Agriculture & Environment
MAKNAI Hand Pump Automation to Eliminate COVID-19 Spread at Boreholes
“Boreholes and shallow wells account for 67.6% of the water sources in rural areas in Uganda and supply water to an estimated 18,540,000 persons” remarked Dr. Nicholas Kiggundu. “Each well or borehole supplies about 300 persons in the wet seasons, and more than 1,000 persons during dry spells,” continued the Principal Investigator as he gave a background of the project.
MAKNAI is an acronym for the Makerere University–MAK NAyIkondo – vernacular for borehole, a prototype to automate cranking of the hand pump that draws water from a well. Designed by a team from the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (DABE), School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering (SFTNB), College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) the prototype consists of a PV (photovoltaic) panel, battery, solar charge controller, inverter, motor, pulleys, belt, reciprocating arm and a foot switch. The foot switch further serves to replace the use of palms and fingers to crank the pump handle, as is the practice while drawing water at boreholes.
Funded by the Government of Uganda under the Makerere University Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF), the research project was titled: “Automation of communal hand water pumps to eliminate COVID-19 transmission”. The title was motivated by the observation that alternative solutions of limiting the spread of COVID-19 such as washing hands with water and soap or use of chemical sanitizers are difficult to enforce especially in the low income rural and peri-urban communities where the boreholes are found.
In addition to eliminating COVID-19 transmission at boreholes, this project is in line with the Ministry of Water and Environment’s efforts to replace hand pumped boreholes with submersible pumps as a means of eliminating drudgery, prolonging the life of boreholes, and supplying water to bigger populations in a shorter time. Other members of the project team are; Dr. Prossie Nakawuka, Mr. Sam Cherotich, Eng. Joseph Kizito, Eng. Robert Baluku and Mr. Gyaviira Ssewankambo a student researcher.
Welcoming participants to the research dissemination event held on 30th December 2020 at the SFTNB Conference Hall, the Chair DABE, Prof. Noble Banadda applauded the Government of Uganda for enabling members of staff to turn research ideas into innovations that are transforming livelihoods and communities through Mak-RIF.
“If there is anything that has proved to the world that research is important, it is COVID-19. The MAKNAI prototype is one of several innovations that the Department has developed to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. These include: The Touchless Handwashing (Tw-20) Kit, the thermal imaging detector of COVID-19; and the use of 3D printing technology to make biodegradable face masks, and on a wider scale, to teach science, technology, engineering and mathematics and plan urban centres” said Prof. Banadda.
As Chair, he expressed pleasure at leading a team whose every member holds a PhD, is committed to undertaking research, which has led to innovations and the production of at least 27 publications in different journals. “I am happy to inform you that this year, I have been able to mobilise research grants worth 10million USD” he added.
In her remarks the Deputy Principal CAES, Dr. Gorettie Nabanoga applauded Dr. Kiggundu and his team for bringing great pride to the college and University. “Your innovation is going to be a flagship of some of the activities that the college has done because it touches the most rural individual in this country.”
Dr. Nabanoga who represented the Principal CAES, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha acknowledged that women in villages are involved in gardening, fetching water from boreholes, taking care of children and other household chores. She added that the MAKNAI innovation would help women save time and energy which would have otherwise been expended on this laborious task.
She thanked the Vice Chancellor for the excellent leadership that conforms to his manifesto and dream for a better Makerere. “We have been recognized in the whole country as the source of knowledge and innovation that contributes to the development of the country.”
Presiding over the event, the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked all invited guests particularly from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as Local Governments for sparing time to attend the research dissemination. Citing his manifesto theme for the Vice Chancellorship – “Unlocking the potential of Makerere University“, he prayed that numerous innovations would lend credence to the fact that the University’s potential was being unlocked.
Prof. Nawangwe thanked the Government of Uganda for recognizing the importance of homegrown solutions by allocating specific funding for research and innovations at Makerere University. He commended the Mak-RIF Grants Management Committee (GMC) for ensuring that awardees account for the funding received, “and I am glad to say that over the last two to three months, there has been a launch of a product or innovation at Makerere University almost every day because of RIF.”
He expressed confidence that by producing innovations such as MAKNAI, Mak-RIF has the potential to turn around the country’s fortunes in a very short time by providing employment to the exploding young population. “This innovation alone if well handled can change a lot of lives and generate income for Makerere, and I am happy to hear that one of the team members is going to immediately work on registration of Intellectual Property for it.”
Dr. Kiggundu while presenting the research findings shared that the study conducted in the districts of Wakiso, Mukono, and Buvuma was informed by; i) time taken to fill a 20 litre jerrycan, ii) maximum power needed to draw water from the borehole, iii) borehole dimensions and iv) borehole discharge. Based on data from the three districts, the PV (photovoltaic) system, battery to supply the needed power, and the motor to drive the system were sized and sourced from the market.
Eventually, a 1.4 horsepower Alternating Current (AC) motor with a crank speed of 100 rpm and generating average torque of 68 Nm was obtained. The other units of the system including the pulleys, belt reciprocating arm and foot switch were developed in-house at Makerere University.
Nevertheless, Dr. Kiggundu reported that parts such as a 1 horsepower Direct Current (DC) motor were hard to find on both local and international markets. The team also faced challenges during in-house fabrication as the parts produced weren’t often an accurate fit.
Despite the various challenges, the team produced the MAKNAI v1.0 prototype which after successful field tests was able to fill a 20 litre jerrycan within an average time of 50seconds at boreholes with depths ranging from of 12 to 70 metres. The communities where the prototype was installed appreciated and welcomed the innovation as it reduced the time spent by each user at the borehole by over 70%.
“MAKNAI eliminated the drudgery experienced by the users especially children, the elderly and expectant mothers because pumping water at a borehole requires lots of energy;” shared Dr. Kiggundu, before comically noting that, “you don’t need to go to the gym if you go to the borehole daily.” He appealed for more support from stakeholders to help scale-up the project.
The highlight of the research dissemination was the unveiling of a working MAKNAI v1.0 prototype installed at SFTNB by the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. The event moderated by Ms. Ritah Namisango, Principal Public Relations Officer and DABE’s Dr. Joshua Wanyama, Principal Investigator of the “Development of a Green Low-Cost Touchless Handwash Technology (TW-20 Kit) for public Shared Spaces” project.
Article by Public Relations Office
Agriculture & Environment
Makerere hosts International Conference on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Actions
By Betty Kyakuwa and Eve Nakyanzi
Makerere University will from 28th to 30th October 2025 host the International Conference and Training Workshop on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Actions (ICTW-FSTCA 2025) under the COMSTECH Forum for Environment and Ecosystem Restoration (CFEER). COMSTECH is the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, one of four standing committees of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) dedicated to the promotion and cooperation of science and technology activities among the member states.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on 28th October, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Uganda, H.E. Muhammad Hassan Wazir, commended Makerere University and COMSTECH for convening discussions on such a timely and relevant theme. Emphasising the urgency of collective action, he remarked, “Climate change is real. While the whole world has been feeling its impact for several years, we in Pakistan witnessed devastation. We recently experienced a large-scale cloud burst, severe flood, flash flooding and melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas.”
H.E. Wazir noted that such experiences reveal the deep vulnerabilities of global food systems and the need for coordinated solutions. The High Commissioner also applauded Uganda’s progress in infrastructure and economic stability, describing it as an attractive environment for investment and collaboration. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work closely with African countries—particularly Uganda—in areas such as agro-processing, water-saving irrigation technologies, and climate-resilient crops, as part of the “Look Africa Policy”, an initiative launched in 2018 to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the African continent.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of universities in addressing Africa’s pressing food security challenges amid high population growth and climate change. He highlighted Makerere’s century-long legacy of academic excellence, innovation, and contributions to regional development, including breakthroughs in medicine, agriculture, and technology. Prof. Nawangwe underscored the university’s commitment to research, innovation hubs, and youth entrepreneurship as key solutions for building resilient and sustainable food systems, and expressed hope that the knowledge shared at the workshop would benefit educators, students, and farmers alike.
In his keynote address, Dr. Logan Cochrane, Dean of the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Qatar, outlined the pressing challenges and promising opportunities shaping global food systems today. He noted that climate change is creating new public health risks, such as malaria spreading to areas that had previously been unaffected, while also disrupting agricultural productivity. Equally concerning are shifts in global diets: more people are consuming processed, salty, and fatty foods, resulting in an unprecedented situation where, in 2025, as many children are overweight as are underweight—approximately 10% of the global population in each category. This dual challenge, he observed, underscores that food systems are not only insufficient but increasingly unhealthy. Dr. Cochrane also highlighted structural vulnerabilities, including overreliance on global food trade, limited irrigation, poor road networks, and inadequate access to markets, hospitals, and schools as factors that reduce the African continent’s efficiency and resilience.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Cochrane emphasized optimism and actionable opportunities. He shared that sustainable local production, especially of regionally relevant crops like Ethiopia’s taro and false banana, can improve nutrition and domestic food security. Strengthening regional trade networks, particularly through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, presents a US$50 billion opportunity for Africa to reduce dependence on imports.
He added that Governments can play a transformative role by enabling smallholders and the private sector through infrastructure improvements, policy support, and food reserve systems. Reducing food loss and waste, which can reach up to 50% from farm to kitchen, he noted, is another key area for efficiency gains. Furthermore, he said that social protection programs, early warning systems for pests and diseases, and school-based nutrition initiatives can safeguard vulnerable populations while supporting farmers’ livelihoods.
Finally, Dr. Cochrane highlighted the need to make agriculture “cool” for young people, by integrating technology, circular food systems, and innovative approaches to attract the next generation to agricultural careers. By leveraging these opportunities, he argued, food systems can become healthier, more resilient, and more sustainable for the future.
Mr. Alex Bambona who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) highlighted Uganda’s commitment to the global food systems transformation agenda. He noted that in September 2021, Uganda joined international efforts to address food security and recognized several challenges in fully harnessing the country’s natural endowments. “Uganda is a beautiful country, gifted by nature, and has the potential to feed not only East Africa but much of the continent,” he said. However, he stressed that gaps remain, particularly in the application of science and technology to transform agriculture. Mr. Bambona also identified climate change as a significant challenge, acting as a negative driver that must be addressed for Uganda to realize its full potential in sustainable food production.
Ms. Angela Atukunda, representing the Secretary General of the Uganda National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)/ Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), highlighted Uganda’s longstanding engagement with international cooperation through its membership in the OIC since 1974, which also brought the country into ICESCO. She explained that UNATCOM, as Uganda’s National Commission for UNESCO/ICESCO, plays a key role in promoting science, innovation, education reform, and cultural heritage preservation in collaboration with government ministries, academia, civil society, and international partners.
Ms. Atukunda emphasized that platforms provided by events such as ICTW-FSTCA 2025 are crucial for sharing knowledge, shaping policy, and building partnerships to address urgent climate action needs through food systems transformation. She noted that globally, food systems account for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, and without reform in production, processing, transport, and consumption, efforts to limit global warming will fall short.
She further noted that climate change is already threatening food security through unpredictable rainfall, soil degradation, droughts, floods, and pests—impacts that disproportionately affect smallholder farmers. She stressed the importance of climate justice and the development of homegrown solutions rooted in science, indigenous knowledge, innovation, and inclusive governance.
The opening ceremony held in the Senior Common Room, Main Building was virtually addressed Coordinator Genera, OIC-COMSTEC-H.E. Prof. Dr. Iqbal M. Choudhary and the Advisor/Director, Science and Technology, ICESCO-Dr. Muhammad Sharif. ICTW-FSTCA 2025 will feature a number of discussion and working sessions on Day 1 and Day 2 and conclude on 30th October with a filed visit to the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Namulonge and the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK).
Agriculture & Environment
RUFS Empowers Smallholder Farmers to Build Resilience against Floods & Droughts
Smallholder farmers across the globe are increasingly confronted with the dual challenges of water-related stresses, ranging from devastating floods to prolonged droughts. These cyclical extremes threaten livelihoods, food security, and sustainable agricultural productivity. To effectively address these challenges, it is essential to implement resilient, integrated strategies that recognize the complex and fluctuating nature of water availability.
The Resilient Urban Food Systems (RUFS) project promotes innovative approaches that empower smallholder farmers to better manage water resources by capturing and storing excess water during periods of abundance, efficiently utilizing limited water supplies during dry spells, and building adaptive capacity to withstand and recover from extreme weather events. Through these solutions, RUFS helps create a foundation for sustainable farming that not only mitigates risks but also enhances productivity and long-term resilience in vulnerable agricultural communities.
Under the initiative titled “Strengthening Urban Food Systems Resilience to Flood and Drought Risks through New Strategic Partnerships: Consolidating Gains from the RUFS Project in Kasese Municipality and Mbale City, Uganda,” the team conducted an intensive two-day training workshop for smallholder farmers in Kasese Municipality. The workshop aimed to equip farmers with practical skills and knowledge, specifically in the production of organic pesticides and fertilizers, to enhance their adaptive capacity.
Conducted on 13th and 14th October 2025 at the residence of Bishop Stephen Nsibambi on Kilembe Road, Kasese Municipality, the training built upon insights and outcomes from the inception meeting of the RUFS Phase II held 18th–21st August 2025. The initiatives under Phase II of the RUFS Project aim to reduce damage from natural hazards, improve drainage and water storage, conserve soil moisture, decrease reliance on rainfall, and ultimately bolster resilience against water-related extremes.
The project is led by Prof. Frank Mugagga from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics, and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University, and funded through the AgriFoSe2030 Programme.
Achievements Registered from the Workshop
The training enhanced the resilience of smallholder farmers by equipping them to better withstand natural hazards, with a special focus on reducing their vulnerability to floods and droughts. The two-day workshop concentrated on the production and use of pesticides and fertilizers derived from locally available, nutrient-rich plants such as Tithonia (Kimyula), Wandering Jew (Naanda), Amaranthus spp. (Ddodo), Black Jack (Sere), and Phytolacca (Luwoko). It also covered the use of ash, animal and human urine, as well as techniques for harvesting and purifying rainwater.
Specifically, smallholder farmers in Kasese Municipality gained practical skills in the production of natural, effective plant teas using decomposing and hairy plants combined with ash, an eco-friendly method to enrich soil sustainably. They were trained in rainwater harvesting through trench digging and other methods, as well as rainwater purification using charcoal. Additionally, the farmers were taken through the process of producing fertilizers using a mixture of cowdung, water and ash, as well as human urine and locally available plants. Furthermore, farmers learned to make organic pesticides from readily available materials such as ash, animal urine, onions, papaya leaves, water, pepper, and soap.
Overall, the training promoted sustainable, eco-friendly farming practices while strengthening smallholder farmers’ skills in pest management and climate-resilient agronomic techniques. It was led by Mr. Henry Stanley Mbowa, Head of Research at AidEnvironment and a member of the RUFS Project.
Insights from the farmers’ representative
Mr. Sunday Salveri, a dedicated smallholder farmer from Kasese, highlighted the critical role of active farmer participation in forming and sustaining a farmer group and association. In his address, he urged fellow farmers to become more engaged and take proactive steps to improve their livelihoods through active group participation. He emphasized that increased involvement is essential for maintaining a vibrant, effective group that benefits all members. Mr. Salveri also encouraged more farmers to join the group, viewing collective effort as key to achieving economic sustainability. “Expanding membership is vital for the association’s growth and resilience,” he noted.
Furthermore, Mr. Salveri stressed the importance of applying practical business lessons learned on the ground. He suggested that farmers produce fertilizers and pesticides themselves as a way to both generate income and reduce costs for members. To facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development, he proposed establishing a demonstration site to train other farmers. Recognizing the role of family support, Mr. Salveri emphasized involving family members in these activities, highlighting that their participation is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of agricultural endeavors.
He underscored the need to think beyond agriculture, advocating for the continued existence of the cluster and the RUFS initiative. He expressed hope that these efforts will bring sustained benefits to farmers and their families.
Courtesy Call
The RUFS team paid a courtesy call on the Bishop of Rwenzori region – Lord Nason Baluku who appreciated the team’s efforts. The meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships and reaffirm mutual commitment toward the initiatives.
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