General
Mak Acquires US$ 3 million Modern Poultry Unit Funded by KOICA IBS Program
Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) has opened up a modern poultry unit at the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK) worth US$ 3 million.
70% of this budget is funded by the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and another 30% by Eagle Vet. Additionally, Shinhan A-Tech is funding 30% of the horticultural enterprise.
The opening day workshop was held on Thursday, 30th August 2018 at MUARIK following 90% completion of the construction work. Construction commenced on 30th May 2018 and is expected to be complete by 30th September 2018.
The function was attended by the Country Director KOICA, Professors of Chonbuk National University (CBNU), the Chief Director, Eagle Vet Uganda, the Director KOPIA and the President, Korean Community in Uganda among others.
Makerere University was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor in charge of Finance and Administration (DVCFA) Prof. William Bazeyo, CAES Principal Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, his Deputy Dr. Gorettie Nabanoga, staff from Makerere and other universities as well as farmers.
This development comes after Makerere University and Chonbuk National University’s International Agriculture Development and Cooperation Center (IADCC) signed an agreement in May 2016 to implement the KOICA (Inclusive Business Solutions) IBS Project.
Makerere University allocated part of the university farm land; totaling 4.2 acres, to the project. The project has constructed three (3) poultry units with a capacity of five thousand (5000) birds each, implying a total capacity of 15,000 birds. The focus is mainly on layers for egg production.
Additionally, a brooder house was constructed to raise chicks as well as a drying shed for dehydrating chicken manure. A microbial facility to grow micro organisms to be used in the fermentation of chicken manure has also been constructed. This will provide readily available organic chicken fertilizer to farmers hence strengthening the linkage between crop and livestock production.
The project intends to contract farmers that will supply raw materials like maize and soybean to process feeds for chicken. These inputs will be bought at higher prices to increase farmers’ income.
The project will also construct a six hundred square meter (600m2) greenhouse that will produce quality tomatoes.
Additionally, the project will train farmers on improved agricultural technologies at National Farmers Leadership Center and also share 30% percent of the profits with farmers.
In his congratulatory message, the Korean Ambassador to Uganda represented by Lee Jun-hee appreciated the project partners for the accomplishments so far, saying this will contribute to Uganda Vision 2040 of transforming the country from peasantry to a middle income status.
The Ambassador noted that Uganda’s agricultural sector employs 2/3 of the household labour force and accounts for 77% of poverty reduction.
“Despite this, agriculture in Uganda is underdeveloped and its contribution to NGDP has declined to 25% with less economic gains due to unsustainable use of resources,”
He said, besides accelerating commercialization of agricultural products, private enterprises and research institution must pool together resources to fight poverty and improve livelihoods.
In his remarks, Prof. William Bazeyo commended the Principal CAES Prof. Bernard Bashaasha for not being selfish.
“Many of us have studied from outside but what have we brought back home? I thank Prof. Bashaasha because without his thinking and not being selfish, these Korean colleagues would not be here. Prof. Bashaasha went and found that there is potential in Korea to bring to Uganda”. Bazeyo said.
Prof. Bashaasha studied in Korea, Married a Korean lady and has attracted collaborations with Korean government and agencies setting up a number of projects at Makerere University.
The DVCFA thanked the Korean Government for accepting to work with Makerere and supporting the university through finance and technology.
“I believe your investment in Uganda may not lead to tangible results back to the people of Korea but you are doing it to develop the people of Uganda to be like you.
Makerere University will not take you for granted. We know we are with you in the struggle to eliminate poverty and improve livelihoods,” the DVCFA stated.
Prof. Bazeyo hailed the Chief of KOICA in Uganda for being polite and humble saying it is one thing to be posted to a country, and, another to work with the people. He informed participants that Makerere University existed for a long time and some of its infrastructure is old. Prof. Bazeyo pledged to look for partners and mobilise resources to rehabilitate the old poultry unit on the University farm and also deploy armed security to safeguard the new facility with immediate effect.
The DVCFA also noted that there are more than 40 universities in Uganda but only two offer programmes in agriculture, and yet more people need agriculture than any other resource. He therefore stressed the need for Makerere to reach out more and work with farmers to alleviate poverty by bringing them to the University farm and train them on how to generate income.
“Extension workers are few and far spread and yet we need to train these farmers. It could not be a government policy, but as Makerere we can go out there and train farmers to increase production.
We must change the mentality of people on how to do farming as a business for maximization of resources to get them out of poverty”, Bazeyo explained and went ahead to say that:
“The Challenge is on Makerere because we are the father of education in this country.
Can we have similar facilities across the country and train farmers on how to rear chicken and other animals?
There is no harm in putting such facilities on our borders so as to train our neighbors” He said.
Prof. Bazeyo expressed happiness that Korea was walking with Uganda. Historically, he said, Korea started like Uganda and at one time, the two nations were at the same level.
He said that Koreans are now holding Ugandans’ hands, and yet they should be looked at as equal partners.
He appealed to the farmers and their leaders to mobilise themselves in groups, and pool their fragmented land for improved productivity, collective bargaining and marketing.
He also asked farmers to work with academicians adding that the University cannot conduct graduate education and research without farmers.
The Principal CAES, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha gave the background to the project and expressed happiness at seeing the fruits. He said the MoU signed in May 2016 when the President of CBNU visited Uganda entails academic training, research, staff exchange and outreach.
Prof. Bashaasha reported that currently there are 13 students in the Republic of Korea who are doing very well and are expected to return to Uganda upon completion of their studies.
“The other activities are the poultry unit and an element of micro organism processing extended here. There is an element of horticulture and the facility will help us in training. We really needed a poultry facility to help in training, research and outreach activities,” the Principal said.
Bashaasha also said the college was partnering with Moon Agriculture and Processing Company Limited (MAP Co. Ltd.); a private Korean firm, and have already opened up a fully fledged piggery unit at the University farm.
He also said the choice of the poultry enterprise is based on the fact the country’s population; especially in the urban areas, is ever increasing and yet land cannot be expanded. This necessitates going into intensive production with poultry as a viable option.
The other reason according to Prof. Bashaasha is that poultry combines very well with crop thus creating seamless interaction between crop and livestock production.
Briefing participants on the project background and purpose IBS Program Manager Chonbuk National University (CBNU) Cho Jin-Kook said the project is aimed at addressing low income due to poor agricultural environment, the weakening base of agricultural and livestock production due to climate change impacts, and the increase in demand for professional agricultural technology education.
Cho Jin-Kook explained that the project, “Improving farm income through agriculture and livestock circulation in Uganda”, will last three years (2018-2020) at a total budget of US$ 1,826,087.
The project purpose is poverty reduction through increasing farm income; contributing to the livelihoods of local farmers by improving the agricultural environment in response to climate change; strengthening the business operation capacity and growth potential by establishing a social enterprise.
The goal is to establish the eco-friendly recycling model of agriculture linking horticulture and livestock farming, and finally to increase farmer's income by strengthening farmer capacity,” the Manager said.
The expected benefit according to Cho Jin- Kook is operating an economic model connected by value chain type to solve poverty and lower socioeconomic polarization, improving farmers' income level through operation of Agro-industrial facilities in response to climate change, training skilled workers in agricultural industry and enhancing the sustainability through collaboration between stakeholders and public institutions.
“The core activities include production of eggs and chicken meat, drying and storage of feed crops, production of tomato and agriculture crops and supplying the organic fertilizer fermented with livestock manure.
Targets for the year 2020 year include; Feed resource production (1,000 tons), Livestock products (138 tons) and Horticulture production (10 tons).
Our IBS project policies will increase Kabanyolo farmer's revenue and finally contribute to the economic development of this Country”. Cho Jin- Kook explained.
Article Compiled by:
Jane Anyango
Principal Communication Officer,
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)
General
Minister Janet Museveni Lays Foundation Stone for School of Graduate Studies Building, Commissions the School of Law Building and the renovated Lumumba Hall
The First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, has laid the foundation stone for Makerere University’s School of Graduate Studies building, whose construction is now underway.
The Minister laid the foundation stone for the USD8 million project during a brief function held on Wednesday 18th December 2024 at the site opposite Makerere University’s Lumumba Hall. The event was attended by several dignitaries, including the State Minister for Primary Education, Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, University Council Chairperson Mrs. Lorna Magara, and Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Professor Barnabas Nawangwe.
Others in attendance included Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administration, Professor Henry Alinaitwe; Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi; University Secretary Mr. Yusuf Kiranda; Dean of Students Winfred Kabumbuli; Guild President Vincent Lubega Nsamba; and the Vice Guild President, Joy Eve Serunjogi among others.
The building is a donation (in-kind) from the late Hasmukh Patel, an industrialist and former Chairman of Tororo Cement who passed away on August 29, 2024, after a short illness. The journey to this befitting donation to Makerere University started in December 2022, when Hasmukh Patel accompanied by some members of his family and friends visited the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe to declare his donation. From December 2022, a number of meetings were convened involving the Minister of Education and Sports, the University leadership, Mr. Hasmukh Patel, his family and Tororo Cement regarding this donation. Living true to his commitment during those meetings, his family and Tororo Cement are implementing his wishes to construct the building, which will house the School of Graduate Studies at Makerere University.
Before laying the foundation stone for the School of Graduate Studies building, Hon. Janet Museveni first unveiled a plaque to officially open the new building for the School of Law. She then headed to Lumumba Hall, where she unveiled another plaque marking the completion of its renovation.
The First Lady, who had initially laid the foundation stone for the School of Law building on May 17, 2022, returned to the main campus to officially open the completed structure. Funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 7.3 billion, the new three-storeyed building features lecture rooms, tutorial and seminar rooms, a library, a moot court, offices, a cafeteria, a lactation room, and other teaching and learning facilities. Construction was undertaken by M/S CK Associates, with Symbion serving as a consultant.
The renovation works for Lumumba Hall commenced in June 2023, with the site handed over to the contractor, National Enterprise Corporation (NEC). Funded by the Government of Uganda to the tune of UGX 9 billion, the project involved extensive renovations to restore Lumumba Hall to its original splendor. Lumumba Hall now accommodates about 725 students.
Lumumba Hall was the first hall of residence to undergo renovation, followed by Mary Stuart Hall, which has also been handed over to NEC for refurbishment. These renovations, which began last year, are a result of the Government of Uganda’s efforts to improve the nine (9) halls of residence at the main campus.
Speaking at the event, Hon. Janet Museveni thanked the University Council and management for their dedication to rebuilding the institution. She expressed confidence that the physical restoration efforts would also rebuild the character of young people.
“There is a restoration of dignity that comes to an institution or a community when we choose to rebuild and it is not only physical, there is a spiritual restoration that comes as well. For Nehemiah, it was not just the rebuilding of a physical wall it was the rebuilding of broken lives and a broken covenant. It was the rolling away of the reproach they had suffered as a nation,” she said.
Adding; “I therefore salute the Council and the management of Makerere for your dedication to the rebuilding of this University. I am confident that as you rebuild physically, you are rebuilding the character of our young people. My prayer is that the physical restoration is translating into the spiritual restoration of this great institution.”
The first lady, Hon. Janet Museveni recalled her earlier visit to Makerere University, where she observed the dilapidated state of the halls of residence, which prompted her to initiate the renovation works.
“I remember taking a tour of the halls of residence in this University and Kyambogo University in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic. My heart bled when I saw the state of the halls of residence. Like Nehemiah, I took my burden to the Lord and now see what the Lord has done! Commissioning of the refurbished Lumumba Hall today is a testament to the faithfulness of our God. It is even more gratifying to know that other projects are ongoing and these include: the renovation of Mary Stuart Hall, the construction of the Perimeter Wall, and improvements at the University Hospital, including setting up an operating theatre and ICU.” She said.
Hon. Janet Museveni also expressed gratitude to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, for his leadership, which facilitated the realization of the Tororo Cement project. “This Project would not have been possible without the guidance and leadership of the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Nawangwe, who drew my attention to this offer by Tororo Cement, and requested me to endorse this Project, which will be named after Mr. Hamukh Patel,” she said.
Adding: “I am informed that the construction of this building is estimated to cost 8 Million US dollars and will consist of: lecture and seminar rooms, smart classrooms, laboratories, an innovation space, a conference hall, offices and other facilities. We remain forever grateful for this donation, which will increase access and contribute to improving the quality of postgraduate education.”
Speaking at the event, Vice Chancellor Prof. Nawangwe commended Hon. Janet Museveni for prioritizing the development of Makerere University, which has seen remarkable progress under her leadership. “Hon. Minister, from the time you took over the Office of Minister of Education and Sports and the Higher Education Sector, Makerere University in particular has transformed tremendously. Most notable is the infrastructure revolution at Makerere. On several occasions, you have come to Makerere to lay the foundations for new buildings and to open completed buildings, including our iconic Main Administration Building,” he said.
“When you inspected the halls of residence in 2021, I could see the frustration in your eyes, looking at the dilapidated state the halls were in, especially Lumumba, part of which had been condemned for 2 years,” Prof. Nawangwe said.
“Hon. Minister, I am sure that today, after seeing the glamorous new building for the School of Law and the glittering renovated Lumumba Hall, you are in a completely different mood compared to that visit in 2021. We are as delighted as you must be and your efforts are the reason for our happiness today. Our law students and professors can now comfortably study, work and conduct research in the best building for any school of law that I have seen,” Prof Nawangwe added.
Reflecting on the Graduate School Building, Prof. Nawangwe recalled when he received a proposal from Mr. Hasmukh Patel in 2022 who had initially intended to donate the Main Administration Building, which had been destroyed by fire, but opted to donate School of Graduate Studies Building after finding that the main building reconstruction had already started.
“Hon. Minister, in the morning of 13th December 2022, a miracle happened in my office in the Frank Kalimuzo Building. General David Muhoozi and Major General Apollo Gowa walked into my office with the Late Hasmukh Patel. Gen. Muhoozi introduced Mr. Hasmukh Patel as the Chairman of Tororo Cement, who after learning about the destruction by a fire of our Main Administration Building, expressed the wish to reconstruct that iconic building. On reaching Makerere, Mr. Hasmukh Patel found a contractor already on site, and he told us, that he would all the same donate a building to Makerere University as a gift on our 100th anniversary,” Prof Nawangwe said.
“He said it in such a simple way, that I thought I was dreaming. That evening, at the invitation of Mr. Patel, I visited the building that Mr. Patel had built for a school at Bukoto and I told him that a similar building for Makerere would be just what we needed for our School of Graduate Studies and Research that we needed. The University Council unanimously voted to thank Mr. Patel for his magnanimous offer and, you, Maama Janet graciously endorsed the project. I later visited Mr. Patel in Mombasa and was amazed at the humanitarian work he was doing among the communities. He was such a rare human being,” Professor revealed.
“Today we are here to witness the laying of the foundation stone for this, the largest academic building at Makerere University, and the first such donation I know by an African philanthropist to a university in Africa. The building will have lecture and seminar rooms, a conference hall, innovation spaces, PhD student rooms, computer and other laboratories, a restaurant, staff offices and other facilities. I thank Tororo Cement and the family of the Late Hasmukh Patel for honoring his wish and I wish to assure Mr. Patel, who must be in heaven smiling at us, that we will honor his legacy in this building and that we will put the building to its best use in the service of humanity, which is what Mr. Patel lived for,” Prof Nawangwe added.
On her part, the state Minister for Primary Education, Honorable Joyce Moriku Kaducu acknowledged Hon. Janet Museveni for prioritizing the Education sector in her leadership, which has led to the tremendously development of the sector.
“On behalf of the education sector, we want to thank you as the mother of the nation, indeed you are a big gift and a blessing to the nation and education at large, all this achievement would not have been possible if it was not under your visionary leadership and the guidance you have offered,” Minister Kaducu said.
Hon. Kaducu also hailed Makerere University for playing a very critical role in sensitizing, disseminating knowledge, and raising awareness to the public on the message of the Parish Development Model, which is intended to create wealth among citizens.
“As President Museveni is preaching the message of wealth creation, I want in a special way to thank Makerere University for playing a very critical role in sensitizing, disseminating knowledge, and raising awareness to the public on the message of the Parish Development Model (PDM), and they have a committee that monitors and informs government. They are indeed part of the team promoting wealth creation in this country,” she said.
Mrs. Lorna Magara, the Chairperson of the Makerere University Council said that the construction of the Graduate studies building speaks to the University’s mission of being a research-led institution because it comes as a dedicated building to house the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, which marks the resolution of a critical gap in our institutional framework
“At the heart of Makerere University’s current strategy is the promotion of a research-led institution, with a strong focus on graduate training. The establishment of a dedicated facility for the School of Graduate Studies, which also houses the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, marks the resolution of a critical gap in our institutional framework. The late Patel’s timely and generous contribution will undoubtedly advance graduate training and research for generations to come. We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your exceptional support,” she said.
Mr. Manish Varsani who represented the Patel family took the first lady through how Mr. Hasmukh Patel started the idea of donating the building to Makerere. He explained that, Mr. Patel intended to present a gift that was coming from the bottom of his heart, and he teamed up with General Muhoozi who led him to Prof. Nawangwe’s office.
He also recalled when Mr. Patel met H.E President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni Museveni in Bukoto where he (Patel) had donated a building to a school and told the President that he would want to donate the same building to Makerere University as a gift to the First Lady Janet Museveni because he loved her so much, and in response, the President said he would take the message back to the First Lady.
The Guild President Lubega Vincent Nsamba asked the First Lady to consider constructing another hall of residence for the female students to solve what he described as an accommodation imbalance.
“Maama Janet Museveni, allow me to report to you that we still have only three halls of residence gazetted for female students against the six halls of residence gazetted for male students. These halls of residences were built back in colonial and independent times when the female students were fewer compared to their male counterparts, and to me Maama, this accommodation imbalance is something that should be addressed,” he stated.
“To me Maama, this speaks to the sense of how there is a dire need to invest in another additional hall of residence for the girl child here at Makerere University, and Maama, without any fear of contradiction, we humbly request that you consider building an additional hall of residence named after you in recognition of the contribution and honor of the service you have made for this country as a mother and as an educator,” he said.
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