Ugandan smallholder farmers are set to gain more reliable access to quality seed potatoes following the licensing of Farm Inputs Care Centre Ltd. (FICA Seeds) as the country's first private company authorized to commercially produce tissue culture plantlets and early-generation seed potatoes.
The development is part of the Building Resilience and Inclusive Growth of Highland farming systems for rural Transformation (BRIGHT) project, coordinated by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC). Until now, potato seed production in Uganda has largely depended on public institutions such as the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO) and its Kachwekano Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (KaZARDI). Demand has continued to exceed supply despite these institutions' efforts.
Through a BRIGHT-supported public-private partnership between KaZARDI and FICA Seeds, the private firm is now aligned with national seed certification standards under the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF). Following evaluation of its laboratory facilities and technical capacity, NARO has granted FICA Seeds approval to manage early-generation seed for potato varieties including Victoria, KACHPOT 1, Rwangume, Kinigi, NAROPOT 1, NAROPOT 9, and NAROPOT 10.
Starting in September 2025, FICA Seeds is expected to supply around 60,000 tissue culture plantlets annually to seed businesses and screenhouse operators. These plantlets are projected to generate about 15 metric tons of pre-basic seed, which can be multiplied into 90 tons of basic seed and eventually 540 metric tons of certified seed potatoes for smallholder farmers.
In addition to providing seed, FICA Seeds will deliver technical support to screenhouse operators, which IFDC says will build local capacity and help maintain seed quality. "FICA Seeds and KaZARDI signal what is possible when research, regulation, and private enterprise align to serve the farmer at the center," IFDC stated.
The licensing falls under the BRIGHT project, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Dutch embassy. The initiative is implemented by IFDC in collaboration with Agriterra, MAAIF, NARO, district governments, and private sector actors. The programme aims to transition highland households in Kigezi, Mount Elgon, and Rwenzori from subsistence farming to more market-oriented systems.
For potato producers in Uganda's highland regions, where the crop functions as both a staple and a cash source, the availability of certified seed is expected to raise productivity and contribute to food system resilience. Agricultural experts view the move as an example of how coordinated partnerships between research bodies, regulators, and private companies can address supply constraints in national seed systems.
Source: Farmers Review Africa
