The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University has won a prize and a certificate as the best training institutions in innovations during the 10 day agricultural show held from 13th to 22nd July, 2018 at the Source of the Nile Exhibition Grounds in Jinja..

The exhibitions were graded in 10 categories.  These included; Heavy Machinery, Seed Companies, District Farm Institutes, Production Companies, National Research Institutes, Agriculture Line Ministries, NGOs, Finance and Banking Institutions, Donor Institutions, International Exhibitors and Training Institutions where Makerere University emerged the winner.

The evaluation team and judges conducted assessments throughout the ten days the show was held and the awards were made on 23rd July 2018. Both a winner and runner up were selected from each of the ten categories.  

The function was presided over by the Minister of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, Hon. Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja. The exhibitors were earlier visited by the Vice President of the Republic of Uganda, H.E. Hon. Edward Ssekandi.

CAES was represented by 35 exhibitors (7 senior staff, 18 students and 10 technicians) who showcased different innovations and technologies. The Minister credited CAES for availability, smartness, serious commitment, readiness to give technical advice and practical demonstrations.

The best innovations that stood out for the Vice President included: livestock innovations (alternative livestock feeds mainly maggots and earthworms for animal feeds and other uses); Innovations in crop production (with emphasis on soil testing and testing organic products for export market); Crop protection which included virus indexing and production of clean planting materials; as well as Coffee Value Chain development and diversification.

Others innovations  that were of  interest to the Minister’s entourage according to the evaluators included the KeBELA biosensor, the Maksoy varieties, the earthworm and maggot production technology for poultry feeds and the soil testing kit.

 Due to the high demand from farmers and other stakeholders, the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and the Minister resolved to hold at least two national agricultural exhibitions per year. In line with the resolution, the Minister announced that the second national exhibition will take place from 7th to 17th December, 2018 focusing on irrigation and agricultural mechanization.

Makerere University was urged to endeavor to attend and exhibit the innovations especially small holder farmer irrigation and mechanization technologies which the public is yearning for to boost production and productivity.

Report compiled by;
Jane Anyango,
Principal Communication Officer, CAES