A team of environmental economists from Makerere University recently visited the Albertine oil fields in Uganda to assess ongoing operations in terms of oil and gas exploration and uncover potential research and collaboration opportunities.

 The field visit conducted from 17^th-20^th July 2024 by the EfD –Mak centre  in the districts of Hoima, Buliisa and Kikuube  aimed to bridge the gap between academic research and practical applications, focusing on the interaction between oil extraction activities and local communities,  environmental management and sustainable development.

The centre has established two layers of policy engagement by registering key policy actors both at national and subnational levels. This year’s centre theme is “Energy Efficiency”. The theme was selected following the need for transformation from biomass dependence to cleaner energy sources at household level, but also the need for cleaner energies in manufacturing, transport among others.

The reliance on biomass is a key global challenge towards environmental protection and reversing climate change effects. In Uganda, over 85% and 13% of the population use firewood and charcoal for cooking respectively.

Established in 2018 and inaugurated at Makerere University in 2019, the EfD Mak centre strives to foster transdisciplinary research, knowledge transfer, and research-to-policy engagement and community interventions in environmental economics.

In view of the above, the centre organized a three day outreach in three districts and held her inaugural Annual General Meeting and launched a policy dialogue on 18^th July 2024 at Glory Summit Hotel in Hoima which attracted over 60 people including district leadership, community based organisations, civil servants, private sector and academia.

 For the last two days, the researchers  led by the Centre Deputy Director Prof Johnny Mugisha visited the  Uganda Petroleum Authority in Hoima, visited  oil wells including the Central Processing Facility, King fisher, Tilenga Industrial Park,  Kasemene site 1, the Luwero Industries Ltd Oil waste treatment plant and the Kabalega International Airport.

“The objective of visiting the oil and gas sites and companies  is to enable our research fellows  familiarize with activities and operations in Uganda’s oil and gas with a view of fostering researchable projects, constructive dialogue and policy developments on critical  issues related to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, environmental risk management and responsible oil and gas operations in the sensitive ecosystem of Lake Albert and Murchison Falls National park”, team leader, Prof. Mugisha explained.

The centre’s areas of interest included the environmental impact assessment and monitoring, petroleum waste management practices, integration of biodiversity conservation, community engagement and socio economic impacts.

Other areas of interest were regulatory framework and compliance, water resource management and protection, climate change resilience and adaptation strategies, corporate social responsibility initiatives, long term environmental management plans and how Makerere University can collaborate effectively with the Petroleum Authority of Uganda, CNOOC, UNOC and Total Uganda to enhance research and knowledge sharing on sustainable practices, environmental conservation and petroleum management.

EfD Researchers Gain Critical Insights from Oil and Gas Community Visits

Researchers concluded a three-day visit to oil and gas communities, gaining firsthand insights into the sector’s impact and future prospects. The visit emphasized the need for informed research and sustainable planning to maximize the benefits of Uganda’s oil and gas resources and prepare for future challenges.

Firsthand Observations Critical: Dr. Madina Mwagale Guloba, Senior Research Fellow at EfD Mak, emphasized the value of seeing conditions on the ground to counteract misinformation about oil and gas exploration. “Seeing is believing, and seeing also learning from a point of view is very critical,” she stated. Dr. Guloba dispelled what she termed “corridor talk,” noting that community members affected by oil projects appeared happier and saw more opportunities. She stressed the importance of sustainable planning, saying, “In the next 30 years, people would have gotten even more opportunities.”

Cross-Cutting Research Needed: Prof. Johnny Mugisha, Deputy Centre Director, emphasized the necessity of interdisciplinary research, noting the interdependence of the petroleum sector and farming communities. He underscored that Makerere University needs to boost its research and outreach efforts to aid policy development. “From interactions in Hoima, Bulisa, and with people in the oil sector, the lessons learned indicate that Makerere University has much more to contribute, especially in research, outreach, and grassroots stakeholder engagement. We often view the petroleum and gas sector as separate from farming communities, but our experiences show a significant relationship and interaction between them. Therefore, research should not be limited to one entity but should be cross-cutting,” stated Mugisha.

On-the-Ground Engagement: Dr. Alex Tatwangire, Research Fellow and Lecturer, emphasized the value of direct stakeholder interaction, noting effective environmental mitigation plans and agricultural integration in restoring livelihoods for project-affected persons. He called for continued research to address policy gaps. The visit highlighted the importance of informed research and sustainable planning in maximizing the benefits of Uganda’s oil and gas resources while preparing for future opportunities.

Reflecting on his experience, Dr. Tatwangire remarked, “This engagement with stakeholders on the policy of energy utilization in Hoima has been incredibly useful. We’ve had the chance to observe the oil extraction process firsthand. Reading about it and hearing about it is one thing, but going on the ground and interacting with everyone involved provides a much richer understanding.”

He continued, “Seeing the wells, well pads, regulations, infrastructure, and the oil pipeline being laid, and being assured that oil will flow within a year, has been enlightening. We’ve learned a lot about the connections between the environment and how plans are in place to mitigate environmental damage. We also saw how agriculture is integrated into livelihood restoration for project-affected persons, with strategies to strengthen these livelihoods through training, seeds, and advanced technologies.”

Dr. Tatwangire concluded, “I return with a great appreciation for the progress being made. As researchers, our role is to identify gaps, explore research questions, and provide the evidence policymakers need to improve policy planning. I am grateful to EfD, our financiers, and Makerere University for these opportunities, and I hope for more such engagements to enhance our relevance in policy debates and development.”

Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer EfD Uganda

More photos from the Field Visit

The Academic Registrar, Professor Buyinza Mukadasi has been appointed Acting Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) of Makerere University, for a period of six (6) months effective 11^th July 2024 to 10^th January 2025 or until a substantive First Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic Affairs) is appointed whichever comes earlier.

He is a Professor of Forestry Resource Economics and served as the Director, Directorate of Research and Graduate Training (DRGT), Makerere University from 2014 to October 2022. Buyinza holds a PhD in Forest Economics from Gadjah Mada University (UGM), Yogyakarta Indonesia. He holds a number of professional enhancement certificates and Diplomas.

As Director DRGT he was charged with the oversight responsibility of all institutional research grants and graduate training in the university. Prof Buyinza served as the Deputy Director in Charge of Administration and Graduate Training (2010 – 2013); Head, Department of Community Forestry and Extension, Faculty of Forestry and Natural Resources (2003 – 2005, 2008-2010) at Makerere University.  Buyinza grew though the University ranks from a Tutorial Assistant (1993 – 1998) at Gajah Mada University, Indonesia to becoming a Lecturer (1999); Senior Lecturer (2004); Assoc. Professor (2007) and Full Professor (2010) at Makerere University.  He has over 20 years experience of University research and teaching in the field of Forestry and Natural Resource Economics.  He has successfully supervised over 50 MSc. and 10 PhD students in the fields of forestry, environment and natural resources. He has also acted as an external examiner in many regional and international universities. He is a member of many professional bodies and served as the Chairperson, Board of Directors of the National Forestry Authority (2007 – 2013). He was the Institutional Focal person (2010-2022) and Chair of the Board of Management of the Consortium for Advanced Research Training in Africa (CARTA), 2014 – 2018.

Buyinza has published widely in the field of forest resource economics, environmental incomes, economics of biodiversity conservation, and Environmental Incomes for Rural Income and livelihoods. He has authored more than 150 papers in International peer-reviewed referred journals, 4 book Chapters, attended more than 70 conference proceedings and has presented in more than 140 conferences/seminars/workshops.

Buyinza has built a very strong international network of collaborations in research administration and has tremendous capacity for resource mobilization. He has been Principal investigator (PI) of 15 research projects and as Co-Principal Investigator in many other institutional research grants. He is the Coordinator of various externally funded research capacity building initiatives at Makerere University. He has a wealth of research management experience with special focus on in the field of natural resources economics, and environmental governance.

The Academic Registrar, Makerere University invites applications for the Undergraduate
Programmes under the Mature Age Entry Scheme only for Private Sponsorship for
2024/2025 Academic Year.
Non-Refundable Application fee of Shs. 50,000/= for Ugandans OR $75 Equivalent for
Internationals, plus bank charge should be paid in any of the banks used by Uganda
Revenye Authority after generating a Payment Reference Number (PRN).

• Apply using the Institution’s Applications Portal URL:https: //apply.mak.ac.ug
• Application is for candidates who passed the Mature Age Entry Examinations of December 17, 2022 and February 24, 2024 only.
• Any candidate who passed the examinations in mentioned above and was not admitted on Government/ Private sponsorship for December 17, 2022 sitting, and for Government sponsorship for February 24, 2024 sitting, is eligible to apply for admission on Private Sponsorship for 2024 /2025 Academic Year.

The closing date for applying will be Friday 26th July, 2024.

Further details can be accessed by following this link.

Prof. Mukadasi Buyinza
ACADEMIC REGISTRAR