WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  WT/CFMC/W/30 
15 May 2008 
 
 (08-2239) 
 Original:   English 
 
 
DIRECTOR-GENERAL'S CONSULTATIVE FRAMEWORK 
MECHANISM ON COTTON 
 
Cotton Projects1 
 
Communication from Uganda 
 
 
 The following communication, dated 17 July 2007, is being circulated at the request of the 
delegation of Uganda.  
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PROJECT N° 4 - CAPACITY BUILDING FOR DEVELOPMENT AND 
USE OF BIOTECHNOLOGY COTTON IN UGANDA 
 
 I. JUSTIFICATION 
1. Since the introduction of Cotton in Uganda early  in the 20th century (specifically in 1903) 
Uganda has relied on varieties and production techno logy developed by conventional techniques of 
breeding and agronomy respectively. Successes have been  recorded for high yielding varieties with 
good fiber qualities of the medium – staple Albar Co tton types. The Uganda cotton has even gained 
premium prices at international markets due to the good variety characteristics and ambient 
production conditions (weather a nd crop management practices). 
2. The Uganda cotton industry has though faced constraints under the conventional approaches 
on research and production including inter alia : 
(a) Narrow genetic base and variability for selec tion of improved varieties within the 
Gossypium hirsutum , for say host plant resistan ce to pests and diseases. Pest 
management has therefore mainly relied on the use of costly and in some cases 
harmful pesticides to humans, livestock and to the environment. 
(b) Long periods of over 14 years for variety development through convectional crosses 
and backcrossing for desired gene combinations. 
(c) High costs while using hand implements for the control of weeds in cotton. Crop 
losses are incurred through delayed weeding as the limited family labour is competed 
for between cotton and food crops. 
3. The advent of biotechnology in cotton has br ought out various production options including 
the BT cotton for tolerance to boll worms Helicoverpa armigera  and the cotton for herbicide 
resistance (HR). While commercial production of Bi otech cotton dates to 1996 and is practiced in 
                                                     
 
1 This project was distributed amongst the Development Community by e-mail on 31 August 2007. WT/CFMC/W/30 
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  over nine major cotton growing countries, Uganda is  yet to test the technologies for adoption. This 
need is, however, hindered by the lack of Uganda’s  own technologies and personnel expertise in this 
area of research. Uganda has to depend on biotechnologies provided by Multinational Companies at costs for the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). The technology fee would have to be included in the 
cost of seed and thus would affect the income returns to the would be biotech cotton farmers. 
4. Uganda is arranging for the testing of introdu ced BT and HR cottons for identifying their 
advantages over the Uganda varieties. The shortcomi ng with introduced foreign varieties, however, is 
the loss of other genetic attributes incorporated in the Uganda varieties through research since the 
1930’s. The most appropriate option would be for Uganda to build research capacity for the 
transformation of its adopted varieties with the desired BT and HR genes. 
5. For engaging into biotech cotton research a nd commercial production, there is need for 
Uganda to perfect the existing biosafety regulator y framework, and have in place a legal act on the 
development and management of biotech cottons. 
II. OBJECTIVES 
(a) To develop appropriate law and biosafet y regulations for handling Genetically 
Modified Organisms (GMOs). 
(b) To test BT and HR cottons with simila r characteristics to the Uganda cotton for 
assessing their advantages over the Uganda typ es (impact on returns to farmers and to 
the environment). 
(c) To build research capacity (staff and facilities) for development of biotech cottons. 
(d) To undertake research on identification of pot ential genes for resistance to a range of 
other cotton pests and diseases to be handled through biotech procedures for cotton improvement. 
(e) To create awareness on the Biotech cotton options to the Uganda cotton industry 
stakeholders. 
III. DESCRIPTION OF MAIN ACTIVITIES / COMPONENTS 
(a) Perfection and enacting of legal and regul atory framework for the introduction and 
manipulation of GMOs. 
(b) Developing agreements with  International Companies for material transfer, testing 
and commercialization. 
(c) Testing introduced BT and HR cotton along side Uganda varieties, 
(d) Developing staff capacity and improvement of the existing biotech facilities at the 
National Research Organization (NARO) Bi otech Laboratory at Kawanda for biotech 
development and management. 
(e) Transformation and testing of Uganda cott on lines for appropriate insect tolerance 
and herbicide resistance. 
(f) Documentation of research results, and pr eparation of training and information 
material on the use and handling of Biotech cottons. 
(g) Training cotton sector stakeholders on the use of biotech cottons.  WT/CFMC/W/30 
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  IV. EXPECTED RESULTS 
(a) Law and regulatory framework for GMOs put in place. 
(b) Appropriate biotech varieties from private Companies and their advantages over 
Uganda’s systems identified. 
(c) Material transfer and testing agreements  between biotech providers and Uganda 
made. 
(d) Staff and facility capacity for development and management of biotech cottons built. 
(e) Uganda cotton varieties for incorpora tion of insect tolerance and HR genes 
transformed. 
(f) Uganda Biotech varieties with reduced inputs for pesticides and labour for weed 
control commercialized. 
(g) Information on use and management of biotech cotton disseminated. 
 
V. COST  =  US$ 706,000 
         
Year 1 US$  194,000 
Year 2 US$  105,000 
Year 3 US$    90,000 
Year 4 US$  172,000 
Year 5 US$  145,000 
TOTAL US$  706,000 
 
 
 
VI. ACTIVITIES TO BE FUNDED 
Perfecting and enacting law and re gulatory framework US$   15,000 
Making agreements and testing of introduced 
(multinational company) biotech cottons US$   65,000 
Research staff training and study visits US$  216,000 
Upgrading research facilities, undertaking biotech 
research and testing of Uganda US$  260,000 
Preparation of research documents and information 
material on biotech cotton US$   60,000 
Training of cotton processors and farmers on the use of 
biotech cotton US$   90,000 
TOTAL US$ 706,000 
 
 WT/CFMC/W/30 
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  VII. FINANCIAL PLANNING OF  PROJECT ACTIVITIES 
 
 
Activity to be funded  
Amount (US$ thousands) 
 Yr 1 Yr 2 Yr 3 Yr 4 Yr 5 Total 
Law and regulation framework formulation 15 - - - - 15 
Agreements and testing of introduced biotech cotton 35 30 - - - 65 
Research staff training and study visits 144 - - 72 - 216 
Facilities upgrading, biotech research and 
testing and seed multiplication - 75 60 50 75 260 
Research documentation and information 
material  - - 10 20 30 60 
Training of farmers extension staff and 
processors  - - 20 30 40 90 
TOTAL 194 105 90 172 145 706 
 
 VIII.  DURATION:  five years. 
IX. LOCATION:  NARO : Serere Agricultural Research In stitute (field Testing) and Kawanda 
Research Institute (biotech laboratory);  CDO: (fibre testing). 
X. PARTNERS:  Monsanto;  Delta and Pine Company Ltd.;  APEP – USAID;  UGCEA;  
SEACF;  ICAC.  
 
 
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