Rice farming prospects in Uganda are considered as favorable, with most rice grown by either lowland (on wetlands or irrigated land) or upland (usually on hillsides and without flooding) farming systems. In respect of the first farming system – lowland rice farming; most Ugandan lowland rice is grown in the east of country because it has ample flat land and sufficient water resources. Such rice is produced mostly by large-scale1 commercial farmers, and some smallholder farmers (SHF). 

This is the most common farming system in Uganda and contributes significantly to food security and the economy but has been criticized due to its long- term environmental impact on the country’s wetlands. The second farming system – upland rice farming – is popular amongst large-scale commercial farmers in Northern Uganda (NU) because the region has a suitable agro-ecosystem, consisting of fertile and sloped land, moderate rainfall and good drainage systems, and is considered climate-smart because it does not rely on a vast water supply. However, few SHFs within NU use an upland rice farming system because they lack access to suitable rice seed varieties. 

Furthermore, many of the upland rice varieties currently being produced are late maturing, have poor taste and aroma qualities, and are more difficult to cook when compared to varieties grown using lowland techniques. This affects the competitiveness of rice grown in NU. In reality, there are better upland rice seed varieties available in Uganda. In 2013, the Government of Uganda (GoU), through its research arm, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), introduced a Namche family of foundation rice seed varieties, which are high-yielding, climate-resilient, and suitable for upland production. 

However, the poorer performing varieties of Nerica 4 and Supa are the two major varieties being farmed in both lowland and upland areas2 , which demonstrates that farmers are either unaware of, or do not have access to, improved varieties. NU has great potential to be a leading producer of upland rice in East Africa because of its ideal agro-ecological environment, but production of upland rice is not reaching its market potential. 

This is the scenario that attracted NU-TEC MD to this market space, to establish the real cause of low productivity and create a business model to address it. This case study presents NU-TEC MD’s experiences and learnings in enhancing rice productivity in NU and, specifically, in promoting the NamChe-5 variety amongst SHFs. It also captures how the intervention benefited the farmers and private agribusinesses and suggest way forward for scale and replication.