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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

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researcher spotlight

Samuel Benin

Samuel Benin is the Acting Director for Africa in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit. He conducts research on national strategies and public investment for accelerating food systems transformation in Africa and provides analytical support to the African Union’s CAADP Biennial Review.

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Innovation Policy and Scaling

Richard Ariong

Research Analyst

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Bio

Richard M. Ariong is a passionate Research Analyst in the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit. He joined IFPRI in 2020 and is based in Kampala, Uganda.

Richard’s research focuses on value chains and food systems development, agricultural technology adoption, behavioral economics, and agricultural policy. He leverages various econometric methodologies extensively to test innovative approaches for upgrading commodity value chains and improving food systems. Richard actively champions the use of research outputs to inform policies and programs that contribute to desired socio-economic transformation.

Prior to joining IFPRI, Richard worked as a researcher in various organizations, including Bioversity International, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), the Alliance for Bioversity-CIAT, and the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO). He has also consulted for institutions like the FAO, Dairy Development Authority (DDA), Uganda National Farmers Federation (UNFFE), and Nate Africa.

Richard holds both a master’s degree in Agricultural and Applied Economics and a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Makerere University, as well as a diploma in Livestock Production and Management.

Publications

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Publications

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Journal Article

Farmer perceptions, knowledge, and management of fall armyworm in maize production in Uganda

2024Odong, Thomas Lapaka; Obongo, Isaac; Ariong, Richard; Adur, Stella E.; Adumo, Stella A.; Onen, Denish Oyaro; Rwotonen, Bob I.; Otim, Michael H.
Details

Farmer perceptions, knowledge, and management of fall armyworm in maize production in Uganda

Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), fall armyworm (FAW), a polyphagous Noctuid pest, was first reported in Uganda in 2016. Farmers were trained to identify and manage the pest, but there was a lack of information on farmer knowledge, perceptions and practices deployed to control it. Therefore, we conducted a survey to assess maize farmers’ knowledge, perceptions and management of the pest during the invasion. We interviewed 1,289 maize farmers from 10 maize-growing agro-ecological zones (AEZ) of Uganda using well-structured questionnaires. The data were analyzed using R version 4.2.3. The respondents faced many constraints, including pests, drought, poor soils and labor constraints. Among the pests, FAW was ranked by most (85%) of the respondents as the number one pest problem in maize, and some farmers reported having noticed it way back in 2014. By 2018, more than 90% of the farmers had seen or heard about FAW, and about 80% saw FAW in their fields. The most common FAW symptoms reported by maize farmers were windowing, near tunnel damage, and holes on the cobs. The developmental stages of FAW identified by farmers included eggs (10%), young larvae (78.7%), mature larvae (73.5%) and adult moths (6.7%). Insecticides were the major control tactic, although some farmers used plant extracts, hand-picking, sand, and ash. Farmers sourced information on FAW from various sources, including fellow farmers, radio/TV, extension agents, input dealers, print media, research and NGO extension. There is a need to package clear and uniform information for the farmers and to develop and promote a sustainable solution for FAW management, including harnessing biological control and cultural practices.

Year published

2024

Authors

Odong, Thomas Lapaka; Obongo, Isaac; Ariong, Richard; Adur, Stella E.; Adumo, Stella A.; Onen, Denish Oyaro; Rwotonen, Bob I.; Otim, Michael H.

Citation

Odong, Thomas Lapaka; Obongo, Isaac; Ariong, Richard; Adur, Stella E.; Adumo, Stella A.; Onen, Denish Oyaro; Rwotonen, Bob I.; and Otim, Michael H. 2024. Farmer perceptions, knowledge, and management of fall armyworm in maize production in Uganda. Frontiers in Insect Science 4: 1345139. https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2024.1345139

Country/Region

Uganda

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Fall Armyworms; Farmers; Pests; Maize; Insecticides; Information

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.3389/finsc.2024.1345139 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Working Paper

Opportunities for innovation and intervention in Uganda’s dairy value chain: A scoping report

2024Ariong, Richard M.; Campenhout, Bjorn van
Details

Opportunities for innovation and intervention in Uganda’s dairy value chain: A scoping report

This report is generated as part of a scoping study to identify possible areas that should be prioritized for intervention to improve performance and sustainability of the dairy industry in Uganda. The evaluation relies on primary and secondary data collected by IFPRI and DDA in 2021. Ten primary datasets are used for the results informing the several interventions and secondary data relies on literature review and Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) dataset. The results underline five issues namely low productivity, low milk quality, and constrained markets. Low productivity is associated with production systems that undermine pasture improvement, disease control and animal health, yet these are primary drivers of milk output notwithstanding breed and effects of climate shocks. Secondly, milk production practices are directly linked to milk quality and low milk quality has negative chain effect on productivity/performance of all actors in the dairy value chain with consequence of low competitiveness of Uganda’s dairy products. The evidence suggests that there is need to explore new approaches to improve productivity and innovations in design of interventions in a holistic value chain approach to improve market performance. To improve production, innovations in livestock management and animal health coupled with milk volume (MV) based rewards are proposed. To improve milk quality, the establishment of qualitybased incentives are proposed.

Year published

2024

Authors

Ariong, Richard M.; Campenhout, Bjorn van

Citation

Ariong, Richard; and Van Campenhout, Bjorn. 2024. Opportunities for innovation and intervention in Uganda’s dairy value chain: A scoping report. Rethinking Food Markets Initiative Note 12. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/138792

Country/Region

Uganda

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; Innovation; Value Chains; Dairy Value Chains; Dairy Industry; Gender

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Rethinking Food Markets

Record type

Working Paper

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Brief

Institutional and technological innovations to foster agro-industrialization in Uganda: Insights from the dairy value chain

2020Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Nabwire, Leocardia; Minten, Bart; Ariong, Richard M.
Details

Institutional and technological innovations to foster agro-industrialization in Uganda: Insights from the dairy value chain

This policy note summarizes findings from a dairy value chain study in Uganda that documented the institutional and technological innovations associated with the transformation of the sub-sector from a USD 2 million industry in 2008 to a USD 150 million industry in 2017. Uganda is now one of the largest exporters of dairy products in Africa. Using primary data obtained from dairy farmers, traders, and processors, we examine the drivers of this transformation of Uganda’s dairy sub-sector. The insights gained can guide policy and investment decisions for upgrading other agricultural value chains that have been prioritized for agro-industrialization in the medium- and long-term national development plans of Uganda.

Year published

2020

Authors

Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Nabwire, Leocardia; Minten, Bart; Ariong, Richard M.

Citation

Van Campenhout, Bjorn; Nabwire, Leocardia; Minten, Bart; and Ariong, Richard M. 2020. Institutional and technological innovations to foster agro-industrialization in Uganda: Insights from the dairy value chain. Policy Note April 2020. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133682

Country/Region

Uganda

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Value Chains; Innovation; Exports; Milk; Dairy Farms; Technology; Farmers; Dairying; Trade; Dairy Value Chains; Food Consumption; Dairy Industry

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133682 Source record

Project

Policies, Institutions, and Markets

Record type

Brief

Blogs

Measuring the extent of a risky practice: Using toxic chemicals on cattle for tick control in Uganda
IFPRI Blog
 | 
February 21, 2023

Measuring the extent of a risky practice: Using toxic chemicals on cattle for tick control in Uganda

By Richard Ariong, Jordan Chamberlin, Sarah Wairimu Kariuki, and Bjorn Van Campenhout

A problem for the growing dairy industry.