Agriculture & Environment
SDSN Uganda Network Launched at Mak
The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Uganda Network has been launched at Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). The Network was launched virtually on 21st April, 2021 under the theme, “Unlocking the potential of Universities and other non-state actors to foster achievement of SDGs”.
The network is hosted by the Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) coordinated by Dr. Revocatus Twinomuhangi from the Department of Geography, Geo informatics and Climatic Sciences.
The workshop held online was attended by over 60 participants comprising state and non-state actors (representatives of government sectors, members of the academia, the private sector, civil society organizations and international development partners) among others.
The e-conference was graced by the President UN SDSN Prof. Jeffrey Sachs who delivered the keynote address, the Vice President SDSN Maria Cortes Puch, the Senior Technical Advisor SDGs Secretariat Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Dr. Albert Byamugisha and the Country Director Cities Alliance Uganda Samuel Mabala .
The conference was also attended by Makerere University’s Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe who officially closed the ceremony, the Principal CAES represented by his deputy Assoc. Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga who officially welcomed and opened the conference and senior members of staff including the network champion and Makerere University’s long serving Professor Elly N. Sabiiti.
Other dignitaries included representatives from Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Gulu University, Ndejje University, Kyambogo University and the youth wing of the SDSN.
In his keynote address, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs thanked Makerere University leadership for hosting the network and senior government officials represented by the Office of the Prime Minister for the emphasis on how the SDGs were being integrated into the country’s development and vision.
Prof. Jeffrey Sachs is a University Professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University. He is a commissioner of the UN Broadband Commission for Development. Sachs has been advisor to three United Nations Secretaries-General, and currently serves as an SDG Advocate under Secretary- General António Guterres. Sachs was twice named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders and was ranked by The Economist among the top three most influential living economists.
Prof. Jeffrey highlights universal access to education, digital services, electrification as Uganda’s major development challenges casting doubt on oil and gas prospects.
Prof. Jeffrey pledged that the network was ready to work with and help government of Uganda to work on the development challenges being faced to accelerate progress in achieving the SDGs.
“Uganda as country faces many development challenges and opportunities and we would like to brainstorm with you, strategies with you in government and academic sector and in the specific communities and find ways to accelerate the progress”. the President stated
Prof. Jeffrey explained that SDGS are an important reference point to understand where the big gaps in development occur and therefore directs where the mobilization of energy and resources, creativity and strategy should be applied.
Prof. Jeffrey told participants that looking at the situation in Uganda, there clearly three important development priorities that the network would like Uganda to address. These he said include ;1)Universal access to quality, education; 2)universal access to digital wireless services, applications and tools;3)Universal access to electricity and/or renewable energy sources.
He said universal access to quality education is the single most important aspect of life that can lead to the transformation of live hoods and the different sectors of the economy.
The other most important aspect for government according to Prof. Jeff is to expand access to digital services on grounds that the use of broadband is limited by internet levels; People do not have access to digital tools or internet connectivity.
“The digital technologies are the most important tool that the country like Uganda has to accelerate achievement of the SDGs. Imagine in Uganda if every person had access to quality internet then, we could expand online education, telemedicine, government services, technical training, e-payment services and we could expand environmental management and supervision, .
So I believe that in addition to universal education, we should be aiming at very rapidly for universal digital services including appliances and tools that are needed to use the services”, Prof. Jeff advised.
Noting that there are significant financial constraints, Prof. Jeff expressed the need to think about how development financing can help the Government of Uganda to mobilize resources, and how the private sector, international companies can help to mobilize investments needed to achieve these two goals.
“If we could achieve universal access to Digital services, it will be easier to achieve SDG3 which is universal health coverage because there is twenty years of experience of using telemedicine as a powerful way to expand access to health care.
Now, it is possible to dial patients from a distance, to read x-rays from a distance , to manage symptoms from a distance and if we use the digital platform, we can tremendously expend medicine and health care as well”, The UN SDSN President justified.
The third biggest development challenge for Uganda according to Prof. Jeffrey Sash is that of electrification because electricity is needed in the villages and in cities in order to power the digital networks and appliances.
“And still far too few households and villages have access to electricity services and this raises a question of renewable energy in Uganda. There is a tremendous potential for solar power as an instrument of mass electrification and micro grids and mini grid and even national grid approach through solar power.
This scenario I believe also with financing can make a huge big difference. Households can pay for energy services but not the upfront investment costs for solar panels and wiring and system but can pay overtime to cover the cost of electricity services”, the keynote speaker advised.
He reported that SDSN has developed such micro grid approaches in some parts of Uganda to show that it is possible to have commercial enterprises using a micro grid approach which should be tremendously expanded.
Prof. Jeffrey further raised questions about energy strategy in Uganda, aware that there are major plans and high prospects on the development of the oil sector in Uganda.
Jeffrey said he was rather doubtful about this because it seems to be running against the global trend which is to end the use of oil, coal and natural gas not to expand use of oil, coal and natural gas. He added that this is something that can be analyzed and studied by members of the academia and other stakeholders because it is important for other reasons as well.
“I know there are high hopes for developing Uganda as an oil exporting country but, I am a little skeptical and I have to say this with friends because the expenses will be very high. Petroleum is very waxy and expensive to transmit.
The pipeline goes to many ecological-sensitive regions and villages. The dangers of oil spills are very high and it would be good for Uganda to look ahead to 20 years. I am raising this because I believe in renewable energy and distributed solar power much more than the big oil and gas pipe lines especially because the world is moving to electric vehicles and renewable energy. So this project to me seems to be running against the direction of the global market and the country may become stranded in the future in the development opportunity”, The professor explained.
Prof. Jeff described Uganda as an absolutely beautiful country with wonderful ecosystems and biodiversity saying, the UN SDSN treasures the beauty of Uganda and entire ecosystem and the rich biodiversity which is a good resource for the country and a great resource for tourism.
He however said, this natural endowments need to be taken with very good and great care. He reasoned that all the ecosystem of Uganda is under a lot of pressure and this is the major focus of SDG 14 and 15- The stewardship and protection of the ecosystem.
“Uganda’s population has been growing very fast at about now 45 million people compared to 5 million in 1950, an increase of almost 10 times. As the population continues to grow rapidly, the pressure on ecosystem continues to be great and these projects like the Oil and gas pipelines are also a threat to the ecosystem.
Uganda depends on help and cultivation of its remarkable beautiful ecosystems and its endangered species. So, I would hope that the SDGS also will be an important opportunity to redouble the protection and support of Uganda’s ecosystem and to focus on the kinds of projects that preserve the beauty of your country to avoid ecological dangers”. Prof. Jeffrey explained
Demographically, Prof. Jeffrey observed that there will be a shift from the rural areas increasingly to the urban areas and this poses more challenges because of the costs involved like infrastructure, sanitation, transport, power system, the health care system and education are all major costs meaning, the whole transformation embedded in SDG 11 are also a huge challenge.
He said the biggest problem with everything talked about is the requirement of a lot of investments whether in education, health care, digital, energy etc costs money, the money beyond what is available in the national budget.
“ I am very much aware of that and I believe that we should hold strong to the goals and your friends and partners in the UN, international agencies, AfDB , UNCA and other partners should be working together with you to identify how to close financing gap rather than saying we will be without electricity and schools.
I hope Uganda says, no, we must have schools, we must have rural electrification and it is your job as partners to identify financing gaps to help us to do so and this is the spirit and purpose of the SDGs to mobilize partners to get this done”, Prof. Jeffrey advised.
He expressed excitement over the launch of SDSN Uganda and gratified Makerere University for taking up this great role and pledged to work with the university and government to help solve these problems with the speed and urgency they deserve to give Ugandans the future they need and deserve.
The Vice President for SDSN Networks Maria Cortes Puch on Global SDSN programs
The Vice President for SDSN Networks Maria Cortes Puch thanked Makerere University for hosting the network and the efforts put in to organize the launch.
“We appreciate the great work that Makerere has been doing in the past years. SDSN Uganda was scheduled for a launch last year but the plan was cancelled due to the COVID-19. In the meantime, SDSN Uganda has managed to set up a number of priorities to work on which takes some years.
SDSN Uganda has already established a collaborative relationship with government through the OPM and has advised the UN resident coordinator office and UNDP on defining the UN sustainable development cooperation framework in Uganda for the next four years. We can’t call this network a baby anymore, it is already a standing up child and we are really eager to see what comes next”, Maria Cortes said.
She said SDSN was launched in 2012 under the auspices of the UN Secretary General to mobilize scientific and technical expertise from academia, civil society, and the private sector to be part of the debate to diagnose development challenges in the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to come up with complex solutions that would incorporate different sections of society.
“Since then, SDSN has been mobilizing academia around the world. We currently have more than 1400 member institutions around the world of which about 75% are universities and the rest are research centers, think tanks or knowledge producing NGOs. We organize our members through our national and regional networks hosted by one or two universities that convene universities in that country in support of the SDGs” She said.
She explained that the SDSN has four priorities:-One is to localize SDGS, by working and bringing together governments, different sectors ,national statistical offices, unions, NGOs, civil society, private sector and universities in workshops to discuss different strategies for SDGS, what the SDGs means for a country or region, challenges unique to individual countries and key opportunities gathered to assess whether the right progress is being made in the achievement of the SDGs.
SDSN also focuses on high quality education for sustainable development for instance a number of programmes on sustainable development, executive training with the private sector including thinking through how the curriculum is developed to ensure that everyone coming out university knows the basic principles of sustainable development irrespective of specialties.
The Vice President also said SDSN also works on sustainable solution initiatives with private sector and different levels of government and are practical solutions that are very specific and unique problems. The networks she said conduct long term path ways for sustainable development, a very technical exercises modelling whether or not the goals are possible to achieve with specific avenues and trajectories to achieve those goals in the country.
She added that sustainable solutions initiative is a technical exercise in a highly interactive process to make sure that the model puts into consideration the realities of the country that ensures no vulnerable group is left behind which creates census in society
“We have 41 networks now that cover 120 different countries around the world. One of the great thing about our networks is that they help one another. So the SDSN Uganda will be working closely with SDSN Canada and SDSN Japan and will be learning from each other and sharing projects and opportunities.”, she said.
She reported that in September 2020, a new guide for accelerating education for SDSN in universities was launched. Currently, she said an open call for case studies is open and in case any university is using innovative method of teaching SDGs or mainstreaming SDGs, SDSN would want to hear about it by visiting the SDSN website and submitting the Case study.
Uganda has made progress on all SDGs, is more than 50% of the way towards achieving SDGs by 2030, ranked 18th position out of 52 African countries with overall score of 58.8
Senior Technical Advisor SDGs Secretariat, office of the Prime Minister Uganda Dr. Albert Byamugisha
Senior Technical Advisor SDGs Secretariat, Office of the Prime Minister Uganda Dr. Albert Byamugisha thanked the organizers for inviting the Office of the Prime Minister to participate and speak at the launch of the SDSN Network Uganda.
While speaking on the Snapshot of Uganda’s journey, Sustainable Development coordination framework, and the integration of SDGs in Uganda’s development and vision process, Dr. Byamugisha said, Uganda was has made progress on all SDGs.
Dr. Byamugisha said the SDGs were endorsed in 2015 and adopted in 2016 and during that time, Uganda was the front runner because it helped the presidency of the General assembly at the time, and Uganda prepared the first national voluntary report 2016 which indicated that out of the 169 targets, Uganda had covered 70% in the NDP II.
He said, Uganda has a dedicated Minister in charge of SDGs and recently last year, Uganda prepared the second voluntary national report. Organizationally, he said government has developed a coordination framework to implement SDGs and a roadmap to operationalize SDGS developed in 2018 cooperating with different stakeholders to make sure that no one is left behind. Dr. Byamugisha reported that recently an MoU was signed with CSOs. “ In 2016 we developed a frame work which is fully functional in the office of the Prime Minister which was sent to the Minister of General Duties who is in charge of SDGs.
The SDG secretariat has been established with full support of development partners especially the Subsystem to support the coordination function and all level technical groups functioning progressively to address different aspects of the SDGs.
The framework has been operationalize through the roadmap which was established in 2018 and aligned with NDP II and now that of NDP III.”, Dr Byamugisha explained.
Dr. Byamugisha said there is a national coordination framework which is used in the implementation of SDGs. The first one is the policy coordination committee, chaired by the Prime Minister and members include cabinet ministers, heads of cooperation’s and agencies. Then, the implementation steering committee chaired by the head of public service and membership include all permanent secretaries, heads of missions, cooperation and agencies.
The other coordination framework according to Dr. Byamugisha is the national SDG task force chaired by the permanent secretary OPM and attended by chairpersons of the five technical working groups namely monitoring evaluation and reporting on SDGs chaired by the OPM, planning and administration chaired by national planning authority, resource and resource mobilization technical working group chaired by Minister of finance , data aspects chaired by Uganda Bureau of statistics and communication and mobilization of technical working groups to support development goals
“SDSN was looking for collaboration with SDG Secretariat OPM and I can tell you right away that you are most welcome and you will be participating in those working groups. We have the Minister for SDGs, with the secretariat with roles and responsibilities but most importantly steering the coordination of SDGs”, he said.
Dr. Byamugisha explained that the national planning frameworks are very accommodative of the 2030 agenda and the government of Uganda is well positioned to achieve its ambition to achieve the 2040 vision and establish a planning framework which is also to deliver national development plans.
He stated that Uganda has a National Development Plan for five years which promises to increase the average household incomes and improve quality of life and effectively deliver the national vision.
The NPDIII according to Dr. Byamugisha in part emphasizes the need to identify and utilize and integrate innovative financing options with the public and private sector and also identify development opportunities which include advancing mechanisms for fully aligning a planned budget, reporting frameworks and strengthen public investment management.
He said, Government of Uganda has demonstrated commitment to align financing to development citing that government issued the certificate of compliance gauging the level of alignment to the level of the budget of the Sustainable plans and so far, there has been an improvement from 54%, 60% in 2017/2018 while in 2018/19 government had issued the gender and equity compliance certificate to mainstream as a pre-condition for budget appropriation.
Dr. Byamugisha informed participants that Government has commenced implementation of a program based budgeting and had a comprehensive public management reform strategy from 2018-2023 which was developed to enhance resource mobilization including planning and public investment management.
He also explained that they were able to seal partnerships with the UN system to develop and implement integrated financing framework for strengthening a complementary, independent and a mutually financing mechanism.
Dr. Byamugisha stressed that Government continues to build evidence to guide planning and, with support from UNDP, undertook an assessment of institutional gaps in SDG implementation and also took analytical work on specific SDGs on zero hunger, peace and justice on SDG16 and 11 to resume planning and review SDG 2.
He further said, they have developed an integrated SDG Model for Uganda and through the model, there are three categories of interventions and SDG accelerators which include environment, governance and industry.
Dr. Byamugisha was happy to note that in SDSN was focusing on environment and climate change and already the they government has as one of the key accelerator.
He explained that Government together with stakeholders and partners have initiated strategies and actions of engagement and implementation such as integrating SDGs into the national scientific and statistical framework , integration of SDGs into the M and E Strategy, found a coalition of a youth initiative with a section of the youth at the secretariat.
According to Dr. Byamugisha, government has formed a youth coalition expecting to have one million youth for one million solutions, and gone ahead to the localization of SDGs into district and local government plans and conducting local reviews in local governments .
He said they have started working towards engagement of the private sector by establishing private sector platform. On 4th may 2021, Dr. Byamugisha said, the Prime Minister will be launching the private sector platform and Makerere University will be invited.
Dr. Byamugisha reported that they have embarked on popularization of SDGs with so many media campaigns and production of information education communication materials.
“Tracking SDGs through Uganda national voluntary report was done in 2020 where Uganda participated in a high level UN political forum in July 2020 and this was the Minister delivering Uganda’s report to the UN and, overall, Uganda’s SDG progress according to SDSN, is more than 50% of the way towards achieving SDGs by 2030 .
In the 52 African countries Uganda ranked 18th position with overall score of 58.8 and based on the voluntary national report 2020, Uganda had made good progress on all SDGs with several policies and strategies to facilitate the SDG implementation and key of them are social protection programmes for women,, youth and elderly, youth and job creation and empowerment, the establishment of Universal Primary Education and secondary education, gender equality and women empowerment among others”, Dr. Byamugisha reported.
Mak Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe decries the declining number of children joining university, the increasing population and high rate of urbanization
The Vice Chancellor Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe thanked the CAES team particularly MUCCRI leadership for organizing the conference. He also appreciated Prof. Jeff Sash for gracing the occasion.
Prof. Nawangwe congratulated the SDSN group at Makerere University, the Uganda chapter, the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and other partners for working with Makerere University on issues of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Vice chancellor said Makerere University has a new strategic Plan (2020-2030) and everything being done under this strategic plan is supposed to practically address the SDGs with a core effort of providing quality education and research and therefore addressing SDG4.
“As a country and university we have a big task. We must find out why we have such a huge exodus of children both at primary and secondary level. The number of children qualifying to join the university has been declining in the last three years. That is contradictory because our population is just skyrocketing and at the same time the number of children who qualify to join the university is decreasing. It is a big challenge and as Makerere University, we must take every necessary effort to address this issue.” The Vice Chancellor decried.
Prof. Nawangwe said with the increasing population, the country has two major issues to deal with. The first issue is food security with the question of how the increasing population is going to be fed.
The second issue according to the Vice Chancellor is the high rate of urbanization. Prof. Nawangwe noted that Uganda was a very low urbanizing country for many years but this has changed. He explained that urbanization rate is putting pressure on soils that will affect the country’s capacity to produce food and the provision of good facilities for good life in the cities. Otherwise, he said, the country will end up with huge slums with no resources and poor services which must be addressed by all.
He reported that the university has many different fields of knowledge addressing different SDGs and that everybody has a role to play.
The Vice Chancellor pledged that the university will rise up to the challenge and take the leadership in ensuring the attainment of the SDGs.
CAES Principal’s opening remarks and the role of MUCCRI in promoting SDGs
The Principal College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) represented by his deputy Assoc. Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga welcome participants to the launch of the Sustainable Development Solutions (SDSN) Uganda National network organized by the global SDSN and SDSN Uganda in collaboration with CAES and Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI).
In a special way, the Deputy Principal welcomed and equally thanked the global UN SDSN for choosing Makerere University to host the SDSN Uganda National network and for collaborating with the national network to organise this launch.
Dr. Nabanoga saluted the CAES staff who championed the crusade for the university to join the SDSN network following the UN call in July 2017 and conveyed special gratitude to Makerere University Management for the buy-in and support to this initiative.
She reported that SDSN Uganda’s secretariat is hosted at the Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI), a semi-autonomous unit in the CAES that was launched in 2013 to enhance climate change knowledge generation and dissemination. The Centre engages in Training, Research and Policy Interventions.
Through MUCCRI, Dr. Nabanoga said, the University brings together researchers and scientists from within and outside Makerere University, government officials, civil society, and private sector actors to collaboratively and locally address climate change, share information, and problem solve on adaptation technologies and research.
“We are also using MUCCRI as a vehicle to improve and support undergraduate, graduate, diploma, and postgraduate education in climate science, meteorology, climate change adaptation and mitigation. The Centre therefore contributes greatly to the achievement of SDG 13 on climate action.
I am happy to note that the theme of the launch event, “Unlocking the potential of Universities and other non-state actors to foster achievement of SDGs”, is in line with the global development and climate change agendas agreed upon by world leaders to foster sustainable development and build resilient societies”, the deputy principal said.
She reported that SDSN Uganda will focus on six themes: agriculture and food security, improve health, natural resources and ecosystems, renewable energy and efficiency, sustainable cities, and climate change, with gender equality as a cross cutting theme.
She said the university has a fully-fledged College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, a College of Health Sciences, a College of Engineering and Technology, a School of Economics, a School of Women and Gender Studies, and we are looking forward to partnering with institutions of the same agenda to promote gender-responsiveness achievement of SDG targets under these themes through training, research and innovations, community engagement, capacity building and working with Government on SDGs – (OPM SDGs Secretariat).
Dr. Nabanoga expressed hope that through the SDSN forum, participant will explore how to unlock sustainable agro-industrialization to respond to the pressing socio-economic development priorities of food security, wealth and job creation and expansion of macro-economic growth through country owned processes.
On behalf of the college management the Deputy Principal reaffirmed that SDSN Uganda will continue bringing together SDSN members in the country to identify, develop and implement transformative solutions for sustainable development.
In addition Dr. Nabanoga pledged that SDSN Ugnda network shall mobilize universities, research and knowledge centers, civil society, private sector, and special interest groups to promote the achievement of 2030 sustainable development agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change.
SDSN Uganda Network Manager Dr. Revocatus Twinomuhangi speaks on the network objectives and structure
The Coordinator Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) also Manager, SDSN Uganda network Dr. Revocatus Twinomuhangi said, SDNS Uganda network was approved by the Networks Strategy Council of the UN SDSN in Nov. 2019 and appointed Makerere University to host the national network coordinated under College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), with its Secretariat in Makerere University Centre for Climate Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) led by Dr. Revocatus Twinomuhangi as Network Manager, and Hakimu Sseviiri as Network Assistant.
Dr. Twinomuhangi said the Vision of the network is mobilizing universities, research and knowledge centers, civil society, private sector, communities and special interest groups to identify and implement transformative solutions to achieve the 2030 sustainable development agenda and the Paris Agreement on climate change in Uganda and the East African region.
He said there are five objectives of the network.:1) is to build awareness and knowledge on SDGs, through supporting high-quality, free, online education via the SDG Academy, short term trainings; Supporting SDSN in production and disseminate SDG reports (global African SDGs index reports and SDSN has led thinking on the SDGs with the reports) Others are delivery short term and professional trainings in member universities; Supporting participation in online education e.g. massive open online courses –MOOCs – through the SDG Academy and Supporting experiential learning
The second objective according Dr. Twinomuhangi is to conduct Research on sustainable development solutions by building partnership and conducting multi-stakeholder dialogues, Support dialogues and provide advice to policy and decision-makers.
The network will also support a vibrant SDSN Youth Network in Uganda and conduct research on sustainable solutions by promoting multi-disciplinary research that will generate evidence-based solutions for enhancing the achievement of SDGs at the national and local levels.
The network he said, will create platforms for building partnerships and dialogues ie thinking spaces for academia, think tanks, government, researchers, private sector, business and civil society and work closely with GoU – the SDGs Secretariat at OPM to mobilize action,
“The other objective is to support dialogues and provide advice to policy and decision-makers . The network will offer evidence-based advice to decision-makers engaged in politics, government, business and society to fill SDG policy gaps and motivate positive change towards implementation and achievement of SDGs.
To empower the youth, we will have a youth wing, the SDSN Uganda Youth empowering the youth to create sustainable solutions that address development challenges. The Youth Wing will focus on; Educating young people about the SDGs and create pathways; Connecting young people to global networks to collaborate to achieve the SDGs in Uganda and; Supporting young people in developing and scaling innovative solutions for the SDGs”, The network manager explained
He said the approved SDSN members in Uganda are:- Makerere University – hosts SDSN Uganda, Ndejje University, Uganda Christian University, National Coffee Research Institute (NaCORI)/National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST), African Climate change Leadership Program, Uganda Technology and management University and the School of Hygiene – Mbale
Dr. Twinimuhangi said, the Mobilisation of potential members is ongoing. These include Kabale University, Kyambogo University, Busitema University, Makerere University Business School , Economic Policy Research Centre, Agakhan University, Kampala International University and Bishop Stuart University.
He explained that the Vital roles of Universities in the network is through their “business as usual” activities, i.e. research, teaching, operations, community leadership.
He said universities can provide SDG policy support, SDG-oriented research and development (R&D), incubation of new sustainable development businesses, SDG-based education and Multi-stakeholder convening.
The seven thematic focus areas for the network according to the network manager include: Agriculture and food systems, in support ending poverty and hunger (SGDs 1 &2); Improved Health – SDG 3; Natural resources and ecosystem health: SDG 6 (water and sanitation) and SDG15 (life on land) and Renewable energy and energy efficiency: to end energy poverty – SDG7 affordable and clean energy. Others are: Sustainable Cities: Inclusive, Resilient, and Connected (SDG 11); Climate compatible development (SDG 13) and Gender equality responsiveness (SDG 5) – cross cutting
Dr. Twinomuhagi reported that the network has so far recorded achievements including the establishment of a fully functional secretariat in place at MUCCRI with skeleton staff; SDSN Uganda website designed and launched – live and functional – https://sdsn-uganda.org and engagement with members and recruiting potential members.
The centre he said, started dialogue on SDGs with the Government – SDGs Secretariat in Office of the Prime Minister (OPM); MUCCRI/SDSN Uganda participates in SDGs coordination meetings organized by Government and UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (and UNDP) including work in progress on formation of Leadership and Governance Councils.
Dr. Twinomuhangi said the next for SDSN Uganda is approaching proposed members for the National Leadership Council; identifying first priorities and activities; recruiting members and partners and rganize a solutions conference and mobilizing resources.
On Governance and Organization, Dr. Twinomuhangi said SDSN Host: Makerere University convene universities and institutions in the country, and promote the work of the national/regional network.
The Leadership Council: Along the lines of the global SDSN Leadership Council, SDSN Uganda establishes a National LC to mobilize sustainable development leaders from around the country while the Secretariat: CAES/MUCCRI has a dedicated secretariat to organize the work of the network, to ensure communication, and to coordinate with the global SDSN.
Key criteria for membership revolves on engagement, substance, reputation, experience and resources while special cases include other Networks, the Private sector and public institutions.
Agriculture & Environment
Vice Chancellor Closes International Conference on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Action
Certificates awarded to participants as Makerere reaffirms commitment to climate-smart agriculture
Makerere University has today October 29, 2025 closed the International Conference on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Action, with participants awarded certificates for their contribution and completion of the intensive two-day engagements. The conference brought together researchers, policymakers, students, and international partners to deliberate on how to transform food systems in the face of growing climate challenges.
Speaking at the closing ceremony held at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe commended the organizers and participants for their active engagement and commitment to addressing challenges in food systems and climate change.
“This training has been very useful. Every conference I attend teaches me something new, and I can see that this has been a rich learning experience for everyone here,” said Prof. Nawangwe. “We must continue to innovate and work closely with smallholder farmers to ensure that even the smallest pieces of land are used productively. Technology, artificial intelligence, and affordable irrigation systems can make a real difference.”
The Vice Chancellor emphasized the importance of turning university research into practical solutions that benefit communities, noting that Makerere’s scientists must go beyond publications to create commercial products and start enterprises that add value to their innovations.
“Our professors should not only retire on government pension but also on royalties from their innovations,” he added. “We must transform our research into products and services that create jobs and wealth.”
He further highlighted the importance of protecting intellectual property and promoting collaboration between universities and industries, drawing lessons from global examples such as Malaysia and China, where research and innovation have powered industrial growth.
Representing the Principal of CAES, Dr. Julia Kigozi, the Dean of the School of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Bioengineering, appreciated the Vice Chancellor for gracing the conference and commended participants for their enthusiasm.
“We explored challenges, trends, and opportunities in food systems and climate change, and this conference has given our researchers and PhD students valuable insights,” she said. “It reminded us that while challenges are shared across countries, we can each start small and still make a difference.”
Dr. John Baptist Tumuhairwe, one of the conveners, emphasized the importance of integrating climate action into food systems transformation, noting that the conference had strengthened Makerere’s networks in food and agricultural sciences.
“This meeting has expanded our collaborations and reaffirmed the university’s leadership in advancing sustainable food systems,” he said. “It was also deliberate in engaging the youth, who are our next generation of innovators.”
On behalf of the OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), Dr. Haris Akram, the Program Manager, thanked Makerere University for hosting the international gathering and reiterated the need for continued collaboration.
“We must ask ourselves whether this workshop will make a difference in our lives and practices,” he remarked. “The real success lies in how we apply the knowledge gained to improve food security and sustainability.”
The conference, organized by Makerere University’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences in partnership with OIC-COMSTECH, brought together experts from across Africa and Asia to share experiences on sustainable food production, agro-processing, and climate-smart innovations.
Officially closing the conference, Prof. Nawangwe in his remarks reaffirmed Makerere University’s commitment to leading research and innovation in agriculture, food systems, and climate resilience.
“Agriculture remains the backbone of our country and the most important driver of our future,” he concluded. “Let us put our heads and hands together to transform this sector and build a sustainable future for our people.”
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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