Revamping Wheat Production in Uganda

Contribution from EAAP Wasukira A, Wagoire W. W, Chemayek B, Wobibi S and Lukwago G.

Buginyanya Zonal Agricultural Research & Development Institute

Background Characteristics New approaches

Introduction

Three of the major challenges facing the Eastern Africa sub-region are rising levels of poverty, food insecurity, and high rate of unemployment especially among the youth. To alleviate these challenges, the region has to clearly articulate its development agenda covering all key sectors of the economy. Wheat in Uganda is adapted to the highland areas of Mt Elgon in Eastern Uganda and highlands of south-western Uganda. Wheat production in these areas is largely characterized by use of rudimentary cultivation techniques, un- reliable seed sources and lack of extension information which have limited the yield potential of wheat production in the country (Mubiru, 2000; Wagoire, 2006). Early development of this crop was confined to large scale farms (>2 ha) in Kapchorwa and Bukwo, but this pattern is changing with small farmers taking up wheat farming on smaller plots especially in south western Uganda. In all these areas, the crop may be grown twice a year – first cropping season in the year is usually March to July/August (Season A) and the second is August/September to December/January (Season B) (Wagoire et al., 2002; 2006). Wheat research and development was largely sustained with limited support from partners like IAEA, FAO, CIMMYT, ICARDA, and Uganda government. Research has now been boosted by a grant from World Bank under the East African Agricultural Improvement Project (EAAP) with Ethiopia as the Centre of Excellence for Wheat. EAAP is implemented by Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and aims at sharing of knowledge, skills and experiences across the region on the wheat value chain. This paper therefore gives the characteristics of wheat production in Uganda and progress so far made.

Climate, Altitude and Soils for wheat production

The climate of Mount Elgon shows an approximately bimodal pattern of rainfall, with the wettest months occurring from April to October. Altitude in the wheat districts ranges from 1945 to 2400masl. The soils on Mount Elgon are from the Andisol order ("developed in volcanic ejecta")

Layout of wheat fields in South West Uganda

Land utilized for wheat

33 to 45% of total land owned in the wheat growing districts of Uganda is used for wheat production which shows there is potential for increasing land under wheat production. Total land owned and land each rain season

Labor utilization in wheat production

Wheat production in Uganda is largely on small scale farms of 0.2 to 2.0ha and the main farm labor resource is family labor with limited mechanization.

Wheat grain farm yields and utilization in Uganda

Structure of wheat research and development

Project objectives 1. To develop and enhance wheat germplasm 2. To fast-track identification of new varieties with resistance to Ug99 3. To develop heat-tolerant and fertility use-efficient wheat varieties 4. To optimize agronomic management practices for diverse growing agro-

ecologies 5. To increase the quantity and quality of certified seed and promote its

use

Key outputs

• 2 wheat varieties released in 2005 • 3 mutated Pasa wheat lines at Multi-location yield trials • 10 introduced wheat lines at Advanced Yield Trial • Updated status of wheat industry in Uganda documented • Fertilizer utilization for wheat production validated • Old farmer preferred wheat varieties characterized • Modern wheat rust screening glasshouse acquired

We acknowledge the financial and technical support from all our development partners.

Introductions

Yield trials (3 seasons)

Adapting management

options

Variety release and Extension

support

Mutation breeding

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Bukwo Kapch Kween Kabale Kanungu Kisoro

Lan

d (

ha)

Wheat Producing Districts

Total Land

Rains 1

Rains 2

District Yield (t/ha) Harvest (t) Home (t) Friend (t) Market (t) Seed (t)

Bukwo 2.29 2.75 0.30 0.08 2.16 0.11

Kapchorwa 1.79 1.29 0.08 0.03 0.86 0.04

Kween 1.51 0.99 0.15 0.02 0.68 0.18

Kabale 1.21 0.27 0.07 0.05 0.11 0.04

Kanungu 0.97 0.34 0.10 0.03 0.17 0.04

Kisoro 0.77 0.25 0.05 0.01 0.16 0.05