Presentation Summary

The world faces significant food issues, in the quantity needed to feed existing and growing populations, and the quality of food that is produced. Biotechnology and agricultural science offer an opportunity to tackle both problems. Work at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University and Research Institutes focuses on improving legume production and other staple food crops such as East African highland banana and sweet potato, in terms of quantity and quality, in an effort to biofortify crops. This includes incorporating desirable traits that facilitate crops to produce more micronutrients to deal with the challenges of hidden hunger. The lack of vitamins and micronutrients such as zinc and iron in diets is a serious public health challenge to many Ugandan communities. Strategic research is providing insights on how to deal with the constraints of food production, such as drought, insect infestations and disease.