Commercial tissue culture in Uganda - November 2012

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PRESENTOR:

Erostus W.N.NsubugaMSc.Agric: MBA Int.Marketing

Chief Executive

P.O.Box 11387, K’la.Tel: +256 414 371186Mob: +256 772 585211

E-Mail: [email protected]@agtafrica.com

Website: www.agtafrica.com

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AGT – THE COMPANY

� The company started in Jan.2002

� It is the first private company in Uganda to use agro-biotechnology through tissue culture techniques for micropropagation of different crops on a commercial basis.

AGT Main Office and Laboratory

AGT – THE COMPANY

� Currently the company produces TC plantlets mainly for banana, pineapple, coffee, potato, stevia, mushroom seed, flowers, etc Banana constitutes 50% of our production line (approx. 2 million per year).

The company’s business strategy

The company’s business strategy is three (3) phased:

� The first phase (ongoing) is the production of Tissue Culture planting material for different crops. Construction of new and modern TC laboratory.

� The second phase (before 2012), we intend to establish a plant and soil analysis laboratory.

� The third phase (2012-2015), we intend to establish an organic fertilizer production plant. (rhizobia and Micorryhizer).

AGT COMPANY VISION AND MISSION

AGT Vision:To become the most successful, profitable and respectable suppliers of agricultural biotechnology products affordable to farmers in Africa".

Mission Statement:To operate a profitable and sustainable organizationthat will contribute to the Agriculture development in East and Central Africa through dissemination and promotion of the use of Biotechnology results which are affordable to farmers.

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AGT-COMPANY OBJECTIVES

� To provide good quality, disease-free planting materials of different crops, in sufficient quantities to farmers through using modern internationally tested and accepted tissue culture protocols and up to date equipment.

� To offer high quality agronomic advisory/consultancy services to customers by employing a dynamic qualified, dedicated and experienced technical staff.Banana Tissue Cultured Plant

Ready for Planting

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AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

� AGT has set up 27 banana nurseries and demonstration gardens in different farming communities across Uganda for the purpose of distribution and training of farmers in modern agricultural techniques respectively. We are currently establishing distribution centers (nurseries) for banana and pineapple in Rwanda and the Southern Sudan.

One of AGT’s Tissue Culture Banana in Rural Farmer Communities

ONE OF AGT,s DEMONSTRATION GARDENS


AGT Tissue Culture Banana Hardening / Distribution Nurseries

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AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION

NETWORK

AGT Tissue Culture Pineapple Hardening Nurseries

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Packing of Banana Plantlets for Distribution

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AGT In-Vitro Tissue Culture Banana Being Loaded for Export

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AGT MAJOR PARTNERS

� We are working closely with local and international organizations like MAAIF, NARO, NAADS, UNCST, Makerere University, Presidents Office (Poverty Alleviation Department), IITA, UDET, ADF, AATF, Danida, ASARECA, Caritas, Africa 2000 Network, VEDCO, BUCADEF, Farmers Groups, etc. on research and technology dissemination issues.

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AGTs IMPACT

� AGT has produced and distributed over 10 million banana, and 0.5 million pineapple tissue culture plantlets for local and export market since we started.

� AGT has contributed to the reduction of the spread of crop diseases (especially banana) by having tissue cultured disease and pest free planting material available and easily accessible to farmers.

AGT Lab Media Preperation Area

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AGTs IMPACT

� AGT has contributed to reduction of the use of pesticides and other chemicals by farmers thru provision of pest free planting material to farmers.

� AGT has made available desired crop varieties to farmer.

� AGT has contributed to Improved agronomic practices in farmer’scommunities through training using the established demonstration gardens.

AGT Plant Culture Rooms

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AGTs IMPACT

� Increased yield – i.e. Many farmers have experienced a 30 – 40% increase in yield. (In case of banana)

� Creation of jobs to young professional scientists some of whom are already doing MSc degrees in a joint AGT-Makerere University arrangement

� Provision of employment to over 200 employees on permanent and part time basis.

AGT Lab Work going on in the Hood

AGT MAJOR CONSTRAINTS

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•Lack of qualified personnel.

•Lack of clear working relationship between private TC companies and public research and academic institutions in

terms of obtaining research products like:

- Need to optimize crop protocols for existing cropvarieties for maximum in-vitro production.

- protocols for those crops on demand by farmers

•Lack of contacts with re-known TC Laboratory commercial

companies for management and technological transfer

AGT MAJOR CONSTRAINTS

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•Lack of enough distribution network.

•Low capacity to provide adequate extension services.

•Lack of support from Governments to put in place policies to support and to promote new agricultural technologies.

•Poor access to credit to local investors in agricultural business.

•Overdependence on rain-fed agriculture which gives only 1-2 sales seasons a year (on average 2 months per season)

•Increasingly very expensive laboratory equipments and chemicals

•Expensive and yet unstable of power and water supply.

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AGT LABORATORIES

ONE OF AGT MOTER GARDENS

ONE OF AGT’s DEMONSTRATIO GARDEN

ONE OF AGT STERILIZATION AREAS

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ONE OF AGT STERILIZATION AREAS

AGT MEDIA PREPERATION AREA

ONE OF AGT INOCULATION AREAS

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AGT IN CORRABORATION WITH INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

ONE OF AGT GROWTH ROOMS

ONE OF AGT DISTRIBUTION NURSERIES

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OFFICIAL OPENING OF ONE OF AGT DISTRIBUTION NURSERIES IN RURAL

FARMING COMMUNITIES

INTRODUCUNG TISSUE CULTURE TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

AGT NURSERY SIGN POSTS

TRAINING OF FARMERS IN RURAL FARMING COMMUNITIES

TRAINING OF AGT NURSERY OPERATORS

AGT RESEASRCH AREA

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� . � .

AGT’s HAS IN-HOUSE PCR EQUIPMENT FOR CROP VIRUS INDEXING

AGT FOODS BANANA & MIXED VEGETABLE VACCUM PACKAGING

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AGT FOODS BANANA & MIXED VEGETABLE VACCUM PACKAGING

AGT FOODS GREEN BANANA PACKAGING INTO BOXES

AGT CONTRIBUTING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY




HAPPY FARMERS ON A VISIT TO AGT LABORATORIES

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Technology

Commercial tissue culture in Uganda - November 2012