The National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) of the People’s Republic of China have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the China-Uganda Joint Laboratory for Sustainable and High-Efficiency Premium Tea Production.
The collaboration, signed at the NARO Headquarters in Entebbe, will see the establishment of a state-of-the-art laboratory facility at NARO’s Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Fort Portal. This institute is Uganda’s national hub for tea research, and the new partnership will significantly boost its program to transform Uganda’s tea sector through cutting-edge research, innovation, and knowledge exchange.
Uganda’s tea industry faces several challenges, including declining productivity due to aging tea bushes, limited access to improved planting material, pests and diseases, poor agronomic practices, and a lack of value addition. However, this collaboration with JAAS, a globally recognized agricultural research institution, is poised to introduce science-led solutions to unlock the sector’s full potential.
The partnership will focus on [key areas include:
– Tea Breeding: Exploring and utilizing unique tea germplasm from Uganda and China
– Agronomy and Crop Health: Conducting research on tea agronomy, soil fertility, pests, and diseases
– Value Addition: Prioritizing tea product diversification and standardization to meet international market requirements
– Capacity Building: Supporting training for tea scientists and professionals
JAAS, established in 1931, is a premier institution in agricultural science and technology innovation in China. Its Tea Research Center has led advances in tea research and processing technology globally.
Dr. Yona Baguma, NARO’s representative, emphasized that this partnership reinforces NARO’s commitment to innovating for sustainable agricultural transformation. “This partnership will reposition Uganda’s tea sector by delivering new technologies, high-quality planting materials, and best practices,” he said.
The Director of JAAS, Dr. Yang Yiyang, highlighted the importance of quality, noting similarities between China and Uganda in agriculture that can be leveraged for mutual benefit.
Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja, who previously served in the Ministries of Agriculture and Defence, commended NARO for this milestone, expressing optimism about the new laboratory’s potential to redefine Uganda’s tea industry.