How one farmer is learning and leading the way in improved millet and ground nut seed production in Uganda

Through access to drought-tolerant and disease-resistant crop varieties, Dennis Obua transformed a handful of seeds into a thriving farm, inspiring an entire community to embrace resilient farming practices CIMMYT, in partnership with the National Semi-Arid Resources Research Institute (NaSARRI), is transforming dryland farming by giving farmers access to drought tolerant and disease-resistant crop varieties. Through the Accelerated Varietal Improvement and Seed Systems in Africa (AVISA) project, many farmers have not only improved their yields but also built resilience to the challenges of unpredictable rainfall. Dennis Obua, a farmer who has benefited from these research advances, shares his inspiring journey to promote improved finger millet and groundnut seed varieties within his community. “My name is Dennis Obua, a farmer from Tewayo village in Lira district. I began my farming journey back in 2018, inspired by the local farmers I met while visiting a nearby region. As I spent time with them, observing how they tilled the land, I felt a strong urge to get involved in farming myself—especially focusing on drought tolerant cereals, which are crucial in our region due to inconsistent rainfall. It all started with a small amount of finger millet seeds—just a handful that I obtained from NaSARRI. At the time, some visitors from NaSARRI had planted a few experimental plots nearby. One of my friends was conducting his own trials, so I approached him and asked for a small sample of seeds to plant on my farm. That was how I started growing improved finger millet varieties NAROMIL 2 and SEREMI 2 (U15). Now, I not only grow millet, but I am also actively promoting it in my community.