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On November 20, 2024, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and the Rural Initiatives for Poverty Alleviation (RIPA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in Rubirizi district, Uganda. The partnership will leverage NARO’s agricultural research and technology with RIPA’s grassroots initiatives.

The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and the Rural Initiatives for Poverty Alleviation (RIPA) yesterday 20^th November 2024 signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance collaborative efforts aimed at helping farmers escape the poverty trap.

The partnership, signed off by the NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma and the RIPA Executive Vice Chairman, Mr. Tumusiime Vincent Bamugaya at the NARO headquarters in Entebbe, focuses on leveraging NARO’s expertise in agricultural research and technology development and RIPA’s grassroots network to empower rural communities in Rubirizi district.

RIPA, a social enterprise based in Rubirizi, focuses on alleviating poverty by equipping smallholder farmers with environmentally friendly and economically viable farming practices.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Baguma emphasized the need for tailored agricultural models to address the unique challenges in Rubirizi, where the average landholding is just 0.8 acres.

“Therefore, NARO will provide cutting-edge technologies, including proven crop varieties, improved livestock breeding techniques, tailored-made training programs, digital farmer solutions and agro-engineering solutions, to support RIPA’s ongoing projects.” He said.

He commended RIPA’s flagship Animal Bank Program, featuring zero-grazing dairy cattle and goat-rearing schemes, which have already begun to uplift rural livelihoods in Rubirizi District through the distribution of in-calf heifers and goats.

Dr. Baguma pledged that NARO technologies and innovations at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI) would be transferred to farmers in Rubirizi through the RIPA structures.

“This collaboration is important because it takes us to our bosses, the farmers. It’s also testament to our commitment to working with diverse stakeholders to deliver research outputs that empower smallholder farmers,” Dr. Baguma said, adding that NARO already had a series of memoranda with universities, cultural and religious institutions and agri-business enterprises.

Mr. Bamugaya revealed that RIPA operates from a 12-acre model farm in Rubirizi, where farmers receive hands-on training in smart agriculture, value addition, and business development. The organization plans to expand into poultry farming, aquaculture, maize, beans, vegetables, bananas, coffee, Hass avocado, apiary, and bamboo cultivation.

Additionally, RIPA aims to establish a research and education center for modern agribusiness and leverage Rubirizi’s 36 crater lakes to support fisheries and aquaculture.

“This partnership strengthens our efforts to create sustainable livelihoods for smallholder farmers,” Mr. Bamugaya noted, adding that RIPA’s programs align with Uganda’s third National Development Plan (NDPIII) and Vision 2040, which prioritize industrialization and economic transformation.

NARO, operating through 16 agricultural research institutes across the country, is at the forefront of driving sustainable agricultural transformation in Uganda and beyond.