In the quiet wetlands of Butaleja district in eastern Uganda where emerald-green rice paddies stretch across the horizon, Robert Sagula proudly walks among the swaying stalks. Farming has been his life since childhood, following in the footsteps of his father, who grew traditional rice varieties, first introduced to the area by the Chinese government in 1975.
For decades, the harvests were modest. From a hectare Sagula could only harvest 15 to 25 bags – about 2,000 kilograms of milled rice. It was enough to survive, but inadequate to thrive.
That changed in 2018, when FAO-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation project introduced hybrid rice to his community.
“The hybrid rice is high-yielding, has a nice aroma, long grains, and a golden color. It’s also heavy and fetches higher prices compared to the traditional rice,” he said.
Under proper management, Sagula currently harvests about 12 metric tons per hectare per season and he grows two seasons per year.
On his 1.2 hectares, he produces 7,500 kg of milled rice, earning around $2,809 per season. Across both seasons, his annual income now reaches roughly $16,854, more than 10 times compared with under traditional varieties.
“Through the boost in income, I have educated my children in good private schools, and some are now graduates. I have also built a modern home,” he said.
Beyond his own success, Sagula has become a mentor to other farmers. Word of his thriving hybrid rice farm has spread, drawing farmers from across eastern Uganda eager to learn his methods.
“Farmers often reach out to me for training and capacity-building and many have expressed interest in switching to hybrid rice,” he said.
Sagula credits his transformation to training from Chinese experts and support from the Ugandan government.
“We appeal to the Ministry of Agriculture to negotiate for another phase of the project so that more lives could be transformed,” he said.
The FAO-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation project was launched in Uganda in 2012, to boost agricultural productivity through the transfer of proven Chinese agricultural technologies and expertise. Since then, it has gone through three phases, with the possibility of extension.
The first phase was fully funded by China, while in the third phase the Ugandan government contributed approximately 76 percent of the total budget.
Martin Ameu, the FAO’s coordinator for the South-South programs in Uganda, said the project has so far engaged 54 Chinese experts in livestock, fisheries, crops, and agribusiness.
Their work has facilitated the adoption of technologies such as rice-fish culture, improved poultry and livestock breeds, and drought-resistant crop varieties like foxtail millet.
Ameu said the project has benefited approximately 140,000 farmers in 33 districts.
“We are witnessing improvements in food security from the new technologies, increased household incomes, and exchange tours to China that provide firsthand knowledge for transfer to Uganda,” he said.
Ameu said the program has also strengthened trade linkages and private sector investment, enhancing value addition and market access.
He said the project serves as a model for South-South cooperation in Africa, with Uganda sharing its experiences at regional forums to inspire similar initiatives across the continent.
Julius Twinamasiko, the program coordinator for FAO-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation project at the Uganda Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, said the project has helped mechanize and commercialize agriculture in the country.
He said in addition to the hybrid rice, the ministry has released three varieties of foxtail millet and plans to introduce new chili and sorghum varieties.
He said the ministry aims to ensure that seeds for the new crop varieties are produced locally, making them accessible and affordable, which will drive adoption and boost food production.
Twinamasiko said training by Chinese experts has strengthened Uganda’s extension system, ensuring food security and better nutrition to meet the needs of the country’s growing population.
Turning point
In Butaleja district, demonstration sites established in the second project phase proved a turning point, said Amina Dugo, the district production officer.
“From the initial demonstration site, we harvested about 2,800 kg of milled rice, which sparked farmers’ interest and led many to adopt the variety,” she said. “Visits to China also helped government officials better understand hybrid rice.”
Dugo said that while rice-fish farming can increase incomes by up to 50 percent, floods remain a challenge.
Thanks to the hybrid seeds and improved agronomical practices from Chinese experts, she said farmers can now harvest between 1,500 and 2,500 kg of milled rice.
However, the high demand for seeds has outpaced supply. Dugo said the problem should ease as seed production begins locally. Cost also remains a hurdle: While traditional rice seed costs $1.4 per kg, hybrid seed sells for $10.4 per kg.
“We are negotiating with the government on the possibility of subsidizing the price, to encourage wider adoption of the hybrid variety,” Dugo said.
She said farmers also need convincing that despite the high cost of seed, yields are far higher. For instance, while traditional rice requires 49.4 kg of seed per hectare, only 14.82 kg of hybrid seed are needed.
Dugo said Butaleja district is producing an estimated 75,000 tons of rice per year, attributed to the contribution of several players, including South-South Cooperation.
“We are grateful for the proper agronomic practices our farmers have learned from the Chinese experts, including line planting, water management, soil management, fertilizer use, and postharvest handling,” she said.
Last year, the district received a donation of 11 tractors, 11 combine harvesters, and three rice processing mills, further boosting output.
Valuable skills
“More than half of our staff members have been trained in China, which has given us valuable skills and motivated us to work harder. Staff morale is now very high,” Dugo said, praising China’s role in technology transfer, training, and machinery support.
Chinese experts working on the ground echoed the success. Luo Zhongping, a rice expert who has been training farmers in Butaleja district for three years now, said it has been rewarding to see farmers embrace Chinese technology and improve yields.
Wei Runwu, a foxtail millet expert for the FAO-China-Uganda South-South Cooperation project, said the crop is gaining popularity among farmers because of its short 75-day maturity period, higher yields compared with finger millet, and rich nutritional profile – containing 17 percent starch and 10 percent protein.
Alongside training, the project provided seeds and fertilizer to farmers. “Many are eager to adopt foxtail millet after seeing the results,” Wei said.
Dugo noted that more than 300 farmers in the district are already growing foxtail millet, with the numbers expected to rise as the government promotes the newly released variety.
Stephen Were, the district agricultural officer, said foxtail millet is not only high-yielding but also adaptable across seasons because of its shorter maturity period compared with finger millet.
“Another advantage of foxtail millet is that it’s not hybrid, meaning farmers can replant the seeds,” he said.
Were emphasized that the project sustainability is assured, since extension officers have been trained on managing both hybrid rice and foxtail millet.
In each of the district’s three gazetted rice schemes, at least 10 lead farmers have been equipped to train their peers in best agronomic practices.
“Farmers learn faster from fellow farmers,” he said.
So far, 11 crop extension officers have been trained in Butaleja, five of whom went to China for advanced training. Each officer now oversees one town council or subcounty.
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