3rd Africa Rice Congress Theme 1: climate resilient rice Mini symposium: towards improved resistance to abiotic stresses Author: Nanfumba et al.

1. Participatory identification of farmer-acceptable
improved rice varieties for rain-fed lowland ecology in
Uganda
David Nanfumba,1 N. Turyahabwe,2 J. Ssebuliba,2 W. Kakuru,2
1National
Agricultural Research Organisation, Buginyanya Zonal Research and
Development Institute, Mbale, Entebbe, Uganda;
2College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University,
Kampala, Uganda;
nanfumbada@yahoo.com, nanfumbada@agric.mak.ac.ug

2. Background
• Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is an increasingly important food and income
security crop in Uganda.
• Country’s current production is 164,450 tones of milled rice yet its
consumption is 224,000 tones. Imports 59,550t equivalent to US$ 72m.
• Meanwhile, her per capita consumption, is set to increase from 7 to
10kg by 2018. Combined with an annual population growth rate of 3.2%
- demand/price for rice is projected to keep rising
• GOU has put in place strategies driving to increase rice production in
the country

3. Background cont..
Rice production
trends in Uganda
Farmers responding to rising demand/price by increasing area under rice
production - encroaching on vulnerable portions of wetlands.

4. The problem and objective
• Farmers in Rain fed lowland ecology (65% of total production area) get
2 t ha-1 compared to the potential 6 t ha-1.
• Low yields result from; use of low yielding varieties, poor agronomic
practices, pests and diseases and declining soil fertility
• Identification of ecology specific adapted varieties is a key starting point
in addressing low productivity.
• This study geared towards identifying high yielding improved rice
varieties adapted to rain-fed lowland ecologies that are acceptable to
farmers in Uganda

5. Methodology
• On-farm variety evaluation trial were undertaken on 4 farmers rain-fed
lowland fields in the Kyoga plains , eastern Uganda for three seasons.
• Six varieties (IR 64, Basmat 370, Supa, WITA 9, K85, Buyu) were
evaluated
• At physiological maturity, 119 rice farmers were mobilised to participate
in a variety selection exercise
• A focus group discussion was undertaken to capture the reasons behind
the farmers’ choices

6. Variety evaluation fields in rainfed
lowland ecology - Limoto wetland
in Eastern Uganda
Small holder farmers
participating in the variety
selection exercise

7. Results - Variety grain yield performance
• Varieties K85 and WITA 9
yielded 2.6 and 2.1 t ha-1
respectively higher than
local check. Significant
(P<0.05, l.s.d.=1570, c.v. =
30.1%).
• Translates to US$ 1050
and US$ 828 more
income per ha
• Varieties Basmat 370 and
IR 64 were not
significantly different
from local check

8. Results - Farmer preferred lowland rice varieties
• K85: Selected by 59% and 31% of farmers as the best and second-best
performing variety, respectively.
– Some 54.5% of male and 36.4% of female participants preferred K85.
• WITA 9: Selected by 36% and 39% as their best and second bestperforming variety
• Basimat 370 and Supa were selected by 50.4% and 17.6% as the worstperforming varieties.
• Buyu and IR 64 were neither rejected nor accepted – very few farmers placed
their choices on the two

9. What influenced farmers choice
• Focus-group discussion indicated that participants were
interested in:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Grain yield: Direct bearing on income
Maturity time: Liked early maturing varieties – escape drought
Plant height: Waist height (easy to harvest, escape extreme
flooding)
Resistance to lodging: Minimal grain contact with water
Ability to perform well at the wetland periphery: Easier to
cultivate and compliant with wetland conservation measures

10. Conclusion
From this work, it can be concluded that:
1.
Improved rice varieties K85 and Wita 9 most adapted to rice rain-fed
lowland ecology in Uganda
2.
K85 and Wita 9 most acceptable varieties. (Basmat 370 rejected while
farmers were non committal on IR64 and Buyu)
3.
Performance of local variety in trials indicate potential of Good
Agronomic Practices to enhance yields in absence of improved
varieties

11. Way - forward
For results from this study to translate into improved food and
income security, we need to undertake:
1.
2.
3.
Promotion of the two varieties in rain-fed lowland rice producing
areas
Development of Seed multiplication and dissemination model to make
seed of the two varieties sustainably accessible to farmers
Promotion of good Agricultural Practices in lowland rice
Am looking out for partners and support to undertake this

12. Thanks for
your
attention