“It fetches more money,” he said. “My colleagues are selling the variety at sh2,200 per kilo, compared to sh800 for the local ones”

UGANDA – There is a new type of millet in the country. Experts say it is a better variety because it matures within 65 days, much faster than the local landraces, which mature at 90 to 120 days. Like the local variety it produces seed at the top although with much longer patches of seed, giving farmers more yield.

It is known as Foxtail millet. And it is from China. Farmers in the northern districts of Lira and Oyam are already growing the millet as Government carries out multiple evaluations across the country to test its performance in the different ecological zones. After that it will be rolled out across the country.

This story was originally published on the Africa-China Reporting Project, a Wits Journalism project. Read the full story here.