During his visit to the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) on November 9, in Namulonge, Gayaza, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Thomas Tayebwa, advised the institution to forge partnerships aimed at commercializing their laboratory technologies. By doing so, Tayebwa believes NARO can significantly increase its non-tax revenue from the current 3.1 billion UGX annually to at least 100 billion UGX per year.
Impressed by the level of innovation and research in agriculture, Tayebwa praised NARO scientists for their remarkable contributions to the animal industry and crop husbandry, effectively utilizing the government-provided funds.
Highlighting Parliament’s stance on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), Tayebwa emphasized the promotion of technology to enhance indigenous seeds and breeds rather than endorsing GMOs.
Expressing gratitude to the Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze, for the accomplishments at NARO, Tayebwa assured parliamentary support to increase funding for the organization’s operations, provided that convincing justifications are presented.
It is hoped that NARO’s pursuit of partnerships will pave the way for the commercialization of their technologies, leading to increased revenue and the wider adoption of innovative agricultural practices in Uganda.