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Maize (Corn) is grown in most parts of Uganda but most intensely in eastern (Kapchorwa, Mbale, Kamuli, Jinja, Iganga), central (Masaka, Mubende) and western (Masindi, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo, Kasese, Kabarole). Over 90% of Uganda's maize is produced by smallholders, of which about 60% of the annual maize output is consumed on the farm. The intensity of production appears to be a function of the position of the crop in the food system and the marketability of the crop. Maize can be grown twice a year (utilizing the bimodal rainfall opportunity) and continuously as long as it gives reasonable yield, and because of shortage of land to allow fallowing, this has caused a decline of soil fertility and grain yield.  In many parts of the country, maize is intercropped with beans, soybeans or groundnuts.

Corn has many uses, making it one of the most useful commodities. Aside from human consumption and animal feed, maize is used in the manufacture of various products, including oil, sweeteners, starches, alcoholic beverages, and ethanol. 

Healthy fertile soil is essential for cultivating corn. A soil that is not just rich in nutrients, but also teeming with creatures that are advantageous to plant growth. the best soil for growing corn has a texture between medium and loose, is well drained, has a high water holding ability and organic matter content, and can feed the plant with all the nutrients it requires.  

Corn thrives in warm and sunny environments throughout the growth season, with intermittent moderate rainfall or irrigation. This climate and soil characteristics makes Uganda an especially ideal place for corn farming. 

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Sorghum belongs to the grass family Poaceae. It's small, round, and usually white or pale yellow — though some varieties are red, brown, black, or purple. Sorghum is the fifth most produced cereal crop in the world. It's rich in natural nutrients and easy to add to your diet, but its merits don't stop there. 

It’s also widely used as animal feed, and as a natural and cost-effective fuel source.

You can cook this grain like quinoa or rice, mill it into flour, or pop it like popcorn. It’s also converted into a syrup that’s used to sweeten many processed foods.

There are a lot of health benefits to eating whole grains like sorghum. This article covers the nutritional benefits and many uses of this very versatile grain.

Red, orange, and bronze sorghum is versatile enough to be used for everything from animal feed to fuel.

These types of sorghum are used in recipes:

• Whole grain sorghum includes the entire grain, with all three parts —      the bran, endosperm, and germ — intact. You can boil or steam the whole      grain and add it to salads, side dishes, and pilafs.
• Pearled grain sorghum is stripped of its bran and some of its germ. It’s      softer than the whole grain variety, and it goes well in soups.
• Sorghum syrup comes from the stalks of sweet sorghum. It’s a natural      sweetener for baked goods and other desserts.
• Popped sorghum is smaller, sweeter, and more nutrient-dense than      popcorn. It also has fewer calories and less fat. But like popcorn, you      can pop it in the microwave or on the stove.

Millets are important crops in the semiarid tropics of Asia and Africa. This crop is favoured due to its productivity and short growing season under dry, high-temperature conditions.

Millet has been cultivated for thousands of years and is believed to be one of the first grains harvested by humans for food. Millet prefers hot, extended dry seasons and does well growing in the Eastern and Northern parts of Uganda.

The most widely cultivated species are:

• Pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)

• Foxtail millet (Setaria italica)

• Common millet or proso millet (Panicum miliaceum)

• Finger millet (Eleusine coracana)

The millets mostly grown in Uganda are the pearl and finger millet, known for their tolerance of drought and heat. The grain grows on long spike-shaped seed heads, which are easily harvested by hand or machine. 

Millet is a major staple in Africa, parts of the Arab world, India and Pakistan. Millet needs well-prepared gardens.

The typical seeding rate is 20-35 lbs per acre, and a grain drill with the seeding depth set to plant 1-3” works best; plant deeper if dry soil conditions are expected. Millet have been known to germinate even if planted at a depth of 4-5”, but shallower depths will help germination.

Millet is a heat loving plant and for its germination the minimum temperature required is 8- 10°c. A mean temperature range of 26-29°c during the growth is best for proper development and good crop yield.

Soil: Millet grows well in deep to loamy sands but performs best on deep well drained fertile soils. Deep soils are ideal, as the pearl millet roots can grow to nearly 3.6 m depth. Pearl millet also performs relatively well under acidic soil conditions. But the crop does not grow well in calcareous soils.

Millet will take 3-4 months to mature. This is specifically the finger millet variety which is predominantly grown in Uganda.

Harvesting millet takes place 2-4 months after sowing, when the grain has a moisture content of 14-15%. Avoid delayed harvesting, as the seed shatters easily. If millet is harvested during the rainy season with high relative humidity, the grain must be dried to 14% moisture content.

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Read about Groundnut Research in Uganda; Click the link below (thanks to D. Kalule Okello*, M. Biruma , P. Anguria, L.B. Akello and C. M, Deom):

http://www.nasarri.go.ug/presentations/Eight%20decades%20of%20groundnut.pdf

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Cassava is one of the most versatile and  important staple food crops in the country - eaten as a boiled tuber, stewed, as chips or crisps, or flour for dumplings or baking etc. It is also important in the manufacturing industry. Cassava is mainly grown in the Central, Northern and North-Western parts of Uganda. According to the 2018 Annual Agriculture Survey, the crop is grown by about 29 percent of the agricultural households.  

Cash 4 Chillis

Hot cash from chillis from domestic and export markets. Our central region farm is currently propagating 3 popular chilli varieties; Bell Pepper, Bird's Eye and Bullet varieties. 

Cash 4 Eggs

African Garden Eggs (Egg Plant)

Cash 4 Cashews

Many people know cashew nuts as a favourite snack or ingredient, though unless you’ve seen them growing, you might be surprised to know that the ‘nut’ is actually a seed, which grows from the bottom of a curious ‘cashew-apple.

Cashew value chain development has the potential to increase the stability of incomes and food security for cashew producers and processors.