Dr. Yona Baguma is the Director General of NARO, Uganda, is a Molecular Biologist working for the National Agricultural Research Organisation at the rank of Principal Research Officer (PRO). Since his appointment in 1988, Dr. Baguma has tirelessly worked on cassava research and made significant contributions towards food security and increased income through restoration of cassava production, development of natural resource use, and disease (CMD and CBSD) management practices.
He has designed and implemented research on highly nutritious cassava with enhanced beta-carotene and starch in Uganda as a contribution towards improved human health and income for the poor. He is currently involved in research on drought-resilient cassava to mitigate the effects of climate change and to adapt cassava to new agronomic and economic conditions, and development of double haploids in cassava to usher in a new approach to cassava breeding for desired traits. In addition to cassava research, Dr. Baguma has been a key team player in developing and implementing biosafety regulatory guidelines and systems in Uganda and beyond.
He has also contributed significantly to the training and mentoring of many young scientists, interns and graduate students, producing a distinguished cadre of a new generation of well-grounded research scientists and technical support staff. He has established various research collaborations and partnerships with international research centers, advanced laboratories and universities. Overall, Dr. Baguma is an accomplished innovative ethical researcher and has contributed enormously towards various novel information, skills, capacity and technology solutions.