It was a day of learning and retreat on Tuesday 16th December 2025 as 75 extension officers from Kasese District visited NARO Rwebitaba ZARDI (Kyembogo station) in Kabarole. The purpose was clear: to enhance collaboration and share best practices for agricultural development in the region. The team, led by Julius Rukara a production officer in Kasese and a member of the Rwebitaba Advisory committee was welcomed by Dr Nkalubo Stanley the Director of Research.
The day began with a visit to the Kana Model farm of Rwengaaju Sub County that belongs to Richard Nyakana, a member of the institute’s advisory committee and a prominent model farmer in Uganda. At Kyembogo station, the officers were taken through research fields of commodities like beans, potato, wheat, hass avocado, fish and pastures. The Agro forestry Research officer Boaz Mwesigwa, Faith Aharinta, an agronomy technician, David Mununuzi the aquaculture technician and Gumoshabe Innocent guided the extension officers in production technologies and seed systems in these enterprises. They explained the significance of their work, emphasizing how these innovations could directly benefit the farmers in Kasese through higher yields and better resilience to climate change.
The extension officers took meticulous notes, understanding the importance of applying this knowledge back in their communities and asked questions, shared their own experiences, and discussed the challenges that local farmers faced.
Later, the extension officers expressed a desire for ongoing training sessions and the establishment of research-extension linkages that would allow farmers to access the latest agricultural technologies. The researchers invited the officers to participate in field trials to gather data and feedback directly from the farmers, ensuring that their research aligned with the needs of the community.