General
Mak’s Dr. Richard Edema Wins CFAES International Alumni Award 2019
Makerere University alumnus and don, Dr. Richard Edema has won the Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) International Alumni Award 2019 for his distinguished service to the university and society.
“We are pleased to inform you that the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Alumni Society Board of Directors has selected you as a recipient for the 2019 Distinguished Alumni Award in recognition of your significant contributions to your career field, your college, university and your Community”, Part of the award letter to Dr. Edema, from the President CFAES Alumni Society, Nick Retting reads.
The International Alumni Award is given to outstanding international alumni representing, supporting, and promoting CFAES and Ohio State worldwide.
“Our alumni serve as inspirations to our students and the entire CFAES community. They improve our college, their industries, and our world through their work,” Cathann A. Kress, Vice president for agricultural administration and dean of CFAES, said in one of the news posts online.
Dr. Edema was among the two (2) of the twelve (12) individuals who received the International Alumni Award during the annual event, held on 2nd March 2019 at the Fawcett Center, Ohio State University Columbus Campus. 10 others received awards in different categories including the Young Professional Award.
When contacted, Dr. Edema said, this international Award came as a total surprise.
“I am far away in Africa. I did not know that my own Alma Mater was keenly following everything that I was doing. Actually, they have very good records up to the point where I am right now and I think after seeing it, they thought it was worth honoring me in that way.
When I travelled there it was really great. I was treated to a red carpet welcome, handled like I have never been before, with a lot respect. Not many people get such awards especially in Africa, and to be among those chosen from across the continent is no mean achievement”, Dr. Edema said.
He noted that Ohio State is a highly internationalized university with close to 70,000 students, and to be chosen among the alumni was a big honor.
“I thank God for the blessings, you don’t do these things on your own. I thank my wife, family, and children. My wife has always been a cheerleader for everything I do. I thank her for giving me space and time to push my career to this level.
I also thank my University, Makerere, for nurturing me, giving me the environment in which I could do what I am doing, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha the Principal, Prof. Adipala Ewamu for being a good mentor since my undergraduate days. I also thank Rockefeller Foundation, Dr. Rufaro Madakaze, and all funders who have supported my work here for the last over 10 years,
I thank all my colleagues, collaborators and students who have made me push for the best in myself. I thank the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe and the entire University Management for having been supportive in all that I have been doing. I am humbled and feel extremely happy” he said.
About Dr. Richard Edema
Richard Edema is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Agricultural Production Makerere University and Centre Director, of the recently established World Bank Centre of Excellence in Crop Improvement – Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement (MaRCCI). In the last nine (9) years), he oversaw the development of this program into a model for regional capacity building in East Africa.
He obtained his B.Sc (Agric. Hons.) in 1994 and M.Sc. (Agric.) in 1996 from Makerere University, and his Ph.D. in plant pathology (molecular virology) at the Ohio State University in 2001. His doctoral research focused on analyzing the genetics of virulence of the Maize Streak Mastervirus (MSV).
He has been involved in several research projects such as the AGRA and RUFORUM Regional Capacity building program, regional sorghum improvement program funded by BIOEARN, and research on validation of molecular markers linked to important traits of maize, cassava, and sorghum.
He has worked on capacity building in East Africa for biosafety and environmental impact assessments of transgenic plants. Recently, he initiated a new cowpea improvement program at Makerere University that has quickly gained recognition. He has also worked on capacity building in East Africa for biosafety and environmental impact assessments of transgenic plants.
He has trained over 50 MSc and PhD students. He has over 80 peer reviewed scientific publications to his credit. Dr. Edema’s training and research programs have attracted over US$ 11 Million to the University.
Please see Downloads for Dr. Edema’s CV and click the links below for more details and photos of the award ceremony.
https://cfaes.osu.edu/news/articles/12-recognized-cfaes-alumni-awards-luncheon
https://advancement.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/image-galleries/2019-alumni-awards-luncheon
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer, CAES.
Organised by the Makerere Debating Union – a student-led initiative, the Inter-college Debate Tournament was held on 11th and 12th April 2025 with a vision to leave no student behind by nurturing a community of confident, articulate, and visionary leaders who will drive positive change in society. The tournament was held in three preliminary rounds, followed by semi-finals and a grand finale.
The first round covered democracy and youth participation in politics, while the second round covered inequality and wealth distribution, and the third, the ban on export of raw materials. The semi-final round debated apprenticeship for blue-collar jobs, while the grand finale debated national budget allocations for healthcare and education. In the spirit of inclusivity, all colleges, including the Jinja Campus participated in the tournament.
Commenting on the choice of topics, the organisers noted Makerere University as a bastion of academic excellence has a profound responsibility to cultivate the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of our nation. These leaders, they added, ought to be equipped with 21st century skills of self-expression, critical thinking, and problem-solving so as to navigate the complexities of an ever-evolving world.
On the whole, Makerere Inter-college Debates were conceived as a strategic initiative to foster a culture of intellectual curiosity, creativity, and innovation. The Debating Union aims to empower the future leaders by providing a platform for students to engage in respectful discourse, articulate their thoughts, as well as develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
Furthermore, the Debates serve as a platform for not only honing the intellectual prowess of students but also cultivating leadership skills, teamwork, and communication abilities that are essential for success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world. It is envisaged that this initiative will have a lasting impact on the lives of students, by exposing them to debates on topical issues that can shape the mindsets of transformative leaders our nation needs.
After a thrilling two days of debate, Daphine Kemigisha and Jibril Ssekandi from the School of Law (SoL) emerged as winners of the Makerere University Inter-college Debate Tournament 2025, while Olara Emmanuel George from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) was the Public Speech Champion, and Namujuzi Martha Mociita from the College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) was the Poetry Champion.
The 2025 Tournament was organized by Mayanja Owen and Nkalubo Oprah – 91st Guild Representative Councils (GRCs) of the Debate Union, Akatwijuka Arthur – Chairperson Debate Union, and Debate Union Representatives from colleges. The Uganda National NGO Forum (UNNGOF) partnered with the Debate Union to deliver the 2025 edition.
Addressing students at the award ceremony, UNNGOF’s Mr. Derrick Baluuku encouraged the youth to step out of their comfort zones and think of solutions to inspire change in their communities.
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