Despite the global contribution of aquaculture as an important pillar for food and nutritional security, its rapid growth has been hampered by inadequate and poor-quality seed due to inbreeding, hybridization of related stocks, and poor-quality broodstock. Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of Nile tilapia in natural water bodies of Uganda has been studied but research gaps remain on the morphometric characterization of farmed O. niloticus in Uganda, which hinders selective breeding initiatives. This study characterized O. niloticus from various farmers in Uganda’s Southwestern Highland Agro-Ecological Zone using their morphometric traits. In this study, 8 morphometric traits were taken on each of the 258 fish samples collected with at least 30 samples sampled from each pond system in the zone. The morphometric data generated were analyzed using multivariate analysis. In order to delineate the populations from the different ponds, Discriminant Function analysis (DFA) was performed on the dataset and distribution plots generated to test on the purity of the strains. There were significant differences in the morphometric traits among the populations with the Victoria fish population having the highest standard length while the Kyoga population had the highest weight. Morphometric characterization grouped the fish into three clusters, indicative that fish farms in the zone possibly had different sources of fish seed. The condition factor, which is a measure of wellbeing of the fish, showed that all the populations displayed an isometric growth which is indicative of the fish growing in length as it is in weight. The results of this study provide evidence that local O. niloticus from different farms display differences in body shape as a result of using fish seed from different sources. This aspect can be applied in selective breeding programs after establishing the genetic structure of the farmed Nile tilapia stock.

Most banana improvement programs are restricted to using a sub-set of edible landraces for sexual hybridization as the majority are female sterile. This results from an array of factors that work in tandem and lead to sterility. Use of pollen germination media (PGM) during pollination significantly increases seed set, but it is a very small fraction compared to the potential seed set. This research therefore explored early pollination (a day before anthesis), evening pollination, saline treatment, plant growth regulators (PGRs) treatment, and ovule culture as potential techniques for overcoming sterility in bananas. Early and evening pollinations did not increase seed set because of immature flowers and a mismatch of male and female flower opening, respectively (t-prob. = 0.735 and 0.884). Immersion of bunches in a saline solution before pollination and ovule culture also did not overcome pollination barriers. Auxin antagonists (TIBA and salicylic acid) increased seed set, though their respective increases were not statistically significant (t-prob. = 0.123 and 0.164, respectively). The use of auxin antagonists shows great potential for overcoming pollination barriers in bananas. However, application rates and time of application have to be optimized and used holistically with other promising techniques, such as use of PGM.

Bananas underpin Uganda’s food security and rural economy, but productivity is declining due to emerging pests, diseases, and declining soil fertility. To address these challenges, hybrid stress-tolerant banana varieties (HBVs) have been developed and released, but their adoption remains uneven across the country. This study analyzes the spatial distribution and determinants of HBV adoption and intensity in Uganda, providing new insights to inform scaling strategies. A cross-sectional survey of 624 banana-farming households was conducted across 24 districts in both traditional and non-traditional banana-growing regions. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a Tobit regression model to capture both the binary decision to adopt and the intensity of adoption, measured as the number of HBV mats planted. Results showed significant regional variation; adoption was highest in Northern Uganda (73.9%) and lowest in Central and Southwestern regions (≈24%). Education and land size positively influenced adoption, while reliance on planting materials from fellow farmers consistently reduced adoption intensity across all regions. Gender and household structure also shaped adoption patterns, with male and married farmers more likely to plant larger areas of HBVs. The findings highlight the need for regionally tailored interventions, including strengthening formal seed systems, enhancing farmer knowledge, and addressing gender gaps in technology access. Strengthening institutional seed channels and extension support can accelerate HBV scaling and contribute to resilient banana production in Uganda.

Agriculture employs 65–70% of the labour force and is therefore pivotal to Uganda’s socio-economic transformation. Farmers grow diverse crops for food, nutrition and income security. This diversity provides insurance and enhances resilience and sustainable production under climate change-induced stresses such as drought, pests and diseases. The nature of food systems and biodiversity is linked to cultural norms and heritage. Landraces provide genetic resources that drive diverse trait requirements across cultural setups. The dominant crops in Uganda, including bananas, cassava, sweet potato, coffee, and cocoa, which are the major drivers of the national economy in terms of food, income, employment, and exports, are largely dependent on landraces. These landraces have evolved over generations through farmer selections and advancements. Through natural and farmer selections, elite, high-yielding and resilient cultivars are being utilised. Consequently, landraces serve as vital trait reservoirs for crop improvement. It is for the same reason that the plant genetic resources centre of Uganda gives due consideration to landraces in its conservation agenda, guided by the National Development Plan IV and other frameworks. This chapter elaborates on the significance of landraces in maintaining biodiversity, unlocking adaptive and consumer-preferred traits, sustainable production and driving the national economy. It also highlights case studies for key crops for which landraces are invaluable genetic resources.

This paper seeks to examine the adoption of business innovations within the context of the agricultural sector in Uganda. The findings emerge from research carried out to assess the utilization of business innovations of research in Uganda considering National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) as a reference, specifically to find out the association between innovation attributes and their use on-farm, as well as establish the consequence of innovation features and demand (market) about the use of discoveries in farm management. The opinions of 99 participants involved in production of major crops in the Kanungu district where the NARO innovations were verified were sought. The information was assembled and scrutinized with SPSS and STATA. The findings revealed that innovation features played an important role on the extent of application of the technology. Similarly, how old participants were had a negative linkage with the use of technologies, while the extent of education helps the application of technologies by farmers. Key words: Complexity, compatibility, relative advantage, attributes, quality, utilization, innovations, market. This paper seeks to examine the adoption of business innovations within the context of the agricultural sector in Uganda. The findings emerge from research carried out to assess the utilization of business innovations of research in Uganda considering National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) as a reference, specifically to find out the association between innovation attributes and their use on-farm, as well as establish the consequence of innovation features and demand (market) about the use of discoveries in farm management. The opinions of 99 participants involved in production of major crops in the Kanungu district where the NARO innovations were verified were sought. The information was assembled and scrutinized with SPSS and STATA. The findings revealed that innovation features played an important role on the extent of application of the technology. Similarly, how old participants were had a negative linkage with the use of technologies, while the extent of education helps the application of technologies by farmers. Key words: Complexity, compatibility, relative advantage, attributes, quality, utilization, innovations, market.