A lifeline crop for the Banyakigezi, (irish) potato was both a staple food and a main household income source throughout the Kigezi Highlands. Unfortunately, the crop has been decimated by pests and diseases, particularly bacterial wilt and late blight.
Where as research shows that potato can yield over 30mt/hectare, yields in the Kigezi highlands range between 4-7 mt/ha. Latest estimates show production declining even further per unit of cultivated land to the extent that most farmers have abandoned their lifeline crop.
Having realised the potato’s economic significance to communities in the Kigezi highlands, agricultural researchers and development institutions have over the years attempted to increase production of the crop by introducing higher-yielding, pest-resistant varieties into the farming system. The varieties have included: Uganda 11 (Rutuku) of 1973; Sangema of 1980; Cruza of 1983; Victoria of 1992; Kisoro of 1992; Kabale of 1992; NAKPOT 1 of 1999; NAKPOT 2 of 1999; and NAKPOT 3 of 1999). However the success of nearly all these varietal introductions was severely short-circuited by mediocre extension support and consequent low farmer adoptions.
Efforts by development organizations, including the South Western Reconstruction Project (SWARP), the African Highlands Initiative (AHI), PRAPACE, AFRICARE which provided farmers with production skills were disjointed and paid little attention to clean potato seed supply systems. Farmers continued deriving their seed from the previous harvest because organised potato seed production businesses were un-available and/or never received any support from the development organisations.
The inception of NAADS in Kabale in 2001, and its subsequent expansion to the rest of the Kigezi Highland districts of Kisoro, Kanungu, and Rukungiri gave potato farmers hope; hope which was rooted within the NAADS’ professed philosophy of integrated farmer access to knowledge, information and technology for profitable agricultural production. Between 2001 and 2005, NAADS focussed on strengthening capacity of farmer groups to produce improved potato seed at farmer-managed technology development and multiplication sites. In Kabale district, this had the immediate impact of increasing the number of potato seed producers from 1 group (Uganda National Seed Potato Producers Association –UNSPPA) before 2001, to more than 100 (albeit small-scale) by 2005.
However, the emerging (trainee) potato seed production groups required sustained technical mentoring through farmer advisory services---which were being delivered through the NAADS framework. The groups needed to learn potato seed quality control processes; integrated disease and pest management; entrepreneurship and marketing skills development; group dynamics; etc before they could become qualified clean potato seed producers.
Unfortunately, the restructuring of the NAADS which came after the 2007 presidential suspension altered the programme’s learning orientation. Accused of over-teaching farmers, NAADS was essentially converted into an input supply-oriented organisation with a minimal farmer advisory and training component. NAADS now had to source and supply thousands of metric tonnes of agricultural inputs, including potato seed. In an instant, the trainee potato seed producer groups were tipped to become commercial seed suppliers. After all, they were the only option available in an environment characterised by long-term neglect of the potato seed production sector.
Over the last three years, these half-baked seed potato producers have under the auspices of NAADS, supplied thousands of metric tonnes of contaminated/diseased potato seed to farmers that have received little or inadequate training about potato agronomy. In essence, the restructured NAADS has facilitated the trainee potato seed producers to become agents of contamination; to inoculate the entire farming system with pest and disease agents. The impact is devastating: late blight and bacterial wilt have scoured the entire Kigezi farmlands; diminishing production to its lowest levels in 30 years!
Courtesy of NAADS, the lifeblood of the Banyakigezi is gone or nearly so! Anybody who has travelled to Kigezi over the last few months and talked with farmers must have noted the cynicism farmers ascribe to NAADS: “NAADS has totally killed our gardens!”
Will NAADS ever redeem its credibility, given the increasing incidences of corruption and embezzlement of programme funds; and now its association with the spread of the decimating bacterial wilt and late blight in the Kigezi highlands, and perhaps other regions?
Published in Sunday Monitor, January 6, 2010: http://www.monitor.co.ug/OpEd/Commentary/-/689364/836418/-/view/printVersion/-/j9l2cpz/-/index.html
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