General
CBA11 Youth Conference: Youth urged to take lead in climate change adaptation drive
Over 150 youth from Uganda and across borders participated in the two-day Community Based Adaption (CBA11) Youth Conference aimed at engaging and sensitizing the youth on Community adaptation and resilience to climate change to raise awareness and build a climate change knowledge base and innovations.
The Youth Conference was held at Hotel Africana Kampala on June 28 and 29, 2017 and focused on the theme ‘Enhancing the Ability of Youth to Build Ecosystem Resilience’. It was an affiliation session parallel to the main CBA11 International conference held from 26th to 29th June 2017 at Royal Suites Bugolobi, Kampala.
The youth were practically engaged in dialogues and discussions on climate change adaptation, resilience and mitigation; climate smart agriculture; sustainable agricultural transformation in an era of climate change; youth skills and knowledge for long-term future planning; youth leadership for climate change resilience, gender equality and adaptation planning; skills and knowledge for climate action and sharing climate change experiences.
The youth conference was organized by Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) hosted at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) in collaboration with European Union (EU), Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of United Nations, International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) and the Ministry of Water and Environment.
Officially opening the Youth Conference, the chief Guest and FAO Country representative for Uganda, Alhaji M. Jallow highlighted that 90% of the disasters in the world are due to climate change and as a result, many ecosystems in Uganda have been degraded. He said the youth being the majority of the global population; they should be empowered and considered as resources that can drive agriculture and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
“The youth need to build their capacity to make them understand the drives of climate change and the actions needed to embattle the effects must be realized. Youth can build ecosystems, so we need to invest in building their capacity and resilience towards climate change and sustainable agricultural practices,” remarked Alhaji M. Jallow.
According to Alhaji Jallow, climate change is the greatest threat to agriculture that discourages the youth from practicing in it. He noted that when the effects of climate change are thoroughly addressed, many youth will be attracted to agribusiness and agricultural production and their attitude will change. This would impact on their consciousness to work together as a community to build the resilience of degraded ecosystems and ensure sustainable production of food, animal, feed and energy for the present and future generations.
“Agriculture being the major economic backbone of Uganda, yet climate change remains a great threat to it; the youth continue to be discouraged to join the activity. Through enhancing climate change adoption towards agribusiness, agricultural production can be achieved. This will greatly counteract with the food insecurity problem.” Alhaji Jallow said.
He further noted that FAO works towards agricultural sustainability and resilience and has put in place programmes supporting different youth activities including; programmes on water livestock production; supporting youth activities like the Annual School Farm Camp and international dialogues between Ugandan secondary schools and those in Europe. He added that they have to consolidate the available resources and also introduce new aspects to provide some kind of water source to the people. He thanked the European Union for funding the projects.
He commended the good collaboration and support by CAES towards research and environmental activities. He revealed FAO’s commitment to developing, training and financing youth towards climate change adaptation and mitigation and will work on knowledge sharing and capacity building for the youth. To build a world that everybody desires to live in, he urged the government, society organizations and development partners to increase their support for the youth towards climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu, the Makerere University Vice Chancellor informed participants that the CBA11 Youth Conference was a welcome opportunity to expose university students and other youth in public and private institutions to the latest information on key activities undertaken by different stakeholders to adapt and address climate change towards development of the nation. He noted that higher institutions of learning have a great role to play towards realizing climate change adaptation and mitigation.
“Institutions of higher learning should take a lead in addressing climate change adaptation by producing knowledgeable and multi-skilled graduates, providing evidence-based options and solutions to support formulation of interventions and appropriate policies for accelerating national and regional development. Makerere University is passionate about climate change and related research activities. It takes part in organizing and actively participating in activities aimed at engaging the youth in addressing the challenges of climate change,” the Vice Chancellor said.
In efforts to address the challenges of climate change, Prof. John Ddumba-Ssentamu said that the institution established the Makerere University Climate Change Centre for Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) to enhance climate change research capacity, extension outreach and mainstream climate sciences in undergraduate programs at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
He encouraged the youth to take lead in driving climate change adaptation and appealed to the participants to always seek for knowledge on climate change to pave for national and global development. He thanked the development partners for collaborating with Makerere University and also expressed gratitude to the Government of Uganda for supporting and endorsing Makerere University to host CBA11 Youth Conference.
The European Union (EU) Delegate to Uganda and Acting Head of Cooperation, Mr. Cedric Merel marked the youth conference as one of the platforms for the youth to be engaged in activities relevant for climate change adaption and mitigation. He appreciated the support and role played by education institutions in creating awareness about climate change. He also emphasized the need to integrate in a sustainable manner the youth in the programmes designed to address climate change.
“We insist on the fact that the youth are the main actors of all the actions carried out by EU. In everything we do, youth are the target group. We need to act to have a sensitization for the youth to be the champions of climate change who will sensitize others about climate chance adaptation. Youth are up to 70% of the population; this means that the power is your hands.”
Mr. Merel encouraged the youth to actively participate in the cause of climate change adaptation and express their ideas and innovations with a view of finally incorporating them into policy recommendations. He appealed to the youth to be ambassadors of climate change adaptation at all levels of climate change action including; local authorities, communities, research and innovation, academia and entrepreneurship.
Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, the Principal of Makerere University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CAES) said that climate change is broad and requires everyone’s efforts. He dubbed the youth as the backbone of the country, whose energy and interests should be utilized and put to good use in relation to climate change adaptation. He advocated for training the youth and availing them with knowledge and skills required to ambush the challenges of climate change.
“We should build our capacity basing on what we have. The university being the engine of capacity building, students should be engaged and equipped with skills to tackle climate change. CAES is taking leadership in terms of industrial training in relation to climate change. We are building platforms to tackle the areas of climate change.” Prof. Bashaasha mentioned.
The MUCCRI Coordinator, Dr. Revocatus Twinomuhangi said that it is important to promote climate change awareness, conduct research, generate and disseminate information on climate chance to influence climate change policies. He informed the participants that the youth conference was organized to enable the youth acquire the skills and knowledge they needed to address issues of climate change in their homes, communities and countries.
“There is no single sector that is not affected by climate change. We want to improve knowledge and skills to generate and disseminate information in relation to addressing climate change. However, the measures taken should not hinder our economic development, but to supplement on it. People should be guided on proper land use at national, regional and household levels for sustainable development.” Dr. Twinomuhangi remarked.
Dr. Twinomuhangi thus noted the need for a link between science and the policy makers. He added that climate change brings in challenges that cannot be foreseen due to the changing patterns in climate and weather. According to him, the climate is continuously changing faster than anticipated. For that reason, he advocated for continuous research, which MUCCRI is undertaking.
Addressing participants on Youth leadership for climate change resilience, Mr. Anthony Walimbwa, a delegate from Climate Action Network Uganda (CAN-U) informed the youth that they were the most vulnerable to effects of climate change since they have limited or no means to cope or adapt.
He said that youth unemployment rate in Uganda is 11%, and about 400,000 youth are released annually into the job market to compete for about 9,000 jobs. While the youth could generate their own employment opportunities, they have limited access to financing, land and technical support.
“While the impacts of climate change are unevenly distributed across different age groups and economic classes, the youth women and children are the most affected since they are poor segments of the population. However, the youth are energetic and have a potential to take on climate change challenges through green jobs.” Mr. Walimbwa said.
Ms. Daphine Nansambu, the youth representative at CBA11 assured her fellow youth that Climate change is real even though majority may not accept it. So, their input towards combating it is extremely significant. She reiterated the need for the youth to be equipped with relevant skills and knowledge to address the challenges of climate change.
“The youth need support in terms of capacity building. The young people are natural innovators and can embrace change, so they have to take the lead in addressing climate change. If guided in the right direction, we can be able to change the community. The decisions will be made, but the youth will be the ones to implement them. Therefore, they should take a stand towards climate change adaptation and resilience,” said Ms. Nansambu
At the closure of the youth conference, Mr. Paul Mafabi, the Director of Environmental Affairs at the Ministry of Water and Environment affirmed that the greatest causes of climate change arise from emission of gases and improper disposal of waste. As a result, he said that the Government has adopted a climate change policy to coordinate climate change actions in the country. He appealed to the youth to share the knowledge acquired from the conference with their colleagues, communities and universities.
“As youth, there is need to do something practical after the conference. Climate change should be domesticated for better understanding by the communities including the illiterate, poor and children. The youth are majority in Uganda, have energy, more innovative and will live longer. Meaning if proper interventions are not taken by them, they are bound to face tougher climate change impacts as well as the generations to come.”
Mr. Mafabi congratulated the youth, organizers and supporters for successfully conducting the youth conference parallel to the CBA11 international conference. He urged the organizers to immediately create a working group through which the participants of the conference could continue networking and dialoging. He thus encouraged the youth to ensure increased tree planting, proper garbage management and any other contribution within the available youth means. He eventually declared the CBA11 Youth Conference closed.
The CBA11 Youth Conference was attended by officials from Ministry of Water and Environment, Makerere University, International Water Management Institute (IWMI); Delegates from FAO, European Union, IIED, Climate Action Network Uganda (CAN-U); the media; representatives from the Youth Go Green Group and youth from national and international universities and higher institutions of learning.
It was revealed during the conference that Uganda would host the first Africa youth climate change conference in August, 2017, where youth from all African countries will be represented.
The two-week training programme aims to equip government officers with practical skills to assess project viability, manage investment risks and ensure public resources deliver value for money.
The Public Investment Management Centre of Excellence (PIM CoE) is strengthening the capacity of government officers to undertake financial appraisal and risk analysis of public investment projects through a two-week training programme designed to improve the quality of project preparation, appraisal and decision-making in Uganda.
The training, which started in Fort Portal on October 19, 2026, brought together participants from various government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), alongside facilitators from Makerere University, the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Cambridge Resources International (CRI), the National Planning Authority and the Uganda Development Bank.
Officially opening the training on behalf of the Permanent Secretary/Secretary to the Treasury, Ms Esther Ayebare, Acting Assistant Commissioner in the Project Analysis and Public Investment Department of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, emphasised the importance of rigorous project appraisal in strengthening Uganda’s public investment management system.
She noted that projects admitted into the public investment plan must be aligned with national priorities, technically sound, financially viable and capable of delivering value for money.
“Government must be able to compare investment alternatives and ensure that only viable projects proceed through the public investment process,” she emphasised.
Ms Ayebare explained that sound appraisal enables government to make informed investment decisions, maximise returns on public expenditure and ensure that limited public resources are directed towards projects with the greatest potential to deliver development outcomes.
Building practical skills for better investment decisions
The training builds on the Public Investment Management course conducted in June, which introduced participants to Uganda’s public investment management framework, including project conceptualisation, stakeholder analysis, project costing, implementation action plans, the Integrated Bank of Projects, and monitoring and evaluation of public investment reforms.
The current programme advances this foundation by equipping participants with technical competencies in financial appraisal, financial modelling and risk analysis.
Participants will explore integrated investment appraisal, alternative investment criteria, cash-flow statements, inflation and exchange-rate movements, asset valuation, project financing, project scale and timing, risk-sharing arrangements and cost-effectiveness analysis.
Through practical exercises and case studies, participants will apply these concepts to investment scenarios in sectors such as roads, health, education and water. The programme will also examine how climate change, social considerations and other risks can be integrated into project preparation and appraisal.
Ms Ayebare encouraged participants to engage actively with the facilitators, question the practical application of the tools and consider how the skills acquired could improve investment decisions within their respective institutions.
She also reminded participants that the programme includes an examination and that certification requires more than attendance. Participants are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the concepts and acquire practical skills that they can apply in their work.
Reducing dependence on externally prepared studies
A key objective of the training is to strengthen the ability of government institutions to undertake high-quality project appraisal studies using their own technical teams.
Ms Ayebare observed that many studies submitted to the Development Committee have traditionally been prepared by external consultants, often at considerable cost. Building the capacity of public officers to conduct these studies independently can help institutions strengthen their technical expertise and improve the quality of project proposals presented for consideration.
She urged participants to take full advantage of the facilitators’ expertise and return to their institutions equipped to undertake sound financial appraisals and provide evidence-based advice to decision-makers.
She further emphasised that project approval requires thorough preparation, analysis and justification, rather than simply identifying available funding and proposing a project to utilise it.
Strengthening public investment management through capacity development
In his remarks, Prof. Edward Bbaale, Director of the PIM CoE, thanked the Ministry of Finance for its financial support and for identifying participants from government institutions. He also recognised the contributions of the facilitators and partner institutions in delivering the programme.
Prof. Bbaale noted that the Centre’s work extends beyond training to include research and advisory services aimed at improving public investment management practices. He encouraged continued collaboration with government institutions and other partners to advance research, knowledge sharing and capacity development.
Speaking during the training, Dr John Sseruyange, Manager of the PIM CoE, highlighted the importance of commitment, active participation and punctuality throughout the programme. He encouraged participants to engage with the facilitators, ask questions and apply the knowledge gained to the projects they support.
Dr Sseruyange also acknowledged the Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, for financing the training, and appreciated Cambridge Resources International for its continued support towards improving public investment preparation and analysis in Uganda.
The training reflects ongoing efforts to strengthen Uganda’s public investment management system by equipping public officers with the knowledge and practical competencies needed to assess projects rigorously, identify potential risks and make informed investment decisions.
By developing in-house expertise across government institutions, the programme seeks to contribute to better-prepared projects, more efficient use of public resources and improved delivery of Uganda’s development priorities.
President Yoweri K. Museveni while officiating as Chief Guest at the Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium 2026: Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue at Makerere University called upon the audience not to merely hold Nyerere’s Legacy as a historical footprint but as a masterplan for the future that remains unfinished. Organised by the Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC), the symposium was a two day event that started with “ekyooto” on 13th October at the JNLC gardens and climaxed on 14th October in Freedom Square. The second day hinged on the theme: Borrowing from the Past, Building the Future.
In the President’s message delivered by Rt. Hon. Dr. Crispus Walter Kiyonga the Second Deputy Prime Minister and Chancellor of Makerere University, the president spotlighted, “Mwalimu Nyerere as the greatest African that ever lived in terms of contribution to the African people’s efforts for freedom, human rights, and dignity.”
This greatness, he notes, spilled not just to political ideals but also to economics and security. The President agreed with him and warned that “freedom without economic transformation and economic prosperity, without a robust strategic security, remains incomplete.”
Reaching out to the younger generation of scholars and leaders, the President issued a strong warning to move beyond simply remembering Nyerere to action. He said, “you must carry forward the torch of pan-Africanism, reject sectarianism and tribalism, build our regional markets, and champion the total political integration of our motherland.”
He appreciated Mwalimu for his; unwavering support for the struggle of the East African Federation, courageous backing of the armed anti-colonial struggles in the southern half of Africa, principled and decisive support for the anti-Idi Amin struggle, pro-people and pro-unity policies that kept Tanzania peaceful for decades, and ensuring that Tanzania remained a strategic rear base for the entire African resistance.
As a believer in Nyerere’s ideals, the President urged the audience to honor Mwalimu “not merely through commemorative speeches, but through completing the historical task of uniting, defending, and prospering our motherland,” for the motive is to ensure that the independence wars won by our predecessors were not in vain.
To this note, he reiterated the case for Uganda, saying “we shall never forget his profound contribution” to Africa.
Professor Nyamsenda’s Keynote Unparked Pan-Africanism
During the Nyerere-Museveni Dialogue symposium at Makerere University, Professor Sabatho Nyamsenda, a lecturer at the University of Dar es Salaam delivered the Keynote Address titled “The Unfinished African Project: From Liberation Legacies to a New Generation of Transformation” during the symposium”.
He started on a lighter noticing “Nyerere is being Ugandanised.” This he said looking at the annual Public Lectures dedicated to his name and felt like challenging his home institutions to follow suit.
At the calm of the room, he presented a critique of the current state of Pan-Africanism, arguing that it has been grabbed by the ruling elites, a challenge Professor Nyamsenda identifies to have started in the period of 1960 -1980.
He explained that it was around this time period that Pan-Africanism was snatched away from the masses and it became a state project. Currently, he said the ideology exists in two forms: Boardroom and Street Pan-Africanism.
Professor, characterised Boardroom Pan-Africanism as a State Project. He said “boardroom Pan-Africanism sits comfortably with imperialism and elite-centered accumulation.” While Street Pan-Africanism to which Professor advocates, he emphasised that historically, this approach “united the African liberation movement and liberated the African continent from the most barbaric colonial powers.”
As he concluded, Professor Nyamsenda joined Mwalimu and the President of Uganda in urging youth to consider joining and leading the struggle for a better Africa.
Role of JNLC in Realising Nyerere’s Ideas
Professor Saturninus Kasozi Mulindwa, the JNLC Board Chair highlighted the primary objective of the center as “imparting knowledge and sharing experiences from the old generations to the new generations.” Therefore, JNLC contributes to the actualisation of Nyerere’s ideas by focusing on the development of the next generation of African leaders.
To supplement this, Dr. Nansozi K. Mwanga the Executive Director at JNLC said that the center is committed to “nurturing ethical, conscious, and transformative leaders inspired by Mwalimu’s ideas of service, human dignity, self-reliance, and Pan-African solidarity.”
She explained their focus is on several key areas with training as core. They have “trained over 1,500 young people and young leaders from across Uganda.”, and developed leadership programs “grounded in ethical decision-making, civic responsibility, public service, and action.”
In her remarks, it was observed that training alone is not enough; they are also doing mentorship, to provide opportunities for networking and learning from experienced leaders. There are already testimonies when you visit the Centre wall of fame. To which Dr. Nansozi revealed “leadership development matters when learning becomes service and meaningful action.”
The Centre remains proud of those they have touched and are eager to support as many cohorts.
Julius Nyerere Family Pour their Heart out
Mama Maria Nyerere, addressed the Symposium virtually and commended the Centre for keeping Mwalimu’s values alive.
As a memory of her husband, she reminded the audience that his greatest legacy was anchored on the values by which he lived: service, humility, integrity, unity and love for Africa and its people. She also urged the young people to take up leadership responsibilities and lead with humility, integrity and always remember the people they serve.
Mama Nyerere also advised the youth to learn from those who came before them like her husband with courage to build a better Africa for their generation and those who will come after them.
Joining Mama Nyerere, on behalf of the Nyerere family was Ms. Julia Nyerere, a granddaughter, who attended physically and thanked H.E. Kaguta Museveni for supporting the establishment of the Julius Nyerere Centre at Makerere University and also commended the Keynote Speaker Professor Nyamsenda for Critiquing Nyerere’s ideas.
Julia further shared an understanding of her grand-father’s interest in preserving humanity as a moral.
As a family they are happy that his (Nyerere) values and legacies continue to inspire Africa and beyond.
Appreciation for All who Made the Symposium Possible
Addressing the symposium, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, represented by Professor Henry Alinaitwe the Deputy Vice Chancellor in Charge of Finance and Administration expressed the University’s appreciation and commitment.
He thanked “the government of Uganda for the support they are giving to the Julius Nyerere Leadership Center,” and requested Dr. Kiyonga to “convey the message to the fountain of honour for this initiative that Makerere University is happy for, and is going on well.”
To the leadership of the Center, he specifically thanked the Director Dr. Nansozi for her focused leadership. He stated, “I commend my friend, Dr. Nansozi, for the work that you are doing.”
Professor Alinaitwe also emphasized “we” value these symposiums, saying, “as a university, we acknowledge that such activities create great visibility.”
Dr. Kiyonga was also thanked for delivering the President’s message, together with veterans like Professor Kabwegyere, among other distinguished guests and partners that attended.
Professor Tarsis Bazana Kabwegyere as well appreciated all and emphasised the collective duty of the youth in building the next generation.
He advised “your responsibility is to identify and build Africa forward, building on the legacies and foundations of our forefathers,”.
The Professor also argued that “being young on its own is not a virtue. It is what you are when you are young.” He challenges the audience to avoid being ignorant and claim that you are young.
Background of the Nyerere Symposium
The Julius Nyerere Annual Symposium is an intergenerational gathering hosted at Makerere University. For more than six years now, it has been connecting past leadership legacies of Nyerere and other revolutionaries with current regional and continental priorities under the (JNLC) centre.
The Julius Nyerere Leadership Centre (JNLC) serves as a training ground and research hub designed to mentor the next generation of African leaders. Co-hosted by Makerere University and the Uganda Management Institute (UMI), the Centre bridges the gap between older statesmen and youth by focusing on Pan-African ideals, ethical governance, and social transformation.
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