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Prof. Kaaya Wins AU Agent of Change for Aflatoxin Control Award 2018

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Makerere University’s Senior nutritionist Prof. Archileo Kaaya has been selected for the African Union (AU) Award 2018 as an Agent of change for Aflatoxin Control in Africa by the Third Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA). Prof. Kaaya will be recognized during the Third PACA Partnership Platform Meeting to be held from 2nd to 4th October 2018, in Dakar, Senegal.

A letter from PACA Secretariat written to Prof. Achileo Kaaya reads in part:

“We are very pleased to inform you that you have been selected as the recipient of the African Union recognition of agents of change for aflatoxin control Africa in the category of Research and Technology.

You will be receiving your certificate of recognition from the Commissioner for Rural Economy and Agriculture of the AU at the Third PACA Partnership Platform Meeting, 2 to 4 October 2018, in Dakar, Senegal.

The response to the call for nomination of candidates was remarkable with dozens of candidates from across Africa nominated under five categories. Congratulations!”

Prof. Archileo Kaaya, the AU Agent of Change for Aflatoxin Control Award Winner 2018

Archileo Kaaya is a Professor and the Head, Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, under the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bio engineering in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).

He holds a Bachelor of Science (Agriculture), Makerere University, 1988;  a Master of Science from the University of Florida, USA, 1995 and a PhD, Makerere University/Virginia Tech, USA, 2005.

His area of specialty is Mycotoxin Management in foods and feeds and Post harvest handling of fresh produce.

Kaaya has been working for Makerere University as a Professor, Lecturer and Researcher in the field of Food Science and Nutrition for 27 years. He has over 35 Research items, 5,360 Reads and 368 Citations. He has done a lot of research on aflatoxins.

Aflatoxins are harmful substances produced by fungi in food.

In a bid to save lives that would be lost to liver cancer and a host of many diseases as well as disorders caused by aflatoxins, the AU Commission enacted  a continental scorecard to help monitor the progress made by different countries in controlling aflatoxins.

Prof. Archileo Kaaya (L) chats with Dr. Stephen Lwasa (R) at the CAADP Malabo Declaration Action Planning Meeting

This move was announced by Dr. Amare Ayalew, the Program Manager of the AU’s Partnership for Aflatoxin Control in Africa (PACA) at the Second Partners Platform Meeting (PPM) organized by PACA in Entebbe Uganda in October 2016.

The plan for monitoring and evaluation of aflatoxin control followed a June 2016outbreak in Tanzania that claimed the lives of some citizens.

Outbreaks come as a surprise for many due to lack of information. The patients have symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, ascites and jaundice, which are similar to those associated with acute aflatoxin poisoning.

Prof. Kaaya has conducted research and authored/co-authored a number of articles including:

  • Summary of Gender Report for Peanut CRSP VT 54: Gender issues in Aflatoxin Incidence and Control in Peanut Production in Uganda
  • The effect of delayed harvest on moisture content, insect damage, moulds and aflatoxin contamination of maize in Mayuge district of Uganda
  • Peanut Aflatoxin Levels on Farms and in Markets of Uganda
  • Fungal Microflora Causing Maize Ear Rots in Uganda and Associated Aflatoxins
  • The effect of storage time and agroecological zone on mould incidence and aflatoxin contamination of maize from traders in Uganda
  • Factors Affecting Aflatoxin Contamination of Harvested Maize in the Three Agroecological Zones of Uganda
  • Incidence and Severity of Maize Ear Rots and Factors Responsible for Their Occurrence in Uganda
  • Factors associated with fumonisin contamination of maize in Uganda
  • Effect of solar drying on the quality and acceptability of jackfruit leather
  • Mould and Aflatoxin Contamination of Dried Cassava Chips in Eastern Uganda: Association with Traditional Processing and Storage Practices
  • Drying Maize Using Biomass-Heated Natural Convection Dryer Improves Grain Quality During Storage
  • Fatty acid composition of seed oils from selected wild plants of Kahuzi-Biega National Park and surroundings, Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Oil content and physicochemical characteristics of some wild oilseed plants from Kivu region Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
  • Diversity of Gibberella fujikuroi Species Complex Isolated from Maize Produced in Uganda
  • Realization of the right to adequate food and the nutritional status of land evictees: A case for mothers/caregivers and their children in rural Central Uganda
  • Predictors of Stunting in Children Aged 6 to 59 Months: A Case–Control Study in Southwest Uganda
  • Nutrition, hygiene, and stimulation education to improve growth, cognitive, language, and motor development among infants in Uganda: A cluster‐randomized trial
  • Risk factors for stunted growth among children aged 6–59 months in rural Uganda
  • The Spirit Project: Strengthening the Capacities for Fostering Innovation Along Potato Value Chains in East Africa
  • A Review of Production, Post-Harvest Handling and Marketing of Sweetpotatoes in Kenya and Uganda
  • Contribution of forest foods to dietary intake and their association with household food insecurity: A cross-sectional study in women from rural Cameroon
  • Shift in performance of food safety management systems in supply chains: Case of green bean chain in Kenya versus hot pepper chain in Uganda
  • Mid-infrared spectroscopy for discrimination and classification of Aspergillus spp. contamination in peanuts
  • Assessing the Status of Food Safety Management Systems for Fresh Produce Production in East Africa: Evidence from Certified Green Bean Farms in Kenya and Noncertified Hot Pepper Farms in Uganda
  • Characterization of Invasion of Genus Aspergillus on Peanut Seeds Using FTIR-PAS
  • Nutrients and bioactive compounds content of Baillonella toxisperma, Trichoscypha abut and Pentaclethra macrophylla from Cameroon
  • Composition of Fatty Acids and Tocopherols Content in Oilseeds of Six Wild Selected Plants from Kahuzi-Biega National Park/DR. Congo
  • Fatty Acids and Tocopherols Content in Fractionated Oils from Five Wild Oilseed Plants Native to Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Kivu-DR Congo
  • Farmers, peanuts, and aflatoxins in Uganda: A gendered approach
  • Dynamics of Fusarium and fumonisins in maize during storage – A case of the traditional storage structures commonly used in Uganda
  • Potential for Fumonisin Production by the Strains of Gibberella fujikuroi Species Complex Isolated from Maize Produced in Uganda
  • Diversity of Gibberella fujikuroi Species Complex Isolated from Maize Produced in Uganda
  • Effect of Solarization on Mould Incidence, Moisture Content and Germination Percentage of Maize From Farmers and Traders in Mayuge District of Uganda

Prof. Kaaya is the third CAES Professor to receive an outstanding award this year. Prof. Noble Banadda recently won the Pius XI Gold Medal Gold medal 2018 while Prof. Phinehas Tukamuhabwa won the Uganda Biotechnology and Biosafesty Consortium (UBBC) Research Award 2018.

The CAES community celebrates as congratulatory messages continue to flow in.

“Congratulations Prof. Kaaya for this recognition. Thanks for flying Makerere's banner high. As CAES we continue counting God's blessings.” CAES Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha posted.

“Congratulations Prof. Kaaya. You are one of the few scientists who have consistently pursued  your field of research and avoided pastoralism brought about by the winds of change  in sources of global funding.

This is something that can be emulated by the young scientists especially energised by this continental achievement”, Dr. Fred Kabi wrote.

“Prof. Kaaya, Congratulations for such a great achievement. Your success is our passion. You have made us proud and may the Lord grant you more,” said Dr. Stephen Lwasa

Report compiled by;
Jane Anyango
Principal Communication Officer, CAES

Mark Wamai

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Change of Course/Programme for Undergraduate Admissions 2025/2026

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The Office of the Academic Registrar, Makerere University has released lists for the recommended for change of course/ programme for Degree/Diploma Scheme and Direct entry for Private/Government sponsored students for the Academic Year 2025/2026.

The lists released can be accessed by following the respective links below:

Elias Tuhereze

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Makerere Signs Open MoU with London School of Economics and Political Science

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Seated Left to Right: Dr. Richard Newfarmer, Dr. Jonathan Leape, Dr. Sarah Sewanyana, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Prof. Ibrahim Mike Okumu and Prof. James Wokadala with other officials (Standing) after the MoU signing on 27th August 2025. Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), 27th August 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). This MoU is one of several initiatives aimed at strengthening the university’s global collaborations and research partnerships.

In his remarks, Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe highlighted Makerere’s recent centenary celebrations as a testament to its long and influential history in Africa. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to serious, research-driven collaboration, noting Makerere’s aspiration to become a leading student-centered research university that develops solutions to regional challenges.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks ahead of the MoU signing. Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), 27th August 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe makes his remarks ahead of the MoU signing.

Prof. Nawangwe emphasized that Makerere’s research addresses critical issues such as widespread poverty, high youth unemployment, the devastating effects of climate change on agriculture, rapid population growth, and political interference in production. These challenges, he explained, call for climate-resilient agriculture, stronger health systems to address emerging diseases, and more inclusive governance. He further observed that Africa’s ambitious goal of producing one million PhDs in the next decade remains constrained by inadequate supervision capacity across the continent, stressing that collaborations like this MoU are key to bridging that gap.

EPRC Executive Director, Dr. Sarah Sewanyana, described the signing as particularly significant for EPRC and its Board of Directors as they embark on a new five-year strategic plan (2025/26–2029/30). She explained that the plan strongly emphasizes strategic collaborations, with this partnership serving as a prime example of leveraging collective strengths to deepen impact. She underscored EPRC’s role in advancing evidence-based policymaking for national development, aligning with Uganda’s National Development Plan IV.

The partners show off the signed MoU. Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), 27th August 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
The partners show off the signed MoU.

Prof. James Wokadala, Acting Principal of CoBAMS, emphasized that the collaboration seeks to preserve and expand vital human knowledge while strengthening partnerships between academic institutions and global research networks. He noted that these networks are instrumental in advising legal and policy professionals, as well as aligning research agendas with both national and corporate priorities. He expressed pride in the extensive efforts of the School of Economics that have expanded these activities in recent years. He pointed to significant accomplishments that have been achieved in collaboration with IGC, including hosting a 2025 high-level international conference on mobile money payment systems, which positioned Makerere University as a thought leader on critical African economic issues. He also celebrated the successful bid by the School of Economics to host the ‘Africa Meeting of the Econometric Society’ in 2027, further demonstrating its contribution to impactful scholarship and policy influence.

The Acting Principal further emphasized that the new partnership with LSE will build on these achievements, offering immense benefits such as expanding capacity-building opportunities for faculty and students, especially in research and Public Infrastructure Management (PIM). The collaboration will also provide platforms for knowledge dissemination and policy dialogue, while addressing pressing socio-economic and health challenges. Ultimately, he said, formalisation of the partnership amplifies CoBAMS’ commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and innovation.

Speaking on behalf of LSE’s International Growth Centre (IGC), Executive Director Dr. Jonathan Leape expressed delight at formalizing the long-standing collaboration with Makerere and EPRC. He highlighted current joint projects, including research on the impact of the 2020 gender-based vaccine program on women’s skills and learning, studies on reforms in STEM education, and investigations into barriers limiting business growth for entrepreneurs. He stressed that the core mission is to bring researchers and policymakers together to address pressing policy challenges with robust, reliable evidence and innovative solutions.

Prof. Nawangwe presents a souvenir Mak Necktie to Dr. Jonathan Leape. Makerere University, through the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) and the Economic Policy Research Centre (EPRC), has signed an open Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), 27th August 2025, Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Nawangwe presents a souvenir Mak Necktie to Dr. Jonathan Leape.

The event, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by several dignitaries including Dr. Richard Newfarmer, Country Director for Uganda and Rwanda (IGC); Dr. Nhial Kuch, Senior Country Economist (IGC); and Mary Teddy Nakyejwe, IGC Programme Officer. Also present were the Director of Research, Dr. Ibrahim Kasirye and other members of EPRC leadership.

Eve Nakyanzi
Eve Nakyanzi

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Makerere University Hosts Delegation from Ghent University Association

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Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe (Right) presents a Makerere Coffee Table book to Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe during the visit on 27th August 2025. Makerere University hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association where a student exchange agreement was signed, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences, 27th August 2025 Kampala Uganda, East Africa.

Makerere University has hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe welcomed the team and highlighted Makerere University’s commitment to addressing the pressing challenges in the region. These include climate change, which continues to hinder investment, and Uganda’s rapidly growing population that has surged from 5 million in the late 1940s to nearly 50 million currently, creating socio-economic challenges such as high youth unemployment.

He emphasized that Makerere’s research agenda focuses on understanding the fast-growing population, tackling health challenges, advancing governance and human rights, and fostering peace through initiatives such as the Rotary Peace Center—the only one of its kind on the African continent. Research at Makerere also seeks to provide solutions to youth unemployment in one of the world’s youngest nations.

The meeting of Members of Management and the visiting delegation in session in the Vice Chancellor's Boardroom. Makerere University hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association where a student exchange agreement was signed, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences, 27th August 2025 Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
The meeting of Members of Management and the visiting delegation in session in the Vice Chancellor’s Boardroom.

The Vice Chancellor further noted that Makerere University teaches and conducts research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, organized into colleges including Agriculture, Business and Management, Computing, Education and External Studies, Engineering and Technology, Health Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Veterinary Medicine. The university also hosts over 60 specialized research centers, among them Centers of Excellence such as the Regional Centre for Crop Improvement, which works to enhance food security, manage pests and diseases, and improve agricultural productivity. Another key institution is the Infectious Diseases Institute, which leads research on HIV/AIDS. With these initiatives, he added, Makerere continues to expand its research footprint while strengthening global partnerships.

Prof. Van Herreweghe provided an overview of Ghent University, founded in 1817 and ranked among the top 100 universities globally for decades. With its motto “Dare to think,” Ghent University has built a strong international reputation. It also holds the distinction of being the only Belgian, and currently the only European, university with a campus in South Korea. Established in 2014, the campus offers bachelor’s programs in applied biotechnology.

She highlighted Ghent’s joint PhD programs, which are structured as sandwich programs to support African universities. Under this arrangement, PhD candidates spend two years funded at Ghent University and another two years at their home university (such as Makerere), with joint supervision from both institutions. These programs, she noted, are a strategic way of fostering international collaboration.

Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe pose for a group photo with members of their respective teams at the Main Building entrance. Makerere University hosted a delegation from the Ghent University Association where a student exchange agreement was signed, led by Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe, Vice Rector of Ghent University. The delegation included representatives from Howest University and Hogent University of Applied Sciences, 27th August 2025 Kampala Uganda, East Africa.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and Prof. Mieke Van Herreweghe pose for a group photo with members of their respective teams at the Main Building entrance.

During the visit, Ghent University signed a Student Exchange Agreement with Makerere University to complement the existing Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement will pave the way for more joint initiatives and strengthen collaboration in the years ahead.

The delegation also included Mr. Lieven Theys, International Coordinator for Business Management at Howest University, who explained that Howest clusters its programs into three key domains: Design and Technology, Human Well-being and Health, and Business and Organization. Dr. Robin Stevens represented Hogent University of Applied Sciences, which runs programs across nine schools including Business and Management, Computer Sciences, Biosciences, Industrial Technology, Teacher Training, and Healthcare.

The visit, held on 27th August 2025, was attended by Makerere University officials and members of various colleges, among them Prof. Winston Tumps Ireeta, the Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) and Principal of the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Prof. Tonny Oyana-Principal College of Computing and Information Sciences (CoCIS), Prof. Moses Musinguzi-Principal College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Prof. Julius Kikooma-Director Graduate Training, Assoc. Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze-Deputy Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Assoc. Prof. James Wokadala-Deputy Principal College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS), Assoc. Prof. Richard Idro-Deputy Principal College of Health Sciences, and Dr. Cathy Mbidde, Manager of the Makerere University Innovation Pod (Mak UniPod).

Eve Nakyanzi
Eve Nakyanzi

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