NaSARRI partners with cooperatives to revamp cotton farming

SERERE, October 28, 2025 – The National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute [NaSARRI] has embarked on a commercial partnership with cotton-growing cooperatives to revitalise the crop, which remains one of Uganda foreign exchange earners alongside other cash crops like coffee, tea, and cocoa

The institute has identified and sensitised cooperatives across several districts, including Soroti, Kumi, Serere, Kalaki, Pallisa, Budaka, and others in the Lango and Acholi subregions.

A total of 15 cooperatives have so far been trained in identifying and sorting high-yielding seeds, applying fertilisers, and practising proper intercropping techniques with other high-value crops known to repel pests and diseases.

According to Gladys Amoding, the Acting Programme Leader for the Cotton Department at NaSARRI, the institute is working to reignite farmers’ interest in cotton, which despite recent declines in enthusiasm, remains one of the country’s most valuable cash crops.

“Cotton continues to be Uganda’s third-largest foreign exchange earner after coffee and tea, generating substantial income depending on the seasonal output,” Amoding said.

Amoding, who is also a crop researcher, explained that intercropping cotton with crops such as onions, ginger, and red pepper has proven effective in repelling pests, thereby improving cotton yields per acre.

She further advised that for maximum productivity, farmers can use both organic and inorganic fertilisers, although organic options are often more cost-effective and environmentally sustainable. She recommended planting cotton in rows spaced 75cm by 30cm to achieve optimal growth.

Amoding cited India as an example of a leading cotton producer that has achieved remarkable success through intercropping with high-value crops such as onions, chilli, and ginger.

In other suitable areas, she advised spacing cotton at 90cm by 30cm or 90cm by 45cm, noting that with proper agronomic practices and fertiliser application, farmers can expect to harvest between 600kg and 800kg per acre under normal weather conditions.

“Currently, the most widely cultivated variety is the Bukalasa Pedigree Alaba [BPA], known for its excellent spinning quality when processed into lint,” she added.

The cooperatives expressed appreciation for NaSARRI’s efforts to revive the traditional cash crop after years of neglect but appealed for improved access to quality seeds.

Tanansi Muchwamba, from the Butebo Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited, recalled how their cotton farms were once devastated by bacterial attacks.

“Our cotton gardens were wiped out years ago. The diseases kept recurring, and the varieties we had could no longer resist them,” he said.

Patrick Akong, from the Kalaki Farmers’ Cooperative Society Limited, shared his optimism about cotton’s revival, noting its historical importance to families in the region.

“Cotton paid for my education, and I’m determined to grow it even better than my late parents did, if we receive the right support. Cotton is what we know best, but war and disease set us back,” he said.

Kalaki, Kapelebyong, and Kaberamaido were once major cotton-producing areas in the Teso subregion, thanks to their light, fertile soils and favourable climate.

The cooperative leaders urged NaSARRI to strengthen linkages for farmers, especially access to improved seed varieties, agrochemicals, and markets, to help boost production of the oil crop.

“We would like NaSARRI to recommend appropriate herbicides and other agrochemicals, and to link us to better markets so that we can aggregate our produce and fetch fairer prices,” said John Mark Obote from the Kalaki Community Farmers’ Association.

NaSARRI’s mandate includes conducting research on cotton, developing disease-resistant varieties, promoting modern farming practices, and responding to emerging threats affecting production.

It is estimated that the cotton value chain in Uganda employs around 2.5 million people, directly and indirectly, across the production and marketing of its primary products, such as textiles and garments, as well as by-products including soap, edible oil, and animal feed.

Historical records indicate that cotton was introduced in the country by the British colonial government in 1903, becoming the country’s first cash crop. By the mid-1930s, production had reached 60,000 metric tonnes. One of the more controversial strategies used during colonial rule to boost cotton production was the enforcement of a poll tax, which supported the British textile industry’s demand for cotton.

https://thecooperator.news/acholi-farmers-advised-to-continue-growing-cotton/

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