To undertake research in all aspects of agriculture including crops, livestock, fisheries, forestry, agro-machinery, natural resources and socio-economic issues.

A competitive society supported by a dynamic agricultural research innovation system.

The vision statement is anchored on the government’s aspirations to transform Uganda from peasantry to a modern and prosperous society. NARO’s contribution is therefore targeted to build a climate resilient, food secure and economically competitive society.

To innovate for sustainable agricultural transformation.

In principle, NARO’s mandate is to conduct agricultural research in Uganda. Her mission focuses on developing and promoting technologies and innovations for agricultural transformation. Internally, NARO will continue to build a reputable agricultural research and innovation system that is less dependent on donor funding and loans by expanding its income portfolio through internally generated revenue. 25

To increase total factor productivity and access to agricultural research products and services for inclusive growth.

Given the ever increasing scarcity of factors of production, intensification along the commodity value chain is paramount. To address this, NARO will generate safe and competitive technologies and innovations driven by markets and industry. This will maximize gains from production factors making chain actors have comparative advantage in the market place.

1. Inclusivity.

2. Subsidiarity

3. Transparency

4. Accountability

5. Excellence

6. Integrity

To contribute effectively to the transformation of the agricultural sector, NARO strives to create a sustainable and self-driving agricultural research and innovation system. Thus in the next 10 years NARO will focus her research and innovation efforts on four broad results:

Strategic Result 1: Increased niche markets for communities in agricultural sector.

a) Increasing product intensification and diversification. NARO will re-focus the research agenda towards market-oriented product development. It will involve identification of stakeholders’ demands, understanding the markets, increasing access to market information, increasing product development and value addition.

b) Increasing market oriented production. NARO will contribute to stimulation of commercial production through provision of industry and market-oriented varieties, breeds, prototypes, protocols and practices.

Strategic Result 2: Increased research products and services suited for industry.

a) Creating increased demand for NARO products by industry. NARO will generate competitive products and services and put in place quality assurance mechanisms.

b) Increasing Innovations. NARO will increase support for innovation, technology incubation and techno-entrepreneurship development. The support will involve provision of sustainable funding mechanisms, adequate infrastructure, human resource development and enabling policy framework.

c) Increasing public private partnerships. This will be achieved through creating effective partnerships with industry for joint technology development and promotion. NARO will also increase engagement with other commodity value chain actors.

Strategic Result 3: Communities increasingly using improved agricultural technologies and innovations.

a) Increasing availability of improved technologies and information. The focus is to improve access to improved technologies and innovations by communities. This will require increased generation of gender-responsive, relevant and novel technologies for various strata of users including urban population; increased production of early generation seed and prototypes; and increased technology incubation.

b) Enhancing conservation and harnessing genetic resources. NARO recognizes importance of indigenous genetic resources and will therefore intensify efforts to protect, preserve and conserve genetic resources. Bio-prospecting will be enhanced to increase new products on the market and widen the use of genetic resources.

c) Enhancing Natural Resource Management. Natural resources are the basis on which agricultural technological innovations are built. NARO will continue to develop technologies, innovations and management practices that enhance environmental resilience and sustainability of natural resources.

d) Increasing uptake of technologies and innovations. This entails NARO directing efforts to increasing access to technology information and improving capacity of communities to use technologies and innovations.

Strategic Result 4: Institutional Orientation to Agricultural Transformation.

a) Securing adequate and sustainable resources for research and development. This calls for increased and sustainable funding; enhanced governance and management; improved human resource capacity, improved research infrastructure and effective and sustainable partnerships and collaborations.

b) Developing and implementing transformational policies and processes. This entails: increased influence on policy formulation and implementation; reengineered processes for transformation; improved work culture; and strong and effective planning, monitoring, evaluation learning and reporting system.

Environmental and social safeguards.

NARO is cognizant of the fact that agricultural advancement may come along with adverse impacts on natural resources and environment. In development of technologies and interventions, NARO endeavours to mitigate possible challenges such as: pollution of environment including soils, water bodies and the atmosphere; degradation of land and water bodies, soils and associated biota, natural ecosystems; and loss of agro-biodiversity shall be fully integrated.

Gender and diversity

NARO considers and mainstreams the specific needs and aspirations of youth, women, elderly, people with disabilities, child-headed households, and women-headed households.

HIV/AIDS

HIV/AIDS remains a major hindrance to Agricultural transformation given that it affects largely the productive age bracket of the population.

Climate change

In line with the Uganda National Climate Change Policy 2015, which emphases transformation through climate change mitigation and adaptation, NARO will continuously impress and streamline climate smart practices in all research and development activities.