NARO Scientists Celebrate Release of Ugandan-Bred Improved Matooke Bananas in Tanzania

NARO scientists from the National Banana Research Program led by Dr. Wilberforce Tushemereirwe, the Director of National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL) Kawanda, celebrated with Tanzanian officials on the release of Ugandan-bred improved Matooke bananas in Tanzania.

NARO scientists with Tanzanian officials pose with the released banana tissue culture plantlets.

This was during the Accelerated Breeding of Better Bananas annual meeting held from 23 - 25 May, 2022 in ARUSHA, Tanzania at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science & Technology.

Speaking at the meeting, the Beatus Malema, Assistant Director for Crop Promotion, Agriculture inputs & Cooperation, Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture committed to promotion of the new improved banana varieties to the communities.

A group photo of participants at the annual meeting held in Arusha, Tanzania.

“The government is happy with the launching of the new banana variety, and through extension services, we will ensure the promotion of these varieties to meet our food security goal,” said Beatus Malema, the Assistant Director for Crop Promotion, Agricultural inputs & Cooperative in Tanzania’s Ministry of Agriculture.

“As the farmer testified that the bananas are drought tolerant so we are assured they can grow well throughout the year,” he added.

The meeting was attended by representatives from different partners under the ABBB project to celebrate the release of the first new improved cooking banana varieties in Tanzania.

NARO was represented by Dr. Wilberforce Tushemereirwe, Dr. Priver Namanya, Dr. Jerome Kubiriba and Dr. Ivan Arinaitwe.

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