September 2025
How ASARECA, FARA, EAAF are stimulating uptake of innovations rural agriculture-based livelihoods in Uganda
BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT How Black Soldier Fly (BSF) rearing is rewriting the script on how livestock, poultry, fish, and crops can be fed cost effectively using BSF larvae; how dissemination and value addition initiatives for clean cassava seed are defining the future of one of Africa’s leading staples and industrial...
August 2025
How Africa, European Union partnership is boosting potato technologies for income and nutrition security in rural Kenya
BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT NAKURU—KENYA: Only four months since ASARECA and its national level partners introduced proven climate smart potato varieties to farmers in Marioshoni, Elbergon in Nakuru County and Murungaru in Nyandarua county of Kenya, results posted by the game-changing varieties, Shangi, Unica, and Wanjiku have caused excitement. According to Mr....
July 2025
How ASARECA, European Union and World Bank last mile initiatives are flashing a ray of hope to Rwandan Potato farmers
BY BEN MOSES ILAKUT MUSANZE, RWANDA: Farmers in Shingiro in Musanze District, Rwanda are upbeat following an unprecedented bumper harvest of the much-coveted potato varieties Cyerekezo and Ndamira. During the first week of June 2025, the farmers, most of them members of Dukomeze Ubuzima Cooperative facilitated by ASARECA, Seed Potato Fund-Ikigega...
June 2025
Empowering Aquaculture in Uganda: How Multistakeholder Innovation Platforms Transformed Fish Farming in Uganda.
BY GENEVIEVE APIO In the heart of Mukono District, Uganda, a powerful story of transformation is unfolding, driven by knowledge sharing, innovation, and collaboration. At the center of this change is Justin Bagenda and Vicky, co-founders of Juvic Continental Agro Farm, a growing aquaculture enterprise located in Nyenge, Goma sub-county. As beneficiaries...
May 2025
From Struggle to Success: How a Dairy Innovation Hub Transformed a Farming Community
BY GENEVIEVE APIO Kasim Sserugo, 53, is the chairman of Lubanja Mixed Dairy Farm, located in Lubanja Parish, Sekayonyi Subcounty, Mityana District, Uganda. Under the stewardship of Agriculture, Environment and Ecosystem (AGRENES) Lubanja dairy mixed farmers group was identified as a beneficiary of the Strengthening Agricultural Knowledge and Ecosystem Innovation for Inclusive...
July 2024
Rwandan Farmer Thrives with Improved Potato Seed Production
By Martin MUGENGA (SPF), Theophile NDACYAYISENGA (RAB) and Joshua OKONYA (ASARECA) Mr. Isaac Nzabarinda is a 62-year-old lifelong farmer and a married man with nine adult children in Rugi village, Musanze, Rwanda. He shares his journey of renewed success in producing disease-free potato seed. Growing up on a farm, he actively...
Strengthening capacities of women and youth to adopt technologies and access markets
Youth benefiting from the AIRTEA Project in Rwanda. By Ben Ilakut; Joshua Okonya; Genevieve Apio Despite the existence of private sector-led multi-stakeholder partnerships for public research institutions, academia, policymakers and civil society in bringing about sustainable transformative change in AR4D, the extent of impact on the ground leaves a lot...
From 1 to 3 tons: How Certified Seed Transformed Rwandan Farmers’ Potato Harvest
By Ambrose Aheisibwe (SDGC/A), Aloys Musabyisoni (RAB) and Joshua Okonya (ASARECA) My name is Faustin Ntankazarimana, and I chair the Haguka Mudende Innovation Platform (IP) in Mudende, Rubavu district, Rwanda. In 2022, our platform faced challenges, with sporadic meetings and dwindling membership. Members rarely met, and as a result, some had...