In Uganda, approximately 75% of farmers cultivate ‘Matooke’ and other banana varieties, covering an estimated 38% of the total cultivated land. However, production has declined over the past three decades, primarily due to soil fertility depletion, drought, and attacks from pathogens such as banana bacterial wilt, black Sigatoka, and fusarium wilt. Additionally, pests like the banana weevil and burrowing nematodes have further contributed to the decline.
As part of efforts to find solutions, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), in collaboration with the IITA–CGIAR in Uganda, developed the high-yielding, disease-resistant Matooke banana variety NARITA 17. This variety, known for its desirable consumer sensory qualities, was officially released by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries on 21 March 2025 in Uganda.
NARITA 17 is the continuous effort of past collaboration between IITA-CGIAR and NARO, which saw the development of 27 Matooke hybrids named NARITA. Two of these were formally released by NARO in 2010 in Uganda and are now being grown in at least 15% of the banana farms in Uganda.
“The release of NARITA 17, also known as NAROBan 6, marks a significant milestone in our efforts to improve the livelihoods of banana farmers in Uganda. With its exceptionally high yields, 34% better than the best previously released hybrid, NARITA 17 is poised to make a real difference in farmers’ fields,” Dr Alex Barekye, NARO Breeding Program Leader, said.
“I am also proud to highlight the strong collaboration between IITA and NARO, which has been instrumental in bringing this variety to life. Our partnership has been characterized by clear roles, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to improve the lives of Ugandan farmers,” he added.
With a long history of breeding, about five years of multilocational testing, and about two years of on-farm testing, NARITA 17 boosts an impressive 243% yield increase over the traditional landrace, Mbwazirume with an average yield of 40.5 tons per hectare. This significant yield boost is expected to transform the lives of banana farmers in Uganda, providing them with a more productive and resilient crop.
“This new variety is resistant to both FOC-TR4, FOC-R1, and Radopholus similis, tolerant to weevils, and it meets the requirements of the consumers,” explained Dr Rony Swennen, IITA Banana Breeding Program Leader.
“NARITA 17 is among our best bet hybrids of Matooke developed jointly by NARO and IITA”.
This milestone builds on the successes of over 30 years of collaboration between the banana breeding efforts of NARO and IITA that led to the development of 27 hybrids for food and juice dubbed NARITA hybrids – from NARO and IITA. These hybrids were later tested in Tanzania by the Tanzania Agricultural Research Institute (TARI) and its partners, IITA, NARO, and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, to identify those most suited to Tanzanian fields and farmers.
The four NARITA hybrids, now called TARIBAN 1–4, were officially released in March 2021. The new varieties are resistant to black Sigatoka leaf disease and banana weevils, with potential yields ranging from 18 to 35 t/ha/year. Currently, farmers’ average productivity is around seven t/ha/year.
The new NARITA 17 is a shining example of what can be achieved through strategic collaboration and a commitment to improve the lives of smallholder farmers on the continent. The future is promising as the East Africa Banana Network work together to accelerate the delivery of improved banana varieties in the region.
This collaboration marks a significant step towards enhancing banana breeding efforts in East Africa, focusing on meeting the specific needs of the region’s farmers, and increasing food security and income through farming of improved cooking bananas.
This work was executed under the Roots, Tubers and Banana Breeding Program supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, whose purpose is to contribute, through the development of market-preferred, gender-sensitive, and climate-resilient roots, tubers, and bananas, to poverty alleviation, food, and nutrition security, and overall quality of life of smallholder farmers, processors, and consumers in rural and urban areas.