Everyone smiled, grasped hands, and shook their heads in wonder. The excitement at Michael Mugabi’s fields was palpable.

In Mugabi’s plot, farmers were asked to plant four sweetpotato varieties. Two of these were the most popular local market varieties (Muwulu Aduduma and Umbrella), and two new best-fit varieties that had been developed by CIP and NARO (Tanzania and NAROSPOT 1).  

Each of the four varieties were planted according to two methods: tradition and a new methods that emphasized  following good agronomic practices. Dr. Sam Namanda from CIP taught the new method to farmers, which included making heaps  in the soil to knee height (60 cm) and planting only three vines per heap on all three sides of the heap (also known as the triangle method). Namanda also trained the farmers how to weed properly and select the best vines for planting. 

Read full story

Good agronomic practices with sweetpotato are cause for celebration in Uganda