Accomplishments of Tea Research in Uganda in the Year 2019

Abstract

Tea is Uganda’s third most important export earner and oscillates between coffee and fish. The current production in the country is 59,000 tonnes of made tea per year, earning 104 million United States Dollars to the Uganda’s economy. Despite its importance to Uganda, the tea sector is faced with a number of constraints that include rising production costs, age of tea bushes, high overhead costs, poor agronomic agricultural practices, pests and diseases, low genetic potential, poor seed system, low labour productivity,and climate change. Since the collapse of Tea Research Institute of East Africa, tea research in Uganda has been dormant for three decades, due to limitations in tea experts, finance, and infrastructure. This review paper highlights the current tea research accomplishments made with the help of government of Uganda Agricultural Technology and Agribusiness Advisory Service (ATAAS) funding. These endeavors include: a) Genetic structure of tea diversity in Uganda has been determined, b) Characterization of tea clones with desirable attributes initiated, c) Soil nutrient up take of tea clones has been determined, d) Screening tea clones for resistance to Xylaria and Armillaria diseases and e) Tea dissemination material accomplished. This paper further spells out the future perspective and strategic intervention of tea research in Uganda.