Bulindi ZARDI was commended for its growing impact in advancing agricultural research and innovation during a supervisory support visit by NARO’s top management on October 31, 2025.
The visit, led by Dr. Sadik Kassim who represented the NARO Director General, formed part of NARO’s routine oversight to assess progress and provide strategic guidance to its research institutes. Welcoming the delegation, the Director of BuZARDI, Dr. Mwesigwa Moses, outlined a string of achievements that have strengthened the institute’s research capacity and contribution to agricultural transformation in the Bunyoro region. Among these were the renovation of two on-station fish pond facilities, the selection and stocking of highly diverse pure Nile Tilapia for seed production, and the restocking of the cattle unit with five Friesian crosses to strengthen livestock research.
The institute also collected 57 germplasm samples for sugarcane breeding, established a coffee screen house for seed multiplication, and hosted the Seeds of Gold Farm Clinic, where more than 1,000 farmers were trained in climate-smart agricultural practices.
In addition, a comprehensive five-year business plan has been developed to guide BuZARDI’s strategic direction. While commending his team for their progress, Dr. Mwesigwa appealed for additional support from NARO management to further enhance the institute’s capacity. He requested a crossing facility for sugarcane breeding and mechanisation equipment to boost efficiency in research and production activities.
The visiting team toured BuZARDI’s banana, coffee, fish, goat, and sugarcane research and demonstration sites, observing ongoing innovations and farmer-oriented technologies being tested and refined. Addressing researchers and staff, Dr. Kassim praised the institute’s efforts and progress, noting that BuZARDI continues to play a vital role in advancing NARO’s mission of generating agricultural innovations for improved livelihoods.
He encouraged the institute to strengthen integration across its three research programmes to maximise impact, ensure robust management and publication of research data, and align all ongoing and future activities with the NARO Strategic Plan and the National Development Plan IV. He further emphasised the importance of adhering to institutional policies, national laws, and quality standards to sustain progress and credibility.