Regional banana researchers amazed by Uganda’s progress
The team of researchers from Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC] were on a recent research visit to Uganda, where they observed that the country had advanced further than others in the region in developing superior banana varieties that are performing well in field trials
KAMPALA, March 9, 2026 — Banana researchers from countries in the East African Community [EAC] have expressed admiration for Uganda’s progress in banana research, particularly the performance of newly developed varieties.
The team of researchers from Rwanda, Kenya, Burundi, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo [DRC] were on a recent research visit to Uganda, where they observed that the country had advanced further than others in the region in developing superior banana varieties that are performing well in field trials.
The team, led by Prof Roy Swennen, a renowned banana researcher and breeder at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture [IITA] East Africa, commended the development as a significant contribution to efforts to combat food insecurity in the region.
“This is a great step in the region’s efforts to fight food insecurity, and it will also go a long way in improving farmers’ incomes, especially with these resistant varieties,” he said.
The visit, which began at the National Agricultural Research Laboratories in Kawanda, Wakiso District, also provided an opportunity for scientists from other countries to benchmark Uganda’s banana research initiatives.
The researchers later visited the Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute [ZARDI] and several banana farms in Mbarara, Bushenyi and Sheema districts, where various field trials are being conducted.
Dr Peace Kankwasa, a plant pathologist at ZARDI Mbarara, briefed the team on the latest developments in banana research and took them through the breeding process as well as ongoing on-site trials.
She revealed that researchers are currently conducting field trials for new varieties, including Naroban 3, 4 and 5, with farmers in neighbouring districts such as Ntungamo, Bushenyi, Sheema and Mbarara.
The National Coordinator for Banana Research in Tanzania, Dr Mpoki Shimwela, said Tanzania had so far released four Narita varieties and was currently evaluating Naroban 1, 2, 3, 4 and Narita 22 for possible release.
“We have been evaluating the five banana varieties since 2021 and are set to release them this year. Narita 22 specifically scored highly in taste and ease of preparation. It was highly favoured by participants,” he said.
Shimwela added that they were awaiting approval from the Tanzania Official Seed Certification Institute [TOSCI] before the varieties could be officially released.
He also noted that the yield and preference for some varieties differed between Uganda and Tanzania.
The researchers visited several on-farm trial sites for new banana varieties in Sheema, Bushenyi and Mbarara districts before proceeding to Bukoba in Tanzania to continue the regional research tour.
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