NARO has several facilities whose capacity we need to harness to generate revenue for sustainable agricultural research and also make a contribution to the national coffers,
declared Dr. Yona Baguma, the Director General of the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO).
Gathered at the Speke Resort in Munyonyo on November 4, 2026, top policy management officials met to review project concept notes and feasibility study reports aimed at unlocking the commercial potential of the agency’s research infrastructure. The push for Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) marks a strategic shift to attract private sector investment, technology, and expertise, thereby maximizing existing assets and building new revenue streams to support NARO’s core agricultural mandate.
Commercializing Facilities Across Zonal Institutes
The proposed partnerships target underutilized operational capacity across multiple regional and specialized institutes. Among the primary facilities earmarked for commercialization are the Dairy Processing Plant and Livestock Feed Mill situated at the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), alongside the Fish Feed Mill at the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) in Kajjansi.
Additional assets selected for private sector integration include the Feed Sorting Facility at the Mbarara Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (Mbarara ZARDI) and automotive garages located at the National Semi-arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), NaLIRRI, and the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI). Institutional hostel facilities at NaFIRRI in Jinja and the Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MuZARDI) have been designated for commercial exploration.
Diversifying Funding Amid Shifting Donor Support
While the Ugandan government remains NARO’s primary statutory funder, Dr. Baguma noted that shrinking contributions from development partners necessitate aggressive funding diversification. He acknowledged the government’s support in progressively increasing NARO’s annual budget from UGX 61 billion to UGX 223 billion over the past decade, but stressed that the organization must secure independent financial cushions.
Over the last 30 years, we have done a lot as NARO, but we must continue finding ways of securing resources for sustainable research,
Dr. Baguma said. We need to add value to the facilities we have and make them work for us.
The agency has already established commercial precedents. Licensing improved crop varieties to private seed companies generates over UGX 1 billion. Meanwhile, localized seed hubs—specifically the coffee seed hub—yielded products valued at more than UGX 20 billion during the previous financial year. Concurrently, investments in an anti-tick vaccine manufacturing facility have accumulated stock valued at upwards of UGX 20 billion.
Finance Ministry Official Endorses Alternative Financing Models
Mr. Jim Mugunga, Executive Director of the Public-Private Partnership Unit at the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, endorsed NARO’s strategy, noting that rising public demands require institutions to adopt alternative financing models.
No country can fund everything it needs to do entirely through its national budget,
Mr. Mugunga stated. He explained that where scientific research utilizes machinery or processing lines on a part-time basis, private partnerships can use the remaining industrial capacity without compromising the institution's primary scientific objectives.
The PPP initiative aligns directly with broader state frameworks, including the Tenfold Growth Strategy and the Parish Development Model (PDM), which seek to translate laboratory innovations into tangible agricultural products for farmers. The Ministry of Finance’s PPP Unit has pledged coordinated support alongside Operation Wealth Creation and the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries to advance the proposed investments.
