Crop scientists responsible for testing the drought-tolerant maize variety are set to kick off with the research exercise in November this year.
The researchers led by a team of scientists from the National Crops Resources Research Institute (Nacrri) in Namulonge have since August 2009 been developing the Confined Field Trial (CFT) site for this maize variety at MubukuIrrigation Scheme in Kasese District which site is now ready for the planting season.
This exercise follows a grant of permit by the National Biosafety Committee, Ministry of Agriculture allowing the scientists to proceed with the research activity on Water Efficient Maize for Africa (Wema) which was a crucial step to kick off with the trials.
The research on the genetically engineered maize brings the number of GM crops under confined field trial in Uganda to four with the testing of cassava against the cassava brown streak in Namulonge, Banana bacterial wilt in Kawanda and the GM cotton trials at Serere in Soroti district.
According to the site manager, Mr Joseph Stephen Ochen, an agronomist, the drought tolerant maize seed which is a product from Monsanto's improved seed variety is on its way to Uganda and will be planted in November during the dry season in Kasese.
"Once the seeds arrive in the country, they will be immediately planted on the prepared 2.5 hectare land and the remaining seeds will be kept for 14 days, a legal requirement for these improved seeds," Mr Ochen said.
The drought tolerant maize trials are part of the Wema project collaborators which include the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (Cimmyt) and national research institutes in Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania and South Africa as well as the agro-biotechnology firm Monsanto.
The five year Wema project is coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) based in Niarobi, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Howard G. Buffett Foundation support project with the monetary value of Shs103b.
According to Dr Yonna Baguma the head of Biosafety committee of the project in Uganda, the CFT has been constructed in such a way that it is fenced with barbed wires for purposes of protecting the genetic materials away from the rest of the environmental factors that may affect the research work.
He made these remarks during a site tour of the CFT by a number of stakeholders coming from various parts of the Country at the Mubuku Irrigation scheme in Kasese. The CFT comprises a structural water reservoir of a 1,000 litre reserve tank which water can be pumped through the hydrant system to the pipes that run through the field.
Dr Baguma said water will be pumped through the pipes to some section of the field while others will remain completely dry for comparison purposes during the growth period of the maize.
The director of the project Dr Geoffrey Asea said the water efficient maize variety , once proved favourable to the environmental conditions here, will not only help farmers boost their yields during dry season but it will as well help in disease and pest infection.
"This maize variety is just like the ordinary maize variety but with a difference that it can grow in dry conditions. We would have chosen areas such as Karamoja to do the testing but we preferred Kasese because the people here grow a lot of maize under a semi arid condition,"Dr Asea said. He explained that the Wema project involves both trials using the biotechnology method as well as the conventional breeding which will take place at Namulonge using the same seed variety. He said the maize is not meant to grow only in drought prone conditions but will be grown by farmers throughout the country interested in growing this maize variety.
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