnes, the market demands 1,000 tonnes. This is a product that is hugely undersupplied.”

Five years ago, Amafh launched the Macadamia Outgrower Extension Project (MOGEP), an ambitious initiative aimed at transforming the livelihoods of over 250,000 small-scale farmers nationwide.

In its initial phase, the project targets the planting of 25 million macadamia trees, with the potential to create employment for more than 2.5 million people while strengthening national food security.

Currently, the programme is working with about 25,000 farmers, providing highly subsidised seedlings, farmer training, and a guaranteed buy-back arrangement.

According to Mr. Asim, Amafh is also investing heavily in value addition, with production lines planned for 12 macadamia-based products, including cooking oil, briquettes for green energy, honey, and bio-fertilizers.

The company is promoting integrated farming systems by encouraging farmers to keep bees for pollination and honey production, while all processing waste is recycled into bio-fertilizer, an approach that supports environmental sustainability.

In 2024, Amafh signed a Memorandum of Understanding with NARO, a partnership Mr. Asim described as critical to industrial growth.

“NARO’s visit to our farm demonstrates their commitment to supporting industrialization and increasing incomes for farmers,” he said, adding that the company is establishing a nursery to supply 3 to 4 million seedlings annually.

Addressing stakeholders at Amafh Farms, Dr. Yona Baguma emphasized the transformative income potential of macadamia for Ugandan farmers.

“On one acre, a farmer can plant about 100 macadamia trees. With an average yield of 75 kilograms per tree and a farm-gate price of UGX 3,000 per kilogram, a farmer can earn up to UGX 22 million annually from one acre,” Dr. Baguma explained. “Given that the lifespan of a macadamia tree can exceed 100 years, this crop offers a lifetime source of stable income.”

He noted that NARO and Amafh will jointly address key constraints limiting productivity, including the absence of a reliable national seed system, sub-optimal plant populations, and emerging pests and diseases.

NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma (left) and the Clarke Farm Manager, Sylvester Kyendi (right) and other  team members on the coffee farm in Kyenjojo. By Alex Pithua

NARO will also support product diversification and value addition through its laboratories at the National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NaRL) in Kawanda.

Through the National Forestry Resources Research Institute (NaFORRI), NARO plans to develop a breeding programme to adapt macadamia to different agro-ecological zones, especially drought-prone areas such as Karamoja and West Nile.

“Macadamia thrives in sandy soils and is suitable for intercropping, which enhances food security and farmer incomes,” Dr. Baguma said. “Once we take this crop to climate-vulnerable regions, we will not only boost livelihoods but also contribute to climate change adaptation.”

He reaffirmed NARO’s commitment to working with Amafh and other interested entities to ensure macadamia becomes a game-changer in Uganda’s fight against poverty.

Supporting Innovation in Coffee and Hass Avocado Production.

The NARO delegation also visited Clarke Farm in Katambale, Kyarusozi Sub-county, Kyenjojo District, a 2,200-acre mixed farm with a strong focus on coffee production. Currently, 750 acres are under coffee, with plans to expand to 1,200 acres within four years.

Farm Manager Mr. Sylvester Kyendi described the engagement with NARO as timely and productive, particularly in addressing market-driven production needs.

NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma (center), the Amafh Farm Managing Director, Morvi Amis (right) and another staff inspect a Macadamia plant at the farm in Mityana during the visit

“One of the key areas we agreed on is the development of a lowland Arabica coffee variety that can be grown in nontraditional areas,” he said. “Arabica fetches premium prices on the global market due to its superior cup quality, and we have buyers who specifically demand it.”

Clarke Farm supplies coffee to buyers in the United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates, major companies in Kampala, and other local markets.

Beyond commercial production, the farm serves as a source of planting materials for smallholder farmers and provides technical support on good agronomic practices.

The partnership with NARO is expected to strengthen research on varieties, productivity, and climate adaptation, further supporting Uganda’s coffee export ambitions.

At Njojo Agro-based Industries, which specializes in avocado and maize processing, Dr. Baguma said the visit was part of NARO’s follow-up on President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s directive to use innovation as a driver of socio-economic transformation.

The Founder and Managing Director, Rtd. Gen. Robert Rusoke, Uganda’s Head of Mission to Rwanda, said the engagement resonated strongly with his vision of building agro-industrial value chains to transform livelihoods in the Rwenzori region.

He disclosed that Njojo is the only processor of virgin oil from Hass avocado in Uganda.

NARO and Njojo agreed to collaborate on managing emerging pests and diseases and expanding the out-grower model to improve productivity and farmer incomes.

NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma (thrid left), the Amafh Farm Managing Director, Morvi Amis (left) and other team members inspect Macadamia nuts at the farm in Mityana. By Alex Pithua

Alex Pithua is news editor at Zoomer Africa your number one grassroot infomation hub