The Agricultural Research and Training Centre (ARTRC) is a flagship component of Axel Prime Investment Limited — a purpose-built facility designed to bridge the gap between modern agricultural science and the smallholder farmers, agripreneurs, and researchers of Northern Uganda. It is the first institution of its kind in the Karamoja and Acholi sub-regions.
A 100-seat air-conditioned lecture hall equipped with projectors, whiteboards, and audio-visual systems for certificate programmes, workshops, and seminars.
Soil science, crop diagnostics, livestock health, and post-harvest technology research. Equipped with standard analytical instruments and sample storage.
Dedicated plots for drought-tolerant variety trials, intercropping systems, organic farming, and sustainable land management research.
Satellite internet-connected e-learning facility with access to agricultural databases, research journals, and farmer advisory resources.
20-bed accommodation for visiting researchers, university students on attachment, and training programme participants from outside Abim District.
The ARTRC is fully powered by the farm's 50 kWp solar plant and served by the two-million-litre rainwater harvesting system — off-grid and resilient.
All ARTRC programmes are designed in partnership with Gulu University and Makerere University, aligned with Uganda's National Curriculum Development Centre standards, and accredited through the Uganda Business and Technical Examinations Board (UBTEB).
The ARTRC's research agenda is driven by the practical needs of farmers and agribusinesses in the Karamoja and Acholi sub-regions. All research outputs are published openly and shared with government, NGOs, and development partners.
The ARTRC is designed as a field campus for Uganda's leading agricultural universities — providing real-world research environments, student attachment placements, and co-developed curricula.
Curriculum co-development, faculty secondment, student field attachments, and joint research publications. Gulu University's Faculty of Agriculture and Environment is the ARTRC's anchor academic partner.
Collaboration on soil science, post-harvest technology, and agribusiness research. Makerere's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences provides senior researcher secondments.
The National Agricultural Research Organisation provides improved seed varieties, livestock breeds, and technology transfer for demonstration plots and farmer training.
Each year, the ARTRC hosts the Northern Uganda Agribusiness Innovation Summit — bringing together farmers, researchers, investors, government officials, and development partners to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and forge new partnerships for the region's agricultural transformation.
We welcome universities, research institutions, NGOs, government agencies, and development partners to collaborate with the ARTRC. Contact us to discuss research partnerships, programme sponsorship, or facility use.