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Mak, AATF, PASTTA Project Evaluate 35 Soybean Varieties from across Africa

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The College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University in partnership with the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) and the Soybean Innovation Lab through the Partnerships for Seed Technology Transfer in Africa (PASTTA) project on 3rd and 5th January 2019 conducted soybean field days at Mubuku Irrigation Scheme in Kasese and Ngetta ZARDI in Lira respectively. A total of 35 soybean varieties from across Africa were being evaluated; dubbed Pan African Soybean trial. The evaluation trials were aimed at identification and release of new improved varieties.

PASTTA is a global development Alliance between USAID Feed the Future, Sygenta Foundation for Sustainable Agriculture, AATF and New Markets Lab.

The objectives of the field days were to expose stakeholders in soybean value chain to the performance of the 35 soybean varieties under evaluation, carry out participatory evaluation of the new soybean varieties in the research pipe line and to facilitate networking between the different stakeholders in the soybean value chain.

The 35 varieties were a collection from six African countries of Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, South Africa and Uganda. The trials included all the six Maksoy varieties; Maksoy 1N, 2N, 3N, 4N, 5N and 6N. The function attracted soybean farmers, processors, seed companies, local seed businesses, non-governmental organizations, researchers from government and private institutions and Local government district officials.

The relatively short and early maturing variety from South Africa in Plot 10 of a field in Mubuku, Kasese under the Pan African Soybean trial by Makerere University AATF and the PASTTA Project

Makerere University Plant breeder and soybean researcher, Prof. Phinehas Tukamuhabwa thanked the Kasese Local government officials, farmers and the management of Mubuku Irrigation scheme for the hospitality and partnership with the University since 2002.

Prof. Tukamuhabwa expressed gratitude to the Government of Uganda and development partners for financing the research.

“As researchers we have little money and we depend on donors. We have received money from Vegetable Oil Development Project and government agencies like Makerere University and NARO and that is why we are here for this field day. I am also grateful for the seed companies and the private sector represented here. As researchers we cannot do much without your support and we want to keep up”, Prof. Tukamuhabwa stated.

The Professor said the day’s activities were to talk about soybean and how to serve the country better and to help farmers.

“The reason is to look at different varieties using participatory method and we are doing it for the farmers, processors and seed companies.

In addition to testing varieties from Uganda, we are working with AATF to see if there are better varieties from Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia and South Africa that we can take advantage of”, Tukamuhabwa reported.

Farmers from Kasese participate in identifying and selecting varieties in Mubuku

Prof. Tukamuhabwa noted that despite the fact that Kasese district is one of the greatest farming districts nearing large-scale production in maize, they have not yet learnt good agricultural practices like crop rotation.

“It is common knowledge that it is not a good practice to plant maize after maize because eventually you are making soils poor.

If you want to make money in agriculture by farming cereals like maize and rice, use crop rotation. It discourages development of pests and diseases and improves soil properties.
When you harvest soybean or beans plant maize. When you harvest maize, grow soybean or beans and after soybean grow rice”, the don advised.

The Project Officer PASTTA Project Mr. Arnold Mbowa said over the years, AATF has contributed to the generation and adoption of new varieties for Uganda and the regional markets for different crops. These varieties have over time been utilized by farmers and other stakeholders for the betterment of the livelihoods.

Mr. Mbowa said several milestones have been reached within Uganda in partnership with different research organizations like Makerere University and the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO).

“Farmers are very important in any breeding program. We have been raising materials here for the past three months and we would like to get your input on these materials. In addition to farmers, we have processors, seed companies and researchers so that we come up with a common stand.  We hope to get a lot of feedback and learn a lot from you farmers,” Mbowa said.

It was all handson as male and female farmers participated in the identification exercise

The Associate Plant breeder from Makerere University Mr. Tonny Obua explained that the Pan African soybean trial with a total of 35 different varieties collected across Africa were being tried in three locations in Mubuku-Kasese,  Nakabango – Jinja and Ngetta in Lira. Mr. Obua explained that these three locations were picked for critical reasons. “At Mubuku, we have flood irrigation. So, we want to see the performance of these varieties under flood irrigation because we are now moving with the challenges of climate change. We are beginning to see that irrigation is one way of tackling climate change and farmers will need to adopt this technology.

We picked Ngetta because Lira it is the hub of soybean production in Northern Uganda. So most of the farmers and processors are found in Lira.

And, in most of our evaluation trials, we have seen that Nakabango has been giving us very good yields. So, we also want to plant these varieties in the best location to ascertain which variety performs under optimum condition that is why we picked those three environments for the Pan African trial.” Obua said.

The idea according to Mr. Obua, was to see the adaptability, how these varieties perform in terms of pests and diseases, maturity periods, yields and resistance to droughts.

“So far most of these varieties have reached harvesting stage and we want to go beyond harvesting to see more traits of our interest. We have already collected data on resistance to pests and diseases, pod shuttering and nodulation and the next task is to add in the yield data and eventually determine the best variety out of the 35.” Obua explained.

Associate Plant breeder from Makerere University Mr. Tonny Obua mentioned that Mubuku was chosen to test performance of African varieties under flood irrigation

Primarily he said, most of the varieties from Southern Africa are relatively short and early maturing and the varieties from Uganda are relatively tall, slightly late in terms of maturity but preliminarily showing very good performance in terms of yield but more evaluation is to be done to ascertain the performance of the yields.

Obua further explained that the purpose of the field days was to bridge the gap between farmers and processors so that farmers understand the expectations from processors and the traits processors are interested in.

The farmers through the field day would also understand the different varieties of soybean available, look at them and feel them physically, know their attributes and differentiate them, help them learn the agronomy of how to plant soybean and bridge the gap between researchers, farmers, markets and extension services.

The Production Officer of Kasese District Mr. Julius Baluku thanked Makerere University and her partners for choosing Kasese as a trial site describing this as a rare opportunity that will benefit farmers.

He said the district has had a number of trials but most of the projects never share the progress.

Mr. Tonny Obua (Right) joins farmers in identifying soybean varieties

“As a district, the benefit from this trial is twofold; As service delivery people, our target is to increase production and productivity to address food security and improve farmer’s income and we can’t do without you.

The district has a big potential for soybean production but it has not been fully utilized because we don’t know about varieties and good agricultural practices.

The other benefit is the researcher-extension-farmer linkage and we thank the researchers for the trials and advice given on agricultural practices and I am confident that by the end of the day we shall have learnt a lot”, Mr. Baluku said.

Also present during the field day was RECO; a soybean processor based in Kasese and Kampala. RECO assured farmers of the ready market for quality soybean grain; with a demand of 120,000 tons in 2019 for food processing sector. The biggest challenge raised however, was the poor quality of the soybean, moulded and affected by aflatoxins and salmonella including extraneous materials like poultry droppings, stones, other beans due to poor handling and storage.

Farmers were advised to properly dry the soybeans, ensure that the soybean is free from aflatoxins and other residues as they will be subjected to testing before buying.

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

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Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda calls for full involvement of men and boys in achieving Gender Equality

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The Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda Her Excellence Maria Håkansson has emphasized the need to fully engage men and boys in all the initiatives geared towards achieving Gender Equality in Uganda and other parts of the world. She said this on 28th November 2023 at a press conference organized by the Embassy of Sweden in close collaboration with Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to unveil the National Orange Pledge campaign and officially launch the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.

The press conference was headlined by a Ugandan rapper and record producer Daniel Lubwama Kigozi, popularly known by his stage name Navio and his fellow from Sweden Jason Michael Bosak Diakité popularly known as Timbuktu. Over 200 students both male and female from Makerere University and other institutions of higher learning attended the press conference at Makerere University Rugby Grounds.

According to Her Excellence Maria Håkansson, Gender Equality cannot be achieved without involving men and boys to take their responsibilities and be the drivers of change. “For real change to happen, we need to change attitudes and norms that might cause Gender Based Violence, one of the social ills in Uganda and an extreme of gender inequality that occurs at all levels of society,” she said.

 Ambassador of Sweden to Uganda Her Excellence Maria Håkansson
Swedish Envoy to Uganda Her Excellence Maria Håkansson.

Referring to the national survey conducted in 2020, the Ambassador was concerned about the escalating burden of gender based violence in Uganda when she said, “the Survey highlighted that 95% of women and girls experience physical or sexual violence since the age of 15.”

 She therefore emphasized the Global 16 Days of Activism as key international movement to increase awareness and advocate for an end to Gender Based Violence. The Ambassador also mentioned that preventing and responding to Gender Based Violence is a cornerstone for Sweden’s commitment to promote democracy, human rights and gender equality and this is done as an investment in a society that upholds the principles of equality, dignity and justice.

She acknowledged the full participation of university students in all campaigns and activities geared towards achieving gender equality as well as ending Gender Based Violence when she said, “You are the leaders of tomorrow and you have an opportunity to build a future where everyone can thrive. So please use today to take an active stand against Gender Based Violence.”

Every year Uganda joins the rest of the world to enhance the global campaigns on 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence and also add a voice to the call for an end to violence against women and girls.   These campaigns run from 25th November (the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) until 10th December of the Human Rights Day.

The United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 initiative calls for global action to increase awareness, galvanize advocacy efforts and share knowledge and innovations to help end all types of violence against women and girls.  This year 2023, the UNiTE campaign theme is; Invest to Prevent Violence against Women & Girls.

UN Women Country Representative Paulina Chiwangu

Over the years, Makerere University through its Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and School of Women and Gender in partnership with UN Women and many other partners have been at the fore front to support the campaign on 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence in Uganda. This has been done through debates, theatre forums, student dialogues, thematic artistic presentations, media exposures, drama and music skits presentation, and student peer led discussions and quarterly competitions.

This year 2023, the University in partnership with the Embassy of Sweden, UN Women and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) unveiled the Orange Pledge. According to Eric Tumwesigye the Senior Gender Specialist at Makerere University Gender Mainstreaming Directorate, this campaign calls upon government, policymakers, activists, civil societies, academicians, students and all members of community from all parts of the country to make their heartfelt pledges towards ending Gender Based Violence in Uganda and the rest of the world.

The UN Women Country Representative Paulina Chiwangu recognized the investment Makerere University, the Embassy of Sweden and UNFPA have made to end violence against women and girls. “Thanks to our collective efforts, the silence that used to shroud violence against women has now been broken” said.

In the same spirit, she acknowledged the progress Makerere University has made in establishing and implementation of the University’s Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment to protect students and staff from potential abuses of power and conflict of interest.  She also applauded  the increased support  and training  for students  and the  strengthened mechanisms for investigations that allow  students  and  staff to anonymously  report  sexual  misconduct.

Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe

“We are however, aware that despite this, sexual harassment is still happening in the university and that not many students report to the authorities when they experience it. It is therefore, our humble appeal to the university leadership  to continue monitoring  the implementation of the  Policy and Regulations  Against Sexual Harassment, take  all allegations of sexual  harassment  and violence seriously, ensure that all personnel  have information on available  support services  and take action to ensure that perpetrators  are held accountable.”

Reaffirming the University’s position in fighting GBV and particularly sexual harassment, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe was highlighted  the various measures Makerere University has put in place to prevent and respond to Gender Based Violence. To him, the Policy and Regulations against Sexual Harassment; the appointment and capacity building for the Vice Chancellor’s Roster of 100 eminent people from the various colleges and administrative units; recruitment and training of the Gender Mainstreaming Programme Student Peer Trainers and setting up Sexual Harassment Investigation Committees are bigger milestones to celebrate.

He appreciated the move by the Gender Mainstreaming Directorate and all the partners to embrace entertainment and artistry as a critical advocacy and awareness tool to reach several communities especially the youth.

“We firmly believe in the transformative power of music and the arts in promoting social change. Music and art does serve as a powerful medium to advocate for the world free from violence especially violence against women,” said to Mr. Dainel Alemu, the UNFPA Deputy Country Representative.

“It is heartening to see artists like Navio taking a stand and using their influence to challenge harmful norms.  As we revel  in the beats and melodies, let us not forget  he underlying message that everyone , regardless  of gender, has a role  to play  in fostering  a world  where everyone  is free from shackles  of gender based violence,” he added.

Speaking at the Press Conference at Makerere University Rugby Grounds,  Navio said that for the 20 years he has been an activist of Gender Based Violence, he has faced the reality of many young girls and women in Uganda being victims of sex and physical abuse.  He therefore sent a huge condemnation to men especially artists that who are perpetrators of Gender Based Violence and called for serious government action and clear policies and laws against such injustices. 

 Navio applauded the women and men who have stood tall over the years to fight against Gender Based Violence in Uganda  when he said, “ As we  launch the 16 days activism  in Uganda  and through  these pledges we are making, let us be accountable for our actions. For long in our cultures, men have considered force and violence as power and protection.  They have been tough to their children hence instilling fear to the extent that the children cannot freely interact with them on serious matters such as abuse and torture.”

Eric Tumwesigye

He applauded all families that have adopted the new parenting model of free conversations and interaction hence encouraging children to freely open up whenever they have challenges.  Navio also acknowledged the role of his mother Mrs Maggie Kigozi as a human rights activist and a champion in fighting against Gender Based Violence in Uganda.

 Jason Michael Bosak Diakité popularly known as Timbuktu from Sweden appreciated the wider platform provided by the music industry globally for artists to act as role models and champion of change.  The rapper highlighted the need to respect women for their roles and support towards community development.

“I am a son and it is extremely important for me to respect my mother and all women.  Also being a father to a beautiful daughter, I am always eager and looking forward to seeing the best future for her. I want daught to grow up in the world where she is able to feel safe and be allowed to freely associate without being discriminated or threatened because of her gender,” he said.

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Scholars & Alumni of Mastercard Foundation light up Achukudu Community, Napak District

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Scholars, Alumni and the community of Achukudu Primary School during the commissioning of the classroom block on 2nd December 2023. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.

By Bernard Buteera

On Saturday 2nd December 2023, all roads led to Achukudu Community Primary School in Napak District, Karamoja sub-region, as the Scholars and Alumni of Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University commemorated their Scholars’ Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback). The 2023 Scholars Annual Day of Community Service was held at Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District in the Karamoja sub-region. Established in 2013, Achukudu Community School serves two ethnic communities—The Iteso and Karamojong.

With a total population of 1,097 pupils only three government-paid teachers, and nine community-paid teachers, the School faces a plethora of challenges. Key among the challenges is the lack of Classrooms, decent Ventilated Pit Latrines, and Desks. Therefore when the Scholars identified the School as one that deserved to be given a gift of a classroom block, it was a befitting choice!

The Scholars with support from the alumni, the Program Team, Members of the Steering Committee, and partners of the Scholars Program at Makerere University intervened by constructing a two-classroom block, which was supervised by one of the alumni who is an Engineer. Alongside the classroom block, the Scholars also provided 40 desks, helping the school meet UNEB Center eligibility criteria.

Hon. John Bosco Ngoya, the area MP (Right) who was the chief guest, addressing the gathering. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.
Hon. John Bosco Ngoya, the area MP (Right) who was the chief guest, addressing the gathering.

While presiding over the event, the area member of Parliament, Hon. John Bosco Ngoya, thanked the Scholars and alumni community at Makerere University for supporting the young pupils of Achukudu Primary School and the entire community by gifting them with a two-classroom block.

“Thank you Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation at Makerere University for the Christmas gift of a classroom block to the young people and the entire community of Achukudu. This classroom block will go a long way in improving the learning environment of the young children of Achukudu primary school.” Hon. Ngoya pointed out.

Hon. Ngoya called upon other people to emulate the Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation in embracing the spirit of giving back to the vulnerable people in the community. On his part, he donated One Million Five hundred shillings (1,500,000/=) to help the School purchase more desks, and he had earlier contributed One million shillings (1,000,000/=) towards the construction of the classroom block.

Ms. Joyce Nakoya, the District Education Officer, Napak District. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.
Ms. Joyce Nakoya, the District Education Officer, Napak District.

The District Education Officer (DEO) for Napak District, Ms. Joyce Nakoya, praised the Scholars Community for embracing and practicing the spirit of giving back to other people at an early age.

“Thank you Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation at Makerere for embracing the spirit of giving back to other people at such an early age. If all people gave back to the less privileged in our communities, we would have a better world for everyone.” Ms. Nakoya pointed out.

Ms. Nakoya further pointed out every child deserves to study in a decent environment, therefore it was a befitting cause for the Scholars to construct a classroom block for the young pupils of Achukudu community primary school, who were studying in open grass thatched classrooms.

Ms. Jolly Okumu, the Program Manager of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.
Ms. Jolly Okumu, the Program Manager of Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.

The Program Manager of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University, Ms. Jolly Okumu who led the team of Scholars, alumni, and staff to Karamoja thanked the community of Achukudu for supporting the Scholars to deliver the class block by contributing to the construction sand. 

“We come here today to join with you as a community driven by a shared commitment to education, empowerment, and ethos of giving back. Today is a historic occasion as we celebrate the completion and commissioning of the classroom block, which is a remarkable testament to the transformative power of education and our unwavering spirit of community service.” Ms. Jolly remarked.

The President of the Scholars Association, Mr. Godfrey Okello, thanked all the Scholars and alumni, and all stakeholders who contributed to the construction of the classroom block, which was a dream that became a reality.

The new classroom block and desks that were donated by the Scholars and Alumni of Mastercard Foundation. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.
The new classroom block and desks that were donated by the Scholars and Alumni of Mastercard Foundation.

“I would like to thank my colleagues and people of goodwill who supported us to realize our dream of constructing this classroom for our young brothers and sisters of Achukudu Primary School. Together we can make a difference in the lives of our fellow young people in Uganda and Africa as a whole.” Mr. Okello remarked.

The Headteacher of the School, Mr. Eryebu Raymond, who was visibly very excited was full of praises for Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation, for what he termed as an iconic classroom block they had gifted to his School. 

“This day is very special to us, we will not see this day again. We are delighted to receive the Scholars and alumni of Mastercard Foundation from Makerere University, thank you for considering supporting our School” Mr. Eryebu excitedly remarked.

Mr. Raymond Eryebu, the Headteacher of Achukudu Primary School addressing the gathering. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.
Mr. Raymond Eryebu, the Headteacher of Achukudu Primary School addressing the gathering.

The Headteacher revealed that one of the major challenges the school was facing was an acute shortage of classrooms for his 1,097 pupils. He was therefore grateful to Mastercard Foundation Scholars for choosing to construct a two-class block for the School.

“This donation of a classroom block and Desks is a testament to your commitment to education and empowering the lives of the vulnerable people in the community. This classroom block and desks will go a long way in improving the quality of teaching and learning at our school.” Mr. Eryebu further remarked.

The 2023 Scholars Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback) was punctuated with a lot of joy, pomp, and fanfare, as the pupils and the entire community of Achukudu danced and ululated at the commissioning of the classroom block. The construction of the classroom block and purchase of desks for Achukudu Community Primary School was made possible by generous contributions by the Scholars, alumni, the Program Team, and members of the Steering Committee.

The old grass thatched structure that the pupils were using as their classroom block. Makerere University Mastercard Foundation Scholars and Alumni Annual Day of Community Service (Giveback), 2nd December 2023, Achukudu Community Primary School, Napak District, Karamoja, Uganda, East Africa.
The old grass thatched structure that the pupils were using as their classroom block.

Among the Partners who made financial contributions towards the class block construction included; DFCU Bank, Post Bank, URA, Katumba Estates, Footsteps Furniture Ltd, and Sion Travels Ltd.

The Scholars and Alumni Day of Community Service (Give back) is an annual event, where Scholars and alumni of the Mastercard Foundation go out into the community to give back by providing solutions to challenges that a particular community is facing. Over the years Scholars have given back to the communities in numerous ways that range from offering professional services and erecting major projects like classroom blocks.

Bernard Buteera is the Communications and Public Relations Officer of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at Makerere University.

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Innovations using low cost locally available materials for point of use water treatment system unveiled

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The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) conducted a Research Dissemination of two studies aimed at the Development of Materials for point of use water treatment systems.

The investigations were conducted by a team of researchers comprised of P. W. Olupot, H. M. Kalibbala, E. Menya, G.M. Wangi, J. Jjagwe, J. Wakatuntu, M. Turyasingura, R. Walozi, C. Kanyesigye and R. N. Kulabako.

The dissemination event held on Wednesday 29th November 2023 follows the successful completion of two MakRIF supported Research projects namely; Development of rice husk based granular activated carbon for point-of-use water treatment systems and Development of zeolite-based nanocomposite filters for drinking water treatment.

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