Could growing Korean vegetables benefit the farmers in Uganda?

A scientist gives tips on hybrid tomatoes, from Korea, which are some of the vegetables being tested for adaptability to the Ugandan context. Photo by Lominda Afedraru 

The uncontested fact in nutrition and agriculture is that green vegetables are mineral/nutrient rich and have various benefits along the production to consumption chain.
Against this background, there are a number of projects aimed at encouraging farmers to grow indigenous vegetables such as Gynandropsis gynandra (African spider or nakkati) , Amaranth species, Jute mallow and others.

Concurrent tests
Scientists at National Crop Resources Research Institute in Namulonge (NaCRRI) and National Agricultural Research Laboratories in Kawanda (NALR) are collaborating with scientists in Korea to adapt vegetables from there to Uganda.
This project is managed under the Korea Programme on International Agriculture (Kopia) at Kawanda, which started operations two years ago.

The vegetables being tested include hybrid cabbages namely Bulam, King Kong, Jam gim, King kong, Chunyong and Choono, a spinach variety called Kale, eggplants, sweet pepper and hybrid tomatoes, among others.
The tests are concurrent with varieties in Uganda namely Victoria F1, Dynasty F1, Barak F1 and Copenhagen.

Managing pests
Dr Onemus Semalulu, from NaCRRI, while presenting results of the trials, explained that the seed from Korea had a better germination potential compared to the Ugandan varieties. However, they are susceptible to pests here.
This therefore means that if farmers are to growing these vegetable varieties, there is need for intensive pest management.

The common ones include army worm, cross stripped worm, diamond back moth, aphids, green hopper and caterpillars.
The diseases are black rot and club rot, which can be controlled by applying lime in the soil during transplanting and destroying infected residues.

Farmers can also undertake control measure with pesticides like diamethoate and cypermethin.
In addition, they can carry out agronomy practices such as mulching, crop rotation and intercropping as well as general field hygiene.
The farmers can also use an organic pesticide prepared with egg yolk.
In one and half litres of water, add egg yolk and mix thoroughly. To this, add 100ml of sunflower cooking oil and mix. Then, include five grams of copper or sulphur-based fungicide and this will form an organic fungicide, which can be applied to get rid of the pests.

Field trials
Barbara Balungi, a research assistant at Kopia, explains that the testing of Korean vegetable varieties is to select the ones that can be adopted here.
In the initial experiments, which took place last year, it was discovered that there was massive pest damage. Therefore, Kopia team decided to construct greenhouses to control the havoc caused by pests.

Also, most of the Korean vegetables take four months to mature yet Ugandan vegetables like Amaranth are ready in a month. That is, by the time the pests invade the farms, farmers are already harvesting.
Balungi notes that the next trials will be next year at a field site in Nakaseke District. This will indicate how the vegetables will perform in this location.

After evaluation, the seeds can be distributed to farmers to grow. They will be advised to grow them in simply constructed greenhouses to avoid the pest damage.
Dr Jee Hyeong Jin, the outgone director, Kopia, points out that the project will enable farmers in Uganda have access to Korean vegetables, which they can grow for commercial purposes.

alominda@ug.nationmedia.com