Karamoja is one of the poorest regions in Uganda with a poverty rate estimated to be 66%, more than three times the national poverty rate.

Records from World Food Programme indicate that in recent years all the nine districts of Karamoja namely Abim, Amudat, Kaabong, Karenga, Kotido, Moroto, Nabilatuk, Nakapiripit and Napak are faced with food crisis.

Climate change is a major contributor and is likely to diminish continued progress on food security through production disruptions that lead to local availability limitations and price increase, interrupted transport outlets, diminished food safety and others that may be catastrophic.

Insecurity caused by rising cattle rustling is causing fear with local communities failing to carry out their farming activities leading to increased food prices.

As a team of science journalists are on fact finding tour from National Agricultural Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) in Serere to Abim through to Kotido, it is evident that there is insecurity in the area as seen by the Number of Army barracks seen along the way.

While communicating with the conduct persons on ground, they advise the team not travel beyond 3:00 pm along the road and to farmer fields because it the time cattle rustlers are actively attacking travelers of any caliber.

The current drought pattern in the region is affecting Karamoja sub-region, high food prices have left many families unable to afford nutritious foods thereby forcing them to find other ways to cope.

Some families have been forced to consume their seed stocks, leaving nothing for the planting season.

However Scientists in NaSARRI despite the insecurity challenge have been breeding different varieties of crops that grow well in the semi-arid region. They have involved different farmer groups in Karamoja region in their breeding programme and a number of the farmers are adopting them.

These crops include sorghum, finger millet, green gram, groundnuts, narobean varieties and simsim among others.

Seeds of Gold caught up with the scientists and farmer groups and below are the details.

Semi-Arid Crop varieties adopted in Karamoja

The Programme leader for semi-arid cereal crops in NaSARRI Dr Scovia Adikini explained that over time scientists at the Institute have bred crop varieties which have been adopted by farmers in Teso, Lago and Acholi sub region for commercialization.

However under the USAID Feed the Future projects which has been running since 2019, her team embarked on breeding finger millet, sorghum and green gram with a major aim of engaging farmers in Karamoja region for adoption.

The scientists availed the farmers in Abim, Kotido, Kabong and Napak with finger millet varieties namely Naromill2 and 5 and Seremi 2, Sorghum variety Narosorg1, 2, Seso3 and green gram Narogram2. They are tolerant to drought conditions and are high yielding.

Dr Adikini and team gave farmer groups in Abim, Kotido, Kabong and Napaka improved seeds as named above in early this year and the harvests are promising.

Sensitization exercise

Dr Adikini and her team of scientists organised farmers in the various districts in groups with farmer associations comprising of 30 members.

Each farmer group is encouraged to grow the crop varieties for seed production. This is mainly for finger millet and green gram which can be managed by community sees producers.

The team is encouraging seed companies to take up sorghum seed production because being that it is cross pollinated plant, farmers may not manage it well.

The groups have been sensitized to follow the right agronomy practices, planting the seed in rows, weeding in time and timely harvesting including good post-harvest handling practices.

Farmers in Soroti and Serere have taken it at another level by adding value to some of the crops such as sorghum seed by popping and packaging as snack for sale.

New varieties in the offing

Under the same project, the scientists have been breeding three finger millet varieties and four sorghum varieties which is due for release next year.

They have been crossing landrace varieties newly improved varieties to come up with varieties which are resistant to pests, diseases and striga weed.

The Sorghum varieties ready for release include IESV 92043 DL, IS 8193, ICSR 160 and GE 17/1/2013A. However they will be given different names once released.

GE 17/1/2013A is a Striga-tolerant variety obtained from the sorghum improvement program at Purdue University, Indiana, USA.

 Farmer adoption of the already released varieties in Abim

Ms Akulo Rovina from Morolem Sub County in Rachkoko village Abim district is one of the beneficiaries of the improved varieties Naro has taken to Karamoja region.

Upon arrival on her 2 acre Green Gram farm, one is excited to see the farm with crops growing well, a sign of bumper harvest once the crops are harvested.

Akulo belongs to Rwot Eneteko farmers’ Association where she is the secretary of the group.

She explained that their group started in 2007 as a village savings group, however in 2018 the members began farming as a group growing simsim and ground nuts for commercialisation.

However in January 2023, scientists from NaSSARI were linked to the group and they were given 5kg of improved green gram seed.

They team in July planted the seeds on two acre land and they are about to harvest it meaning it matures faster compared to traditional varieties they have been growing which takes about 4 months.

The group was also given 80 kg of Narosorg 1 sorghum variety which they planted in July and it is ready for harvesting. They planted about 5 kg on group land and rest were divided among members to plant on the individual farmland.

The farmers have noticed the difference between the naro green gram and sorghum varieties which mature faster and they intend to keep the seed for planting for the next season.

The local sorghum variety takes about 6 months to mature but the naro variety matures in three months.

Once the seed of crop varieties is multiplied, they will sell it as seed to other farmer groups in the district.

The group members were sensitized on best practices were they were taught to plant seed in rows rather than the traditional method of broadcasting.

Personal farmer initiative

Akulo is a professional agriculturalist having completed Diploma in Arapai Agricultural College.

She has been practicing farming growing mainly simsim, Sorghum, sunflower and beans. She has also been helping farmers in the district by sensitizing them on best agronomy practices in order to obtain bumper harvest.

Having married to Mr Ochan Alfred who is teaching in nearby Primary school, she is practicing agriculture on about 20 acres family land.

On average, she is able to harvest 20 bags of simssim and 30 bags of sorghum on about 5 acres of land per season.

A bag of simsim weighing 50kg is sold at Shs120, 000 and Sorghum is at Shs800 per Kg.

Having worked with Kotido NGO forum till 2017, she has been practicing intensive farming as income earning initiative.

She is able to take her four children to school from financial support obtained from farming.

Having seen the difference between the land race varieties she has been planting, she is ready to adopt the varieties provided by Naro scientists as an individual and as group.

Value addition

The farmer groups in Soroti and Serere adopted growing of the Naro sorghum, finger millet and green gram varieties for over a period of years now.

They have gone ahead to add value by milling sorghum flour which is mixed with green gram flour for porridge. The same applies to mixture of millet flour with soybean and green gram.

These are packaged by various farmer groups and sold in the local market within Serere and Soroti.

However what is interesting is where a farmer group Soroti Sweet Potato Producers and Farmers Association in Kyere Town Council in Serere district have gone ahead to add value to Sorghum seed by popping it.

The coordinator of the group Paul Ekuma explained that instead of popping yellow maize, the group decided to add value to sorghum which a staple crop in Teso.

It is now three years since the group has been doing this. They have packages of 200gms sold at Shs500 and 400gms sold at Shs1000

At the moment they group is popping locally in saucepan but they are already fabricating a machine for popping the same.

They are also processing sorghum flour and millet flour composite as a mixture for porridge

They sell 1 Kg at Shs5,000 and a half Kg goes for half the price.