Abstract:

A study was carried out by seed specialists of the Overseas
Development Institute (UK) and the Nkoola Consultancy Group
(Uganda) in the Teso & Lango regions of Uganda, on behalf of
the NARO/DFID COARD Project. The purpose of the study was
to provide recommendations and guidelines for the development
of enhanced seed supply in Eastern and Northern Uganda,
informed by a review of current government and non-government
interventions, and a field study of farmers' current practices and
constraints in obtaining, storing and multiplying seed of improved
(modern) varieties. The recommendations are intended primarily
for the NARO/DFID COARD Project, but may also be of use for
others interested in addressing seed supply issues in Uganda.
The principal seed sources in the region are farmers' own saved
seed or seed from neighbours, and seed purchased from grain
markets (ranging from 15% or less for sweet potatoes and
cassava, 40% - 60% for finger millet, pigeonpea and sorghum, to
70% - 90% for groundnuts, simsim and cowpea). Seed purchased
from grain markets is simply selected from grain offered for sale —
there is very little purchase of materials grown and packaged for
sale as seed. The formal seed sector has largely failed to promote
its varieties through the channels of seed provisioning that farmers
regularly use.
Despite the efforts of NARO, MAAIF extension and NG0s, many
farmers in Teso and Lango lack awareness of the MVs available.
Use of MVs observed in the study varied from zero for cowpea &
simsim, 4% for pigeonpea, 10% & 17% for sorghum and finger
millet, to 40% for cassava and sweet potatoes and 52% for
groundnuts. Where farmers are using modern varieties (MVs),
most of them are not aware of the original source of the material,
or of NARO's role in the development of the MVs. In some cases,
however, the uptake and spread of MVs displaying favourable
characteristics has been quite rapid, provided that sufficient seed/
planting material was available. Such cases, together with the
interest of farmers in trying out new varieties, clearly illustrate
that farmers are willing to incorporate appropriate new varieties
into their cropping systems.