The Government of Uganda has officially launched the national roll-out of Skeepon Technology (SKP), an innovative climate-smart agricultural solution designed to strengthen crops resilience against drought, erratic rainfall and heat stress.
The technology was launched today by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister, Robinah Nabbanja, at the 2026 National Agricultural Show in Jinja, where Government reaffirmed its commitment to accelerating agricultural transformation through science, innovation and technology.
The introduction of Skeepon comes at a time when Uganda is experiencing increasing climate inconsistency characterised by prolonged dry spells, rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall patterns that continue to threaten food security, household incomes and national economic growth.
Speaking during the launch, the Prime Minister said Government remains committed to investing in practical innovations that address the real challenges affecting farmers and support Uganda’s journey towards a resilient and commercially competitive agricultural sector.
“Climate change continues to pose one of the greatest threats to our agricultural sector. Government will continue supporting technologies that improve resilience, increase productivity and enhance household incomes. Skeepon Technology is one such innovation that will enable our farmers to produce more despite increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.” She said.
The technology has been introduced through a partnership between the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and Ac-Planta Inc., a Japanese agricultural biotechnology company, following extensive scientific evaluation and successful field trials conducted across Uganda.
Skeepon is a plant bio-stimulant that activates the plant’s own natural drought and heat tolerance mechanisms. Once applied, it enables crops to continue growing under water stress and high temperatures for up to three months while improving overall plant health and productivity.
Field efficacy studies conducted by NARO over two cropping seasons demonstrated remarkable results.
The trials recorded more than 30 percent higher maize yields and over 45 percent higher vegetable yields compared to untreated crops. Researchers also observed faster crop growth, improved plant vigour and significantly greater tolerance to drought and heat stress.
The technology complements existing agricultural inputs such as irrigation, fertilizers and improved seed, while also delivering significant benefits when used independently in rain-fed farming systems.
Addressing the gathering, the Director General of NARO, Dr. Yona Baguma, described Skeepon as another example of how agricultural research is delivering practical solutions to national development challenges.
“This innovation demonstrates the power of science in solving real problems facing our farmers. NARO’s mandate is to generate technologies that improve productivity, build resilience and support agro-industrialisation. The positive results from our research give us confidence that Skeepon will significantly contribute to Uganda’s food security and economic transformation.”
The technology originated from Ac-Planta Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan. Government’s collaboration with the company began after the Prime Minister met its founder during the Uganda-Japan Business Forum in December 2022.
Subsequently, MAAIF and NARO entered into a research collaboration agreement with Ac-Planta to validate the technology under Ugandan conditions before registration and deployment.
Beyond increasing productivity, Skeepon is expected to reduce production risks associated with climate variability, improve water-use efficiency and strengthen Uganda’s agro-industrialisation agenda by ensuring a more reliable supply of quality raw materials for processors and exporters.
Government estimates that the technology could substantially improve farmer incomes through increased yields, better crop quality and reduced production losses.
At a cost of only UGX 12,000–27,000 per acre, Skeepon provides farmers with an affordable climate adaptation solution that offers a high return on investment.
The technology is already commercially used in Japan, the United States and South Korea and has been successfully registered in the United States.
Government also announced plans to explore local formulation and manufacturing of Skeepon as demand grows. This is expected to reduce import costs, create employment opportunities, stimulate private sector investment and position Uganda as a regional production hub for climate-smart agricultural inputs.
To ensure nationwide accessibility, NARO Holdings Limited, the commercial arm of NARO, will coordinate distribution through strategic partnerships with Government agencies, agricultural extension services, farmer organisations, cooperatives, agro-input dealers and private sector distributors.
Farmer-friendly delivery models, including bundled agricultural input packages, input credit arrangements and agro-processor off-take partnerships, will also be established to support widespread adoption.
The launch directly responds to challenges identified during the recent Presidential Parish Development Model assessment tours, where farmers consistently highlighted erratic weather, limited irrigation infrastructure, low adoption of improved technologies and declining productivity as major constraints to agricultural production.
Government has therefore called upon farmers, development partners, financial institutions, local governments, extension workers and the private sector to support the national roll-out of Skeepon Technology and accelerate the adoption of climate-smart agricultural innovations.
The national deployment of Skeepon is poised to contribute to achieving Vision 2040, the Fourth National Development Plan (NDP IV) and the Parish Development Model, while strengthening national food security, increasing agricultural exports and building a resilient economy capable of withstanding the effects of climate change.
About Skeepon Technology
Skeepon Technology is an innovative plant biostimulant that activates plants’ natural stress-response systems, enabling crops to tolerate drought, heat and other environmental stresses while maintaining productivity. It improves water-use efficiency, enhances crop quality, increases yields and contributes to sustainable agricultural production under changing climatic conditions.
Media Contacts
Frank Mugabi
Senior Communications Officer, NARO
Plot 11-13 Lugard Avenue, | P.O Box 295, Entebbe | 0414 320341/2 |
Website: www.naro.go.ug |
X: @ narouganda