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)
The Gender Mainstreaming Directorate (GMD), Makerere University on 14th September 2021 presented findings from phase one of the study on Enhancing Women’s Participation and Visibility in Leadership and Decision-Making Organs of Public Universities in Uganda through Action Research. The study team led by the Director GMD and Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Euzobia Mugisha Baine also consists of Assoc. Prof. Consolata Kabonesa, Dr. Anna Ninsiima, Ms. Frances Nyachwo, Ms. Susan Mbabazi and Mr. Eric Tumwesigye.
The team is also made of coordinators from participating Universities such as Busitema University-Ms. Elizabeth Birabwa, Kabale University-Sr. Dr. Eva Tumusiime, Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST)-Dr. Specioza Twinamasiko, Muni University-Ms. Amandru Stella Wawa, and Gulu Univeristy-Sr. Rosalba Aciro.
Funded by the Government of Uganda through the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), the study was inspired by the fact that women are persistently few in numbers as staff, more so in leadership and decision-making organs of Ugandan Public Universities. “This is despite all the various efforts at national and international levels; the numbers are not growing as fast as needed to meet development goals of the country” explained Dr. Euzobia.
Based on this background, the study team therefore sought to conduct a situational analysis of the gender terrain of the six public universities to obtain baseline information encompassing the composition of governance and leadership organs and senior staff by sex, as well as a needs assessment and profiles of potential mentors and mentees.
Furthermore, the team sought to explore the capacity to conduct gender-responsive research as well as the role of male staff engagement in gender equity interventions within the universities as the drivers of development.
Dr. Mugisha-Baine shared that results of the baseline would then be used to design participatory training manuals or guides on gender and leadership. The manuals would cover; Institutionalized mentorship, How to conduct gender-responsive research, gender and equity budgeting, among others.
“Within these manuals, we shall have a male staff engagement strategy in gender equity interventions in universities” she explained.
The development of the aforementioned materials would then be followed by their adoption and use to build capacity for women not only in leadership of participating and other public university but also beyond. “We shall periodically evaluate whether the capacity we have built has influenced women’s participation in leadership and decision-making organs of the university” supplemented the PI.
The capacity building trainings for women, it is envisaged, will lay the foundation for the formation of a functional Uganda University Women’s Think Tank, starting with the six participating universities. Dr. Mugisha Baine added that through this Think Tank, a monitoring and tracking system for gender representation in recruitment, promotion, retention/turnover and leadership of public universities shall be established and maintained.
At the conclusion of phase one, the study team had drafted participatory training manuals in gender and leadership with content on; gender specific critical analysis of the leadership spectrum of public universities, positioning of individual women within the institutional framework and strategies for their advancement, gender equity advocacy in the university setting, institutional mentorship, building capacity in conducting gender-responsive research, among others.
“This content will be validated by the participating universities before the actual research training is conducted” added the PI.
On behalf of the research team, Dr. Mugisha Baine thanked the Government of Uganda for providing the resources that facilitated phase one of the study and prayed that the Mak-RIF Grants Management Committee (GMC) would support the next phase of capacity building.
Speaking on behalf of the Mak-RIF GMC Chairperson, Prof. William Bazeyo, Dr. Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala thanked and congratulated the team led by the Director GMD upon the milestones registered in the critical research.
“We are very proud of that work that is being done by all researchers in Mak-RIF and we would like to most sincerely thank Management for all the support throughout this process” she remarked.
Dr. Nkabala encouraged the research team to continue disseminating and using the findings for the furtherance of gender mainstreaming, particularly through the aspect of male staff engagement in gender equity interventions.
Prior to delivering the keynote address of the day, the Executive Director National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) Prof. Mary Okwakol thanked the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe for inviting her to the important forum, noting that women’s participation in decision making and governance is a priority area of the Uganda Gender Policy 2007.
She commended Makerere University for being at the forefront of gender mainstreaming in Uganda, noting that this prominence was one of the reasons why the Gender in Education Policy 2007 provides for replicating the institution’s strategy in all other Higher Education Institutions.
Prof. Okwakol whose keynote address was punctuated incisive personal examples reaffirmed the statistics that women are generally not visible in leadership of Universities. That notwithstanding, in instances where they rise to leadership and decision-making positions, they are regularly subject to roles traditionally deemed as women’s inconsiderate of their managerial seniority and experience.
She nevertheless rallied the women to play their respective roles in enhancing participation and visibility at a personal level. The following were some of the strategies she proposed; work hard to acquire academic credentials so as to compete favourably with men, acquire necessary administrative training and experience, network among women, join professional networks as well as do research and publish.
On joining professional networks, she shared her personal experience as a young zoologist who joined UNESCO’s Tropical Biology and Fertility Programme. “Within a short time I was appointed Coordinator for Africa and after two years, I was elected as a Member of the International Board of Management. After serving for two years, I became Vice Chairperson of that Board and finally I became Chairperson of that International Board.”
At the institutional level, Prof. Okwakol appealed to the Chairperson Council and Vice Chancellor to proactively recruit women who meet the requirements for leadership positions even if it means actively seeking out the reluctant ones. In this regard, she shared that it would be useful for the university to develop a database of women and their qualifications to ease this process.
She shared that NCHE has in recognition of female underrepresentation at every level in Higher Education approved the establishment of a Gender and Equity Unit with the aim of promoting inclusive gender participation in the sub-sector.
“This unit has been placed under the Directorate of Quality Assurance and Accreditation which implies that as we look out for and regulate quality, gender will be a very important aspect of that regulation” she reassured.
Prof. Okwakol concluded by urging participants to read the; Third National Development Plan (NDPIII), Uganda Vision 2040, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) noting that there is no way all three can be achieved while women are left behind because they each make a case for inclusion of the female gender.
“What we are addressing here are historical injustices” said Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe as he commenced his remarks, “And in the case of Makerere University, it is well known that the institution started as a male-only institution and we all know the original motto was ‘Let us be men’” he added.
Citing examples from history such as; Marie Curie – one of the smartest physicists, Hatshepsut, Nefertiti and Cleopatra – prominent Pharaohs of Egypt, George Eliot, Rosa Luxemburg and Hypatia – all great philosophers as well as Chancellor Angela Merkel – first female Chancellor of Germany, the Vice Chancellor said there is no plausible argument that there are things women cannot do as well as their male counterparts.
He said it was against this knowledge and in a bid to correct historical injustices that Makerere University pioneered initiatives such as putting in place affirmative action for girls, establishing a Gender Mainstreaming Directorate as well as a School of Women and Gender Studies. The Vice Chancellor nevertheless stressed the need to go beyond pioneering to protecting these gains through legislation. “Historically we have seen that discrimination can only be addressed by laws and policies.”
Prof. Nawangwe thanked the Government for providing funds to support Mak-RIF as well as the Funds GMC and Secretariat for ensuring that these funds are put to good use. He equally thanked the Chairperson of Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara for her not only her support but also sparing time to attend a good number of the research dissemination events.
Delivering the concluding remarks, Mrs. Magara acknowledged that the study was timely and relevant the contemporary University, as one of the critical drivers of the national and international development agenda. She therefore reechoed the Vice Chancellor’s thanks to the Government of Uganda for generously supporting the University’s research through Mak-RIF.
Turning to the keynote speaker she said, “I thank Prof. Okwakol for ardently discussing the critical issues affecting the female gender, the strategies to overcome the challenges, including sharing her inspiring personal experiences.”
Mrs. Magara equally thanked Prof. Okwakol for her very instructional analysis, providing mentorship guidance with the resultant impact of enhancing the female gender in decision-making positions. In the same breath she congratulated the PI and her team upon successfully concluding phase one of the project.
“Phase one has generated insights in understanding the status of women in leadership in public universities, the legal and policy framework and its implications on women’s visibility, the institutional mentoring systems and the gaps therein” she observed.
The Chairperson of Council acknowledged that the challenge of underrepresentation of women in leadership roles cannot be resolved at an individual level. She therefore advocated for broad based strategies that can address deep-seated structural and cultural biases facing women. “These include developing mentorship networks, enacting laws and policies that address the imbalances and providing training programmes to address the leadership gaps.”
She therefore pledged the University Council’s unwavering support to the Gender Mainstreaming Programme by ensuring an enabling policy environment that facilitates gender-responsive teaching, learning, research innovation and community service.
The research dissemination was moderated by the Principal Public Relations Officer (PRO), Ms. Ritah Namisango and the Director Communications, Learning and Knowledge Management, ResilientAfrica Network (RAN) and PRO Mak-RIF, Ms. Harriet Adong.
