Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has launched Skeepon Technology, a breakthrough Japanese crop treatment designed to shield farmers from devastating climate-related agricultural losses.
The Prime Minister unveiled the plant biostimulant at the 2026 National Agricultural Show in Jinja to combat prolonged dry spells, extreme heat, and unreliable rainfall.
The innovative treatment applies directly to crops to activate their natural chemical defenses against severe environmental stress.
According to agricultural researchers, the bio-fortification enables treated crops to sustain active growth under water stress for up to three months.
The national rollout targets rain-fed farming regions where shifting weather patterns routinely trigger crop failures, suppress food production, and diminish household incomes.
“Climate change continues to pose one of the greatest threats to our agricultural sector,” Prime Minister Nabbanja stated. “Government will continue supporting technologies that improve resilience, increase productivity and enhance household incomes.”
The deployment stems from a strategic partnership involving the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO), the Office of the Prime Minister, and Japanese biotechnology firm Ac-Planta Inc.
The initial collaboration originated from high-level engagements during the Uganda-Japan Business Forum in December 2022.
Before clearing the technology for public distribution, NARO scientists subjected Skeepon to rigorous local field trials across two full cropping seasons.
The scientific assessments recorded over 30 percent higher maize yields and more than 45 percent higher vegetable yields compared to untreated fields.
NARO Director General, Dr. Yona Baguma, emphasized that the data highlights the vital role of local scientific validation in solving modern farming bottlenecks.
“This innovation demonstrates the power of science in solving real problems facing our farmers,” Dr. Baguma noted. “NARO’s mandate is to generate technologies that improve productivity, build resilience and support agro-industrialisation.”
The product will cost between Shs 12,000 and Shs 27,000 per acre depending on the specific crop requirements.
The pricing structure positions the treatment as an affordable climate-smart option for resource-constrained smallholder farmers lacking access to expensive irrigation systems.
Skeepon is already deployed commercially in advanced agricultural markets, including Japan, the United States, and South Korea.
The government plans to explore domestic formulation and manufacturing of the biostimulant if local demand scales up.
NARO Holdings Limited will coordinate the national logistics network alongside agricultural extension workers, farmer cooperatives, and private agro-input dealers.
The intervention directly answers productivity complaints raised by rural families during recent Parish Development Model assessment tours.
