NARO Mourns Renowned Scientist Dr. Andrew Kiggundu

Kampala, Uganda –  The National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) has announced the death of distinguished Ugandan scientist Dr. Andrew Kiggundu, describing his passing as a major loss to the country’s agricultural research and biotechnology sector.

According to information released by NARO Director General Dr. Yona Baguma, Dr. Kiggundu died on the night of April 7 after sustaining injuries from a fall at his home. He was rushed to hospital but later succumbed to his injuries.

Dr. Kiggundu, a long-serving researcher, joined NARO in the early 1990s as a Research Assistant under the National Banana Research Programme. Over the years, he rose through the ranks to become Head of the National Agricultural Biotechnology Centre and Programme Leader for the Biodiversity and Biotechnology Programme at the National Agricultural Research Laboratories in Kawanda.

A highly respected biotechnology expert, Dr. Kiggundu pursued his PhD at the University of Pretoria before returning to Uganda, where he played a key role in shaping the country’s biotechnology and biosafety frameworks alongside other scientists at NARO.

His expertise later earned him an international role at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in the United States, where he served as Project Manager for the Virus Resistant Cassava for Africa (VIRCA) and VIRCA Plus projects. The multi-country initiatives were implemented across Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, and the U.S., aimed at strengthening cassava resilience through biotechnology.

Dr. Kiggundu took a sabbatical from NARO between January 2017 and October 2021 to serve in this role at the Institute for International Crop Improvement in St. Louis, Missouri. Upon his return, he continued contributing to national research efforts, including serving as a consultant under NARO’s vaccine programme.

At the time of his death, he was leading a national taskforce tasked with transforming the National Agricultural Research Laboratories (NARL) into a National Reference Laboratories Centre of Excellence.

He also served as Secretary to the NARO Institutional Biosafety Committee from 2008 to 2017, where he oversaw the review of 12 successful Confined Field Trial applications — the highest number recorded by any single African country — reinforcing Uganda’s position in biotechnology research.

Beyond NARO, Dr. Kiggundu contributed to the Presidential Initiative on Banana Industrial Development (PIBID), focusing on plant genomics and genetic improvement. He also served as a Country Focal Person for biotechnology stewardship under a Pan-African initiative coordinated by the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa with support from the Syngenta Foundation.

Colleagues have described him as not only a brilliant scientist but also a warm and approachable individual known for his sense of humour and passion for mentoring young researchers.

“NARO and the entire scientific community have lost a committed professional whose work significantly advanced agricultural innovation in Uganda,” Dr. Baguma said in a statement.

NARO has extended its condolences to Dr. Kiggundu’s family, friends, and colleagues.

Funeral arrangements are expected to be communicated in due course.

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