Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) is an important legume crop in the tropics and subtropical regions of the world. It is mainly grown for its leaves and grains, and to a lesser extent as a fodder crop. Cowpea is considered as the most important food grain legume in the dry savannas of tropical Africa. This study compared the yield of local (Agondire) and improved (SECOW 2W) cowpea varieties grown on an Oxisol. Inorganic P at levels of 0, 10, 20, and 40 kg•ha −1 was tested on each variety with or without rhizobia inoculation. The experiments were set up in a randomized complete block design and replicated thrice during the short and long rains of the 2015/2016 seasons on fifteen fields in Arua district, northern Uganda. Agondire responded significantly (P < 0.05) better than SECOW 2W when high rates of inorganic phosphorus (40 kg P ha −1) were applied. A significant increase of 26.4% and 28.4% in grain yield of Agondire and SECOW 2W, respectively was obtained after inoculation with rhizobia. We concluded that inoculation and P fertilizer application increased the yield of both varieties, but with inoculation, SECOW 2W performs much better at lower P fertilizer rates than Agondire. Therefore, we recommend growing of SECOW 2W under inoculation with 20 kg P ha −1 and an application of 40 kg P ha −1 for Agondire local cowpea variety in northern Uganda.

This study assessed the market conduct and performance of wild and semi-wild food plants (WSWFPs) traded in Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, Uganda. A rapid market survey (RMS) was conducted in 17 local markets in Kibanda County. Market prices and weekly volumes of traded WSWFPs were compared with some of the selected conventional food plants traded in the same locality. Weekly volumes of traded WSWFPs based on the usual units of the measurement (including bundles and heaps) within the markets were estimated per species sold. The profit margin was computed per traded species. Transport expenses were excluded in the cost computation because only 4% of the traders incurred transport expenses in form of hired bicycles. Out of 62 WSWFPs belonging to 31 botanical families documented as edible in the Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, about 47% belonging to 12 botanical families were traded in formal and informal markets. Market information system was largely rudimentary and undeveloped, and traders rely mainly on information from fellow traders as well as their customers to make market decisions. Traded products were primarily delivered to markets on foot and using bicycles. Currently, there are no definite or formal mechanisms of setting prices of traded WSWFPs; most traders relied on the daily market demand, time and risks involved in gathering process, information of the price of substitute food and prices from other areas, knowledge of the past seasons' prices, and on the costs incurred from the suppliers. With exception of few species such as Physalis peruviana and Basella alba, weekly volumes of traded WSWFPs were low as compared to most conventional food crops. On the other hand, prices of most traded WSWFPs were generally similar to those of alternative conventional food plants marketed in the area. Some WSWFPs like Hibiscus acetosella, B. alba and Hyptis spicigera (seeds), had higher market prices per unit measurement as compared to the related conventional food plants. Average weekly profits yielded from the trade of various WSWFPs were moderate and ranged from UGX 764.5 to 6754.2 (USD 0.38 to 3.36). The highest return came from species such as H.

Agricultural innovation platforms are increasingly seen as a panacea for mitigating the agricultural value chain challenges through enabling the co-evolution of different elements in the innovation process. A number of previous studies on IPs show processes for their formation and contribution to innovations. Very few studies have attempted to investigate the perceived benefits from platforms as important determinants for actor participation. Using a sample of 319 randomly selected farmers from one innovation platform in Uganda, it was established that the uncertain markets for the agricultural output, sources of inputs and agricultural information were perceived to be the key motivators for the formation of the platform. The study found a positive significant relationship between transaction cost challenges of environmental uncertainty and structural embeddedness (p<0.01) and frequency of interaction and structural embeddedness (p<0.05). On the other hand, environmental uncertainty, asset specificity and frequency of interactions were significantly correlated with relational embeddedness (p<0.05). However, the complexity of tasks in the value chain was not significantly correlated with structural and relational embeddedness (p≥0.05). It therefore means that to ensure effective participation and implementation of platform activities, efforts ought to be placed on fulfilling the platform’s promise as a forum for mitigation of transaction cost challenges such as inadequate markets for both output and inputs, customized products and inputs and lack of valuable agricultural information. Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 8 (2): 1-12, December, 2018

Garcinia buchananii Baker (Family,Cluciaceae/Guttiferae) is an underutilized indigenous fruit tree that produces edible fruits that are used as both food and medicine in tropical Africa. This study evaluated the physical and chemical characteristics of G. buchananii fruits collected from Uganda and Rwanda. Ripe fruits were harvested during their peak seasons in Masaka and Bugesera Districts in Uganda and Rwanda, respectively. The fruits were analyzed for physical characteristics including; fruit weight, fruit size (that is length and width), number of seeds per fruit, seed weight, seed dimensions(length, width and breadth); chemical characteristics (pH and titratable acidity), proximate composition (moisture content, protein, fat, dietary fibre, carbohydrates and energy), mineral composition (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Ca, Fe, Zn, Cu), and bioactive components (total phenolic compounds, flavonoids and anthocyanins; and antioxidant activity). Data were statistically analyzed using a student T-test (p≤0.05). The results indicated that fruit weight and pulp content ranged from 6.3±1.3-9.5±2.8g and 54.1±10.6- 81.1±6.5%, respectively. Titratable acidity of the pulp ranged from 6.1±0.8 to 7.1±0.1 %. Nutritionally, dietary fibre, vitamin C, iron and zinc ranged from 20.0±0.4 -22.6±1.8 g/100g, 32.8±3.2-42.0±3.3 mg/100g, 4.8±0.2 - 6.5±0.8 mg/100g and 1.1±0.0 -2.5±0.1 mg/100g, respectively. The total phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity ranged from 996.7±50.5 - 1147.5±47.4 mg/g GAE (Garlic Acid Equivalent) and 8.0±0.2- 8.4±0.1 mg/100g AAE (Ascorbic Acid Equivalent) as IC50, respectively. There was a significant difference (p≤0.05) in the physical characteristics (weight, length, width and breadth), nutritional composition and bioactive components of the fruit samples of the two countries. Assessment of the nutrients indicated that the pulp was rich in vitamin C, iron, zinc, copper and dietary fibre. The pulp also contained phenolic compounds with antioxidant activity. The seeds had 6-24% crude oil content with palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic as major fatty acids. The total unsaturated fatty acids in the seed oil ranged from 58.4-59.5%. Although this finding showed significant differences (P≤0.05) in the physical and chemical of G. buchananii fruit from Uganda and Rwanda, the nutritional composition and bioactive component information has shown the potential of the fruits for processing into high-value nutraceuticals.