Uganda President visits and urges for continued attention to aflatoxin solutions
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni having a discussion at the groundnut stall with David Kalule Okello.
Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, President of the Republic of Uganda visited the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI) a key partner in ICRISAT’s Tropical Legumes III (TL III) project.
Dr David Kalule Okello, TL III Focal Point in Uganda, briefed the President on the current advances in groundnut research and available technologies. The President was particularly interested in aflatoxin mitigation strategies (pre -and post -harvest operations), nutrient profile of groundnut (protein, fats and mineral densities) and varietal responses to climate change. He stressed the need to create awareness on aflatoxins by reaching out to urban markets where processing and value addition initiatives takes place.
The President highlighted the need to increase productivity, production and quality of groundnut to achieve better nutrition and income to both producers and consumers.
Communication materials on ICRISAT’s research on groundnut such as groundnuts production guide for Uganda, groundnut seed production manual, brochures and flyers were well received by the President. Some of the issues raised by the President are currently defining the TL III project’s product-profile, for example – high yields, aflatoxin mitigation, multi-stress tolerance, drought resistance, information dissemination, conservation and demand driven research.
Pleased with the project interventions, the President assured full government support for research and infrastructure development at NaSARRI Serere. He applauded the scientists and the National Agricultural Research Organization (Uganda) – NaSARRI for their commitment.
NaSARRI is a center of excellence for research on oil crops (groundnuts, sunflower and sesame), dryland legumes (cowpea, greengram and pigeonpea), dryland cereals (millets, sorghum) and fiber (cotton). The President’s visit took place on 1st October 2017.
To know more about ICRISAT’s work on groundnut click here
To know more about ICRISAT’s work on groundnut click here
Project: Tropical Legumes III
Funder: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Partners: ICRISAT, CIAT, IITA, NaSARRI and NARS from selected countries
