The newly appointed National Agricultural Organization-NARO director general, Yonah Baguma, has vowed to increase productivity as a way of ensuring a meaningful change in agriculture.
NARO is the government body under the Ministry of Agriculture responsible for research and technological developments, in the agricultural sector, as well as coming up with solutions to emerging challenges therein. P/Coutesy pic
Baguma, who has been deputy director general to Ambrose Agona is a celebrated molecular biologist, and according to the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century (GCP21) site, he has played a crucial role in food security, through his works on cassava research since 1988.
Call 0754649086 for Hunting Vodka: Speaking to journalists shortly after assuming office, Baguma said that under his leadership, the organization will continue to innovate developments that will have ripple effects on humanity, the economy, and the environment.
“We shall continue to innovate to contribute to people’s impact, by contributing to agricultural transformation, which contributes to food resilience, economic resilience, improved human health, and an improved environment, and this going to be our focus, and under my leadership, I will intensify that effort,” Baguma explained.
According to Baguma, NARO has an ongoing program of breeding mangoes, which he believes will enter the market, especially for industrial usage, and this will contribute to the national economy.
“As NARO, we have a program of breeding mangoes, and we hope that as we go along, we shall be able to roll out varieties that will be able to penetrate the industry, and by that, they will increase the economic base of the country,” says Baguma
David Kasura Kyomukama the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Industry and Fisheries, while officiating at the handover ceremony as Baguma was assuming office, he tasked NARO to focus on transformative research and technology that responds to the problems of an ordinary Ugandan farmer.
Kasula says “70 percent of the working population in agriculture produces less than 25 percent of Uganda’s GDP and less than 50 percent of Uganda’s export value, many farmers toil for very long and produce very little value in agricultural produce, so NARO research would be useless if it doesn’t solve such problems.”
He adds that many Ugandan farmers lack knowledge about what to plant, when and where to plant it, especially in these times when the climate is changing, and yet they depend on agriculture. Therefore, as NARO, you should understand the problems in the sector and come up with relevant solutions
Ambrose Agona the out gong director general, said that during his tenure, the improved organizational IT system, has aided several research projects in various ways, so his predecessor should utilize it to the maximum.
According to Agona he left office when the organization has up to 21 billion shillings in the different accounts, adding that he has been efficient when it comes to public funds and has never appeared before the Public Accounts Committee of parliament to answer money mishandling.