“This policy research paper is an analysis of the extent to which Uganda’s food and agricultural-related policies and policy frameworks support the production and wider use of orphan crops in national development. Its major objective is to provide policy recommendations that can be adopted to support the production, conservation and wider use of orphan crops for enhanced food
and livelihood security, particularly of Uganda’s rural poor. The key policy recommendations suggested to promote and support the production, conservation and increased use of orphan crops include:
establishing an adequately funded special programme by NARO to focus on scientific research and innovation for improving Uganda’s orphan crops; strengthening the seed system for orphan crops, mainstreaming orphan crops in the country’s zonal agricultural production, agro-processing and marketing plan; and including orphan crops in the national export strategy. Other
recommendations made include: investing in the preservation and protection of traditional knowledge associated with orphan crops; maintaining and improving the public extension system to serve the rural poor; and expediting the adoption and implementation process of the Draft National Policy on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.”
