Presentation by Erostus Nsubuga, CEO, AGT, Uganda Delivered at the B4FA Media Dialogue Workshop, Kampala, Uganda - November 2012 www.b4fa.org

1. PRESENTOR:
Erostus W.N.Nsubuga
MSc.Agric: MBA Int.Marketing
Chief Executive
P.O.Box 11387, K’la.
Tel: +256 414 371186
Mob: +256 772 585211
E-Mail: info@agtafrica.com
erostus@agtafrica.com
Website: www.agtafrica.com
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2. AGT – THE COMPANY
The company started in
Jan.2002
It is the first private
company in Uganda to
use agro-biotechnology
through tissue culture
techniques for
micropropagation of
different crops on a
commercial basis.
AGT Main Office and Laboratory
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3. AGT – THE COMPANY
Currently the company
produces TC plantlets
mainly for banana,
pineapple, coffee,
potato, stevia,
mushroom seed,
flowers, etc Banana
constitutes 50% of our
production line
(approx. 2 million per
year).

4. The company’s business strategy
The company’s business strategy is three (3) phased:
The first phase (ongoing) is the production of Tissue
Culture planting material for different crops.
Construction of new and modern TC laboratory.
The second phase (before 2012), we intend to establish
a plant and soil analysis laboratory.
The third phase (2012-2015), we intend to establish an
organic fertilizer production plant. (rhizobia and
Micorryhizer).

5. AGT COMPANY VISION AND MISSION
AGT Vision:
To become the most successful, profitable and
respectable suppliers of agricultural biotechnology
products affordable to farmers in Africa".
Mission Statement:
To operate a profitable and sustainable organization
that will contribute to the Agriculture development in
East and Central Africa through dissemination and
promotion of the use of Biotechnology results which
are affordable to farmers.

6. AGT-COMPANY OBJECTIVES
Banana Tissue Cultured Plant
Ready for Planting
To provide good quality,
disease-free planting
materials of different
crops, in sufficient
quantities to farmers
through using modern
internationally tested and
accepted tissue culture
protocols and up to date
equipment.
To offer high quality
agronomic
advisory/consultancy
services to customers by
employing a dynamic
qualified, dedicated and
experienced technical
staff.
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7. AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
AGT has set up 27 banana
nurseries and
demonstration gardens in
different farming
communities across Uganda
for the purpose of
distribution and training of
farmers in modern
agricultural techniques
respectively. We are
currently establishing
distribution centers
(nurseries) for banana and
pineapple in Rwanda and
the Southern Sudan.
One of AGT’s Tissue Culture Banana in Rural Farmer Communities
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8. ONE OF AGT,s DEMONSTRATION GARDENS

9. AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
AGT Tissue Culture Banana Hardening / Distribution Nurseries

10. AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
AGT Tissue Culture Pineapple Hardening Nurseries
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11. AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
Packing of Banana Plantlets for Distribution
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12. AGT-PRODUCT SALES & DISTRIBUTION
NETWORK
AGT In-Vitro Tissue Culture Banana Being Loaded for Export
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13. AGT MAJOR PARTNERS
We are working closely with local and
international organizations like
MAAIF, NARO, NAADS, UNCST,
Makerere University, Presidents Office
(Poverty Alleviation Department),
IITA, UDET, ADF, AATF, Danida,
ASARECA, Caritas, Africa 2000
Network, VEDCO, BUCADEF, Farmers
Groups, etc. on research and
technology dissemination issues.
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14. AGTs IMPACT
AGT has produced and
distributed over 10 million
banana, and 0.5 million
pineapple tissue culture
plantlets for local and
export market since we
started.
AGT has contributed to the
reduction of the spread of
crop diseases (especially
banana) by having tissue
cultured disease and pest
free planting material
available and easily
accessible to farmers.
AGT Lab Media Preperation Area
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15. AGTs IMPACT
AGT has contributed to
reduction of the use of
pesticides and other
chemicals by farmers thru
provision of pest free
planting material to
farmers.
AGT has made available
desired crop varieties to
farmer.
AGT has contributed to
Improved agronomic
practices in farmer’s
communities through
training using the
established demonstration
gardens.
AGT Plant Culture Rooms
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16. AGTs IMPACT
Increased yield – i.e. Many
farmers have experienced
a 30 – 40% increase in
yield. (In case of banana)
Creation of jobs to young
professional scientists
some of whom are already
doing MSc degrees in a
joint AGT-Makerere
University arrangement
Provision of employment
to over 200 employees on
permanent and part time
basis.
AGT Lab Work going on in the Hood
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17. AGT MAJOR CONSTRAINTS
•Lack of qualified personnel.
•Lack of clear working relationship between private TC
companies and public research and academic institutions in
terms of obtaining research products like:
- Need to optimize crop protocols for existing crop
varieties for maximum in-vitro production.
- protocols for those crops on demand by farmers
•Lack of contacts with re-known TC Laboratory commercial
companies for management and technological transfer
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18. AGT MAJOR CONSTRAINTS
•Lack of enough distribution network.
•Low capacity to provide adequate extension services.
•Lack of support from Governments to put in place policies to support
and to promote new agricultural technologies.
•Poor access to credit to local investors in agricultural business.
•Overdependence on rain-fed agriculture which gives only 1-2 sales
seasons a year (on average 2 months per season)
•Increasingly very expensive laboratory equipments and chemicals
•Expensive and yet unstable of power and water supply.
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19. AGT LABORATORIES
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20. ONE OF AGT MOTER GARDENS

21. ONE OF AGT’s DEMONSTRATIO
GARDEN

22. ONE OF AGT STERILIZATION
AREAS

23. ONE OF AGT STERILIZATION
AREAS
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24. AGT MEDIA PREPERATION
AREA

25. ONE OF AGT INOCULATION
AREAS
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26. AGT IN CORRABORATION WITH
INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS

27. ONE OF AGT GROWTH ROOMS

28. ONE OF AGT DISTRIBUTION
NURSERIES
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29. OFFICIAL OPENING OF ONE OF AGT
DISTRIBUTION NURSERIES IN RURAL
FARMING COMMUNITIES

30. INTRODUCUNG TISSUE CULTURE
TO RURAL COMMUNITIES

31. AGT NURSERY SIGN POSTS

32. TRAINING OF FARMERS IN RURAL
FARMING COMMUNITIES

33. TRAINING OF AGT NURSERY
OPERATORS

34. AGT RESEASRCH AREA
.
.
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35. AGT’s HAS IN-HOUSE PCR EQUIPMENT
FOR CROP VIRUS INDEXING

36. AGT FOODS BANANA & MIXED VEGETABLE
VACCUM PACKAGING
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37. AGT FOODS BANANA & MIXED VEGETABLE
VACCUM PACKAGING
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38. AGT FOODS GREEN BANANA
PACKAGING INTO BOXES

39. AGT CONTRIBUTING BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY

40. AGT CONTRIBUTING BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY

41. AGT CONTRIBUTING BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY

42. AGT CONTRIBUTING BACK TO THE
COMMUNITY

43. HAPPY FARMERS ON A VISIT
TO AGT LABORATORIES
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