The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) and the Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JAAS) of the People’s Republic of China on 28th July 2025 signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the China-Uganda Joint Laboratory for Sustainable and High- Efficiency Premium Tea Production. The collaboration penned at the NARO Headquarters in Entebbe with Dr. Yona Baguma signing on behalf of NARO and Dr. Yang Yiyang, for JAAS, will see the establishment of a first-rate laboratory facility at NARO’s Rwebitaba Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute in Fort Portal. The institute is Uganda’s national hub for tea research and the new partnership will greatly boost its programme to transform Uganda’s tea sector through cutting- edge research, innovation, and knowledge exchange.
The partnership will continually focus on exploring and utilizing unique tea germplasm from both Uganda and China to support tea breeding efforts, conducting research on tea agronomy, soil fertility, pests and diseases, and promoting tea crop improvement and plant health. It will also prioritize tea product diversification through value addition research, standardization of tea product specifications to meet international market requirements, and the enhancement of research infrastructure at Rwebitaba. In addition, the initiative will support capacity building through training of tea scientists and professionals, provide general support for the smooth implementation of the partnership, and open avenues for future joint projects in areas of mutual
In furtherance to this MOU, NARO was invited by Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences to the China-Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance (CAASTIA) General Assembly that took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from October 26-28, 2025. The CAASTIA inaugural assembly strengthened China- Africa agricultural cooperation. The Director of Rwebitaba Rwebitaba ZARDI (Dr. Stanley Nkalubo) and a Research Scientist (Mr. Kawooya Ronald) represented NARO. Discussions were made on the progress of the project.
During the Assembly, The Director of Research Rwebitaba ZARDI received a plaque that unveiled the joint laboratory between NARO and JAAS. This opened an avenue for the further collaboration between NARO and JAAS. Furthermore, NARO was recognized as a member institution of China- Africa Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Alliance. The basis for NARO being one of the founding members is because it’s an institution in agricultural research for development in Africa (Uganda) and it is an innovative research and development organisation.
The Rwebitaba team has also managed to establish experimental protocol for the growth and promoting effect of GW1/Trichoderma on tea cuttings. This was undertaken by the China – Uganda collaboration between Rwebitaba ZARDI, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University and Green World International on 11th May 2026.
A joint tea research publication has also been published. Citation of the paper “Akankwasa, K.; Kaweesi, T.; Tumwine, V.; Ssenyonga, P.B.; Mwesigwa, B.B.; Turyahebwa, V.; Agaba, G.; Kawooya, R.; Tumuhimbise, R.; Lingfei, J.; et al. Farmers’ Perceptions, Preferences and Choices of Commercial Tea Clones in Uganda: From the Smallholder Out-Growers’ Perspective. Horticulturae 2025, 11, 1401. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae11111401”