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AGRICULTURAL
RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRES (ARDCs)
NARO
has decentralise Research and Technology dissemination
to twelve (12) Agricultural Research and Development
Centres (ARDCs), one in each of the major Agro
- Ecological Zones of Uganda. The Agricultural
Research and Development Centres are NARO's strategic
outlets to farmers in the different farming systems
in the country. The different ARDCs are:
Mukono,
Ikulwe, Buginyanya, Serere, Kachwekano, Bulindi,
Abi, Ngetta, Kitgum, Moroto (Nabuin) and Mbarara.
FUNCTIONS
AND MANAGEMENT OF THE ARDC's
They
perfom the following functions:-
-
maintain
links with the NARO institutes and provide
systematic points of contact between researchers,
providers of advisory services and farmers;
-
together
with agricultural service providers, assess
needs and opportunities for the farming system
they represent and develop research agendas
accordingly;
-
in
collaboration with institute researchers,
farmers and partners, identify prototype technologies
and carry out trials to adapt technologies
to local requirements.
have responsibility for foundation seed and
mother gardens for multiplication and technology
adaptation and demonstration plots for outreach
activities;
-
act
as zonal information nodes to maintain technical
documentation, package and translate information
on new technologies and methods for farmers
and serve as sources of feedback to NARO research
programs;
-
assist
districts and sub-counties in developing adaptive
research and development programmes and arrange
for contracting of identified activities to
NARO institutes and other entities with capacity
to implement agricultural research and development
activities;
-
strengthen
the capacity of local organisations, through
training and provision of advisory services,
to demand for, utilise and/or disseminate
agricultural innovations and technologies;
-
to
do such other things as may be necessary,
desirable or expedient in carrying out their
functions.
ARDCs are managed and operated as integral parts
of NARO's research management structure, and will
be staffed and supported to enable them to facilitate
adaptive research, training, information exchange
and technology transfer activities. With respect
to capture fisheries, a network of technology
testing and dissemination sites are established
at selected locations on the major lakes.
However,
NARO recognises the considerable financial and
human resource requirements of operating a network
of ARDCs. Consequently, in developing and executing
the work programmes and budgets of the ARDC's,
NARO pays particular attention to arrangements
that are locally controlled and supported in the
districts with NARO playing a backstopping role.
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ARDCs 