Uganda Christian University (UCU) has been implementing the AIRTEA project entitled, “Enhancing inclusive market access for African Indigenous vegetable seed and value-added products by smallholder farmers in Uganda.

This project started in 2022 and has been funded by the European Union through the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) in partnership with the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in East and Central Africa (ASARECA) and East African Farmers Federation (EAFF). UCU has been implementing it with partners including Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE), Syova Seeds Ltd (part of East Africa Seeds), and FARMGAIN Africa Ltd, a market information company.

Speaking at the dissemination of the project results at African Village Hotel, Mukono, Prof Elizabeth Balyejusa Kizito, the Director of Research, Partnership, and Innovations at UCU and Principal Investigator of the AIRTEA project, said the project worked with farmers of vegetables- mostly Indigenous vegetables such as Nakati, Doodo, Bbuga, pumpkin, and also tomatoes with a thrust of getting farmers linked to market their products to big buyers through contracts for specificities in the vegetables produced such as seed, or grain, or fruit or leafy vegetable.

She went ahead to highlight that during the project they trained farmers regarding sustainable production, business planning, post-harvest management to support their engagement with signed contracts. Farmers were ably matched and linked with big buyers and organized to supply the demanded produce. UCU also supported the Uganda National Farmers’ Federation (UNFFE) to develop and implement a management information system to support efficient operations in the organization. The project areas include Mukono, Buikwe, Jinja, Bugiri, Nakaseke, Luweero, Mityana and Kayunga.

Prof Kizito further noted that another major purpose of the AIRTEA project was to address the supply constraints, “how can small scale farmers reliably supply the required product quantities and quality in time as demanded by the market?” she said.

Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi, the Vice Chancellor of Uganda Christian University (UCU), emphasized the significance of the AIRTEA project, noting that it fosters a vital partnership with farmers. He commended the project for actively involving farmers and thanked its initiators for introducing a project that is transforming lives and communities.

He further commended the project’s coordinators particularly the UCU Directorate of Research, Innovations, and Partnerships for extending UCU’s impact beyond lecture rooms and into the community. “This aligns with UCU’s mission of delivering transformative education,” said Prof. Aaron Mushengyezi.

Dr. Rosemary Bulyaba, Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at UCU, notes that UCU focuses on teaching students practical skills, including product processing and value addition. She also highlighted the faculty’s alignment with the AIRTEA project, which integrates seamlessly with their initiatives.

Mr. Perez Kawumi, the Deputy Executive Director UNFFE noted that the AIRTEA project has served as a beacon of hope over the past two and a half years, transforming lives and empowering communities in the target districts it has worked in East and Central Uganda. He acknowledged the successful execution of tasks through collaboration with dedicated partners and underscored the importance of sustaining the lasting impact of the AIRTEA project.

Dr. Joshua Okonya, the Programs Officer from ASARECA which is among the consortium funders of the AIRTEA project expressed gratitude to the leadership of the AIRTEA project, particularly the Principal Investigator, Prof. Elizabeth Balyejusa. He also extended his appreciation to the technical and financial partners for their teamwork and dedication, which enabled the achievement of all the project outputs.

Dr. Okonya commended UCU’s approach of producing hands-on graduates, emphasizing that this equips them to navigate challenges in the field. He assured continued support from ASARECA for the project and wished that the vegetation units established during the AIRTEA project continue to operate.

Mugisha Johnson, the Sales and Marketing Manager at SYOVA Seeds Uganda, highlighted their role in the AIRTEA project as ensuring the production of high-quality seeds, establishing demonstration gardens, and providing guidance and training to farmers in seed and vegetable production.

David Luwandaga from Farm Gain Africa, which was responsible for linking and connecting farmers to markets in the AIRTEA project, highlighted that several buyers were successfully mobilized. He further mentioned that they also held training sessions in different areas. Both SYOVA and Farm Gain expressed their gratitude to UCU for providing them the opportunity to contribute to the project.

Alex Mukotanyi, the Head of Membership at UNFFE, highlighted that one of the major challenges farmers face is limited market access, particularly for those growing African Indigenous Vegetables. He noted that one of UNFFE’s key achievements in the AIRTEA project was successfully mobilizing and connecting farmers to markets, which has greatly strengthened the farmers.

Overall, discussions at the dissemination agreed to the fact that it is one good thing to creatively think out and bring to fruition innovative ways of doing things or innovations. All stakeholders agreed upon the need to scale and work together towards sustainability of these innovations including the AIRTEA project. This conversation will continue as we all strive to contribute to improving the farmers and community livelihood, securing indigenous vegetables and enhancing market access while empowering smallholder farmers in Uganda.

Compiled By: Mupuya Ronald @ Faculty of Agricultural Science, UCU
Contributor: Prof. Elizabeth Kizito Balyejusa, Director of Research, Partnerships and Innovation

Proceedings from the workshop

By Kefa Senoga
In 2017, the father of Jean Paul Nageri planted more than 100 acres of bananas in Busia, eastern Uganda. As is usually the norm, towards harvest time, a middleman promised to buy all the bananas at harvest. The harvest time came, but the middleman never showed up. The result? Most of the bananas either got rotten in the garden or were sold at a give-away price.

Table of Contents

• UCU’s Nageri Develops Air Freight Solution

The pain of that loss was so unbearable for Nageri that the next year, he was in the laboratory, working out a solution to mitigate the gravity of the depletion his father suffered. He suspected there was a solution, but did not know exactly what it was. And the tests in the laboratory led him to something that was more like putting into practice the course he had studied at Uganda Christian University (UCU), where he received a Bachelor of Agricultural Science and Entrepreneurship. 

Nageri sought to extend the shelf life of many fruits and vegetables by slowing down their rate of spoilage while being kept at room temperature without any form of refrigeration – a move that democratizes food storage and removes barriers to enable everyone to keep food fresh, regardless of whether you have a cold room or not. In Uganda, room temperature is about 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit).

So, how does Nageri’s innovation work?

He explained that using the skins of oranges, mangoes, bananas and other fruits in the lab, he was able to extract compounds, which he later turned into powder. The powder is blended with water, which is then used for coating the fruits and vegetables. The coating, which he has named Ka Fresh and is produced by his firm, Sio Valley Technologies, is edible.

“Most of the knowledge I am applying now is what I obtained in class at the university,” he said. “I am working with other scientists who are also applying the same knowledge in biotechnology.”

For this innovation, Sio Valley Technologies was early this year awarded the Most Innovative Export company at the third annual Uganda/EU Business Summit. Nageri received the award from Uganda’s Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. The Head of the European Union Delegation to Uganda, Ambassador Jan Sadek, was also present at the awards gala.  

The World Food Program estimates that as of last year, more than 333 million people in the world were facing acute levels of food insecurity; they did not know where their next meal would come. The situation is compounded by the fact that the cost of delivering food assistance was at an all-time high because of the increase in the prices of food and fuel.

Despite the hunger situation, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations estimates that 30-40% of total food production is lost before it reaches the market. But with the Ka Fresh solution, Nageri aims to overcome this challenge, so that farmers can have more bargaining power over their produce while in the market without fear of it getting rotten while on the shelf.

Some fruits and vegetables that have been coated with Nageri’s solution, he says, are now able to stay fresh for up to three times their natural shelf life. Nageri says tests in the laboratory have indicated that tomatoes that have been coated with Ka Fresh, for example, are able to stay for more than 70 days under room temperature without refrigeration.

UCU’s Nageri Develops Air Freight Solution

Nageri’s innovation should come as good news for exporters who are currently scratching their heads for solutions to the rising cost of air freight. Currently, according to the World Bank, it costs 12 to 16 times more to transport a commodity through air than sea and yet exporters opt for air transport because some commodities cannot last the more than 30 days it takes most of the ships to travel from African ports to Europe.

The journey to the Ka Fresh innovation saw Nageri team up with a friend, Lorna Orubo, to make tomato jam as a student at UCU and then mayonnaise, as his final-year project to meet the requirements for the award of his degree.

 “If you are building the right solution to a challenge, capital will always follow you and the right people will always want to surround themselves with you,” Nageri says, noting that for now, he is more focused on fine-tuning his innovation than looking at what he stands to benefit from it.

By Jimmy Siyasa
Renowned for its research excellence, the Uganda Christian University (UCU) Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, previously led by Prof. Elizabeth Kizito, proudly presents three extraordinary varieties of Solanum aethiopicum shum, commonly known as nakati – the beloved African eggplant.

Introduced as the UCU-Nakati 1, UCU-Nakati 2, and UCU-Nakati 3, these innovative nakati varieties mark a significant milestone in Uganda and Africa. The varieties offer farmers a reliable and easily accessible source of African nakati seed. Previously, nakati farmers relied on saved seeds from previous seasons or obtained them from neighbors, friends, and relatives, leading to limited availability and inconsistent quality. One will no longer need to rely on uncertain or unreliable sources as UCU’s nakati varieties ensure consistent quality and ample supply for farming needs.

The development of these nakati varieties involved making crosses over multiple generations, meticulous selection, and ensuring distinctiveness, and uniformity for improved yield and desirable plant characteristics. Each variety has been carefully tailored to meet the expectations of farmers and consumers, incorporating valuable feedback from end-users and thorough market surveys. 

These varieties have received certification by the National Variety Release Committee: A Committee of the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry, and Fisheries, ensuring the highest standards of excellence.

Characteristics of the Nakati varieties
Each of the varieties has unique characteristics.

UCU-Nakati 1:

UCU-Nakati 1 is green-stemmed, has green leaves and leaf veins, and the leaf margins (the boundary area of the leaf that is extending along the edge of the leaf) are generally whole. Nakati-1 is not drought tolerant. In sensory evaluations with consumers and market vendors, it was found to be relatively bitter. Its average yield per acre is 982.4 kg/acre.

UCU-Nakati 2:

UCU-Nakati 2 has green, purple stems, green leaves, and green leaf veins. The leaf margins are moderately serrated. Nakati-2 has green-purple stems and green leaf blades. The mean fresh leaf yield at harvest is 936.9 kg/acre. Nakati-2 was identified as a drought-tolerant genotype. In sensory evaluations with consumers and market vendors, products had a generally appealing aroma, appearance, and flavour.

UCU-Nakati 3

UCU-Nakati 3, on the other hand, is purple-stemmed, has green leaves with green-purple leaf veins, and has a deeper serrated leaf margin. The leaf yield at harvest maturity, about 8 weeks after planting, is 976.3 kg/acre. Nakati-3 is moderately drought tolerant and has a generally appealing aroma, appearance and flavour in sensory evaluations with consumers and market vendors. 

Implications and Applications

The potential impact on the field or society
The implications of these groundbreaking developments are far-reaching. Previously, there were limited systematic efforts to improve African Indigenous Vegetables (AIVs) in Uganda. The new nakati varieties are the first of their kind. UCU has developed nutritionally rich improved varieties of nakati. This intervention will not only offer farmers quality-assured varieties of AIVs but also set standards for subsequent variety evaluation for distinctiveness, uniformity, and stability (DUS) as well as value for cultivation and use. Releasing these varieties brings to the fore, especially for Africans, the availability of quality seed to meet nutritional and income security needs because these can now be potentially accessed in agro-shops or stores, something that was impossible until recently.

Practical applications and real-world scenarios
With over 200 tons of nakati traded weekly in major markets, this crop plays a crucial role in Uganda’s urban and peri-urban areas, surpassing even the country’s main cash crop –  coffee. The popularity of nakati extends beyond Uganda, reaching Cameroon, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. Its nutritional and economic value makes it an indispensable part of traditional dishes and a means of livelihood for poor and unemployed women and youth.

AIVs such as the UCU Nakati varieties, hold immense practical applications and can address real-world challenges in achieving sustainable development goals (SDGs). These vegetables have the potential to alleviate hidden hunger (SDG 2 – End hunger) and poverty (SDG 1 – Zero poverty), particularly among vulnerable groups like women and children under five. In Uganda, a country with high levels of undernutrition, where 3 in 10 children under five are stunted and about 3.5% body wasting, the nutritional value of nakati is significant. It is rich in fiber, minerals, carotene, proteins, fats, ash, crude fiber, carbohydrates, calcium, magnesium, iron, and phytochemicals with therapeutic properties, making it essential in preventing nutrient deficiency diseases and non-communicable diseases. By improving crop varieties and enhancing productivity and incomes for farmers, poverty reduction and improved food security can be achieved, as farmers who cultivate improved varieties often earn more and enjoy better livelihoods. 

Expert Reviews
Dr. Ssebuliba James, agronomist and former head of the Department of Crop Production at Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences:

• “This is a great addition to knowledge. Research plays a crucial role in the addition of new knowledge, which ultimately advances our understanding of the world and contributes to various areas of daily life. When new knowledge is curated and put in the right hands, it has the power to bring about high-value change in society.” 

Dr. Godfrey Asea, Director of Research, National Crops Resources Research Institute, Namulonge: 

• “This is a good opportunity as a starting point to harness the indigenous vegetable resources.”

Dr. Flavia Kabeere, Seed Technologist and Consultant:

• “These varieties will guarantee quality for consumers.”

Collaborations and Funding
The UCU community, leadership, and researchers (Prof. Elizabeth Kizito, Dr. Sseremba Godfrey, Mildred Nakanwagi, and Pamel Kabod) expressed appreciation to the European Union, PAEPARD (Platform for African-European Partnership in Agricultural Research for  Development) and The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) for their valuable support. Funding from the EU through PAEPARD initiated this research, while TWAS contributed to basic research and the selection of drought-tolerant varieties.

Call to Action
Others are invited to delve deeper into this groundbreaking research and its potential applications. Seed companies or other stakeholders interested in the multiplication of seeds are invited to place their orders. For more information, visit the Directorate of Research, Partnerships and Innovation website (https://grants.ucu.ac.ug) or directly contact grants@ucu.ac.ug. 

Recap

• UCU researchers develop three Nakati varieties UCU-Nakati 1; UCU-Nakati 2; UCU-Nakati 3; with immense promise for enhancing food security, reducing poverty, and promoting better health in Uganda and Africa.
• Nakati is considered an African Indigenous Vegetable.
• Nakati is one of the most important local vegetable species in terms of providing income and food in urban and peri-urban areas of Uganda.