General
Kafuuma Joseph- Mak alumnus transforming lives through Urban Farming and Micro gardening
For so many years, Uganda’s agricultural sector has been famed to be the backbone of the country’s economy. To date however, numerous imperative findings have pointed out that Uganda hasn’t maximally exploited the incalculable potential of this sector in transforming lives. Archaic agricultural methods are one of the pointed out causes of this phenomena. As a university that strives to provide innovative teaching, learning, research and services responsive to national and global needs, Makerere university continues to contribute to building a strong human resource base that is ready to impact social change across all sectors of development.
With its emphasis on modernizing agriculture, Makerere University has for long provided solutions to the looming challenges that are crippling the agricultural sector. Through its strong field based research initiatives, the University has generated technologies and identified innovative approaches for improving agriculture and ensuring positive changes in farmers’ livelihoods. This has been backed by laboratory experiments and introduction of courses such as Agricultural sciences, Agribusiness management and, Agricultural and Rural innovations.
One product of these initiatives is Agriculture for Health and Wealth (AHW), a demonstration and training farm in urban agriculture. The farm is co-founded by Kafuuma Joseph, Ssebagala Harold and Tumuhimbise Enock; alumni of Makerere University who graduated in 2017 with BSc Agriculture (Crop Science) degree.
AHW is a beauty of innovation that started as model farm. Located at Kijjabijo, 9km from the Gayaza Trading Centre along Kayunga road, the now fully fledged demonstration and training farm sits on one and a half acres of land.
According to Mr. Kafuuma, AHW has developed modern innovations and technologies that are needed for urban farming with a nursery bed and seedling production area for vegetables, spices, fruits and agroforestry seedlings. The farm has also expanded to conduct onsite and field trainings on modern and urban farming, crop protection as well as recycling bio and non-bio degradable refuse.
In an interview with Mr. Mpindi Percy Christopher and Ms. Nabatte Proscovia, the Assistant Communication Officer Makerere University Public Relations Office, Mr. Kafuuma said that the big knowledge gap that exists between institutions of higher learning and communities prompted him and his friends to create a demonstration (model farm) upon which they can extend knowledge and skills obtained from the degree program to the community.
“We realized that there is too much information, new ideas and innovations generated at universities. However, most of this knowledge does not reach intended users and these are the farmers. For so long we have lacked a medium through which constructive knowledge and technologies generated by universities can reach community to improve the agricultural production,” he said.
One and a half years down the road, the team has developed unique labor and resource saving technologies allowing growing of crops on a small piece of land and in containers; enabling even a landless tenant in a single roomed apartment to have sufficient food for domestic consumption and surplus for sale.
“Some of these technologies include sack gardening (AHW sack mound), vertical gardening, mobile gardens, rack gardens, hanging gardens; enabling even people with compounds on lawn, pavers, tarmac or concrete to grow crops without affecting the integrity of their compounds,” said Mr. Kafuuma.
He said that the technologies also facilitate recycling of non-biodegradable rubbish like polythene and plastics by using them as micro gardens for raising crops. “The bio degradable rubbish such as food leftovers is converted in to composite manure which is used to enhance plant nutrition. This recycling scheme helps to minimize blockage of water ways and spread of water borne diseases.”
Through technical advice on setting up and management of agricultural investments, AWH has enabled many pensioners and retirees to harness returns from their hard-earned benefits. While the Government of Uganda is looking at agriculture as a focal sector in fighting unemployment among the youth, Mr. Kafuuma says that urban agriculture and micro gardening is a virgin area that the youth can tap into.
Listening to the future prospects of Kafuuma Joseph, urban farming can promote self-sustainability and food security among the internally displaced people and refugees.
Kafuuma’s story is just one of a myriad of other ways in which Makerere’s Almuni are impacting their communities.
Article by Mpindi Percy Christopher, Student of Law, Makerere University and Nabatte Proscovia, Assistant Communication Officer Makerere University Public Relations Office.
Photo source: Mr. Kafuuma Joseph
The Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe has today, Friday, 26th June 2026 handed over the CCE (Complex) Hall of Residence Site to National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) Managing Director and CEO, Lieutenant General James Mugira for renovation and overhaul works. The UGX 12billion Government of Uganda-funded works, expected to be completed within a year, are the fourth project to be undertaken by NEC. They were preceded by; construction of the University Perimeter Wall, Renovation of Lumumba Hall, and Renovation of Mary Stuart Hall.
NEC’s Record Lauded
Prof. Nawangwe in his remarks at the handover ceremony lauded these projects. “The quality of work done by NEC makes us proud because we can finally say that we have Ugandans who can do the things, which we previously depended on foreigners to do.” He therefore thanked the Government of Uganda for fully funding the projects and the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni, whose visit set the renovation projects in motion.
The Vice Chancellor added that as the Alma mater for most members of both the Contractor and Project Management Teams, this was a moment of great pride as their expertise and skills have saved the country billions of taxpayers’ money. “Thank you for being patriotic”, he commended.
Prof. Nawangwe concluded by noting that CCE Hall, by virtue of its location, provides a first impression of Makerere University as a whole. He therefore urged the contractor to ensure that upon renovation, CCE Hall would create a memorable and lasting first impression, exceeding even that of the renovated Mary Stuart Hall.
A Project Fueled by Nostalgia
Speaking of impressions, Lt. Gen. Mugira, with nostalgia recalled that close to 42 years ago, he not only attended his first lectures in Hall 1 of the CCE Complex but also, on a more personal note added, “my wife was a resident, and so I have every motivation to put in a lot of effort and make sure that I deliver more than was done with Mary Stuart and Lumumba.”
He therefore extended heartfelt appreciation to his Alma mater Makerere University for the trust and confidence bestowed in NEC, which underscored their ability to deliver. “Trust is earned through performance, through integrity and consistency, and your decision to engage us motivates us to work even harder to exceed your expectations.”
In his remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration) Prof. Henry Alinaitwe reechoed the need to ensure that the project is executed with adherence to the cost, quality, specifications and safety related issues as earlier shared by the Acting (Ag.) Chief Engineer of Estates and Works, Eng. Ezra Sekadde.
“NEC has already demonstrated this (with previous projects), and that is why we have all the confidence that you can deliver this project within 12 months” remarked Prof. Alinaitwe. He equally lauded the Project Management Team (PMT) led by Arch. Dr. Kenneth Ssemwogerere whose supervision ensures timely project completion.
Relatedly, Arch. Dr. Semwogerere was on 25th June 2026, the eve of the handover, promoted to the rank of Associate Professor, a milestone Prof. Alinaitwe attributed to his track record as Head of PMT. He therefore, on a light note, urged him to keep up the good work as this could equally contribute to his promotion to the rank of full Professor.
Also present at the handover ceremony was the Principal, College of Education and External Studies (CEES) Prof. Anthony Mugagga, whose unit will be greatly affected by the renovations. He nevertheless welcomed and reiterated his full support for the project, noting that just as renovation of Lumumba and Mary Stuart Halls had resulted in many alumni revisiting, the CCE Complex would upon renovation attract former residents and teaching professionals to give back or forge new partnerships.
Student Welfare at the Forefront
On her part, the Dean of Students Dr. Winifred Kabumbuli lauded the renovations of Halls of Residence as a clear demonstration of Government’s dedication to the improvement of student welfare, and creating an environment conducive for nurturing responsible citizens who can contribute to national development. She pledged her Office’s and the Student Leadership’s readiness to ensure that the renovated facilities used responsibly for the benefit of future generations.
As a resident of the recently renovated Mary Stuart Hall, 92nd Guild President H.E. Kadondi Gracious could not help but appreciate how impactful the renovation of CCE Hall would be to student welfare. “The female students will be very excited (to occupy CCE Hall) but the male students will be left complaining – so we shall be expecting more renovations, not just for the female but also the male students,” she amiably concluded.
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