Kakumiro, Bulindi ZARDI to establish demo farm to boost farmer skills
KAKUMIRO, March 27, 2027 – Kakumiro district, in partnership with Bulindi Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute [Bulindi ZARDI], is set to establish a two-acre model demonstration farm aimed at strengthening agricultural research, farmer training and technology uptake.
The multi-technology demonstration site is expected to serve as a practical learning hub where farmers will be exposed to improved agricultural technologies and practices, supporting increased productivity and broader socio-economic transformation.
According to Bulindi ZARDI Outreach Officer, Dr Pauline Birungi, the initiative announced recently will showcase a range of technologies, innovations and management practices [TIMPs] tailored to the district’s needs.
“We need to support farmers to adopt new technologies and innovations so they can improve their production and incomes,” she said.
Kakumiro District Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Enid Kajumba, welcomed the initiative, noting that the selected site is centrally located to ensure easy access for farmers across the district.
The District Production Officer, Geoffrey Sserumaga, commended Bulindi ZARDI for the collaboration, saying the district is committed to working jointly to transform agriculture.
“We are ready to work together to transform agriculture,” he said, adding that many farmers are expected to embrace the initiative to boost their productivity.
Dr Patrick Kalunda, Programme Leader for Technology Promotion and Outreach at Bulindi ZARDI, said the demonstration farm is designed as a one-stop learning centre where farmers will gain hands-on skills and replicate proven technologies on their own farms.
He added that private sector partners, particularly seed companies, will be engaged to strengthen the site’s impact and attract wider farmer participation.
District production officers guided the technical team during a field visit to Katehe village, Kibijjo Parish, Kibijjo Subcounty, where the project will be implemented.
The stakeholders also agreed on a roadmap for establishing the facility, including farmer sensitisation and awareness campaigns, participatory selection of enterprises, field-based training sessions, and farmer-led evaluation exercises. Enterprise selection will be guided by national priorities and aligned with the Parish Development Model [PDM].
A similar demonstration farm is planned for Hoima district as part of broader National Agricultural Research Organisation [NARO] efforts to scale up agricultural learning and technology dissemination.
Bulindi ZARDI is one of the 16 Public Agricultural Research Institutes [PARIs] under NARO.
Its origins date back to the 1960s when it operated as the Bunyoro District Farm Institute. It was later upgraded to an Agricultural Research and Development Centre in February 2001, before attaining full ZARDI status in 2006 under the National Agricultural Research Act (19 of 2005, section 28).
Today, Bulindi ZARDI serves the Lake Albert Crescent Zone [LACZ], covering the Bunyoro sub-region districts of Kiryandongo, Hoima, Kikuube, Buliisa, Kibaale, Kagadi, Kakumiro and Masindi, as well as Hoima City.
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