Agriculture & Environment
SDSN Uganda Network Launched at Mak
Published
4 years agoon
By
Jane Anyango
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.
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Agriculture & Environment
Call for Grants to Develop Policy Briefs and Working Papers on Climate-Resilient Agri-Food Systems
Published
1 day agoon
October 6, 2025By
Mak Editor
The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), in close collaboration with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), recognizes the vital role of young researchers in shaping Africa’s future. Graduate students, in particular, bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and rigorous research to the climate and agriculture discourse. Yet, much of this knowledge remains locked in academic theses and journal articles, with limited translation into policy and practice spaces where it can have the greatest impact. To bridge this gap, RUFORUM & AGRA are launching a grant opportunity for graduate students
(Master and PhD Candidates & Post-Doctoral Fellows) enrolled in African universities to develop policy briefs and/or working papers on strengthening climate-resilient agri-food systems. This initiative is designed to support students not only to generate high-quality academic outputs but also to translate their findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders.
The program will provide educational, skilling, and incubation opportunities, preparing young people; especially young women for the world of work. It will also enhance access to market-relevant training and practical skilling opportunities, enabling youth to gain the competencies needed by the labor market for both self-employment and wage employment. Through this call, RUFORUM & AGRA seeks to empower a new generation of African scholars to contribute directly to national, regional, and continental dialogues on climate change, resilience, and sustainable agri-food systems.
APPLICATION PROCESS
- Applicants must submit an abstract of no more than 500 words through the RUFORUM online application portal (https://rims2.ruforum.org/)
o Instructions for submission can be accessed on this link - Inquiries: cgs[@]ruforum.org
- RUFORUM reserves the right to make final award decisions.
IMPORTANT DATES
Call Opens: September 5, 2025
- Deadline for Abstract Submission: October 15, 2025
- Notification of Selected Abstracts: October 30, 2025
- Submission of Final Policy Brief/Working Paper: December 31, 2025
Agriculture & Environment
Mak Hosts TORCH Project Training Workshop on Clean Energy & Green Growth
Published
5 days agoon
October 2, 2025
Written by Matila Tom Micah
Makerere University on 1st September 2025 held a training and retooling workshop for stakeholders under the TORCH Project. TORCH is a collaborative initiative between Makerere University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences-BOKU, Kyambogo University, Kabale University, University of Juba, and Busitema University. Funded by the OeAD-GmbH under the Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education Research for Development (APPEAR), the project seeks to strengthen cooperation between academia and local communities to promote green growth and environmental sustainability. The project aims to promote academic-community partnerships through living labs, training, research, and outreach.
The workshop, held under the theme “Towards a Clean Energy and Zero-Emission Society in East Africa: Strengthening Academic and Community Collaborations in Outreach, Training, and Research in Green Growth and a Healthy Environment”, brought together academics, students, policymakers, and community leaders. Together, they explored strategies for green growth, climate resilience, and sustainable development.
Dr. Patrick Musinguzi, TORCH’s Principal Investigator, opened the event with an overview of the project, explaining key concepts such as green growth and the innovative Living Labs approach. He underscored the urgent need for African universities to lead the charge in green growth, a development model balancing economic progress with natural resource conservation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.
While the country has adopted the Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy, Dr. Musinguzi pointed out that universities have yet to fully integrate green growth principles into curricula, research, and community engagement. TORCH aims to bridge this gap by establishing three Living Labs in the Central, South-western, and Eastern regions of Uganda, focusing on enhancing teaching, community-driven research, and policy development.
Green Growth
In his presentation, Dr. Musinguzi emphasized the importance of adopting green growth as Uganda’s path to development. He described green growth as “environmentally sustainable economic progress that encourages low-carbon, socially inclusive development.” “Green growth is not merely about environmental protection – it is about creating a future where economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental sustainability coexist,” he explained.

Why Green Growth matters for Uganda
With Uganda’s rapidly growing population placing immense pressure on land, food, and energy resources, Dr. Musinguzi pointed out that per capita land ownership had significantly decreased, while climate change impacts such as floods, prolonged droughts, and erratic rainfall continue to threaten food security.
He stressed that pursuing green growth offers Uganda multiple benefits:
- For farmers, it ensures resilience to climate shocks, better yields, and access to innovations like solar irrigation and biogas.
- For the youth, it opens up new job opportunities in renewable energy, waste management, and eco-friendly enterprises.
- For policymakers, it aligns development plans with environmental sustainability while attracting green investments.
- For households, it reduces energy costs, improves health, and enhances overall well-being.
Uganda’s policy commitments
The workshop highlighted national frameworks already in place to support green growth, including the National Environment Act (2019), the Climate Change Act (2021), and the Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy (2017–2030). These policies, coupled with Uganda’s Vision 2040, set a clear direction for a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy.
Green technologies being piloted under the TORCH Project
During the workshop, Dr. Musinguzi showcased several practical innovations being piloted under the TORCH Project. These include:
- Solar home systems that cut fuel demand by up to 25%.
- Rainwater harvesting tanks that save 20,000–50,000 litres of water per household annually.
- Improved cook-stoves that reduce indoor air pollution and fuel consumption.
- Drip irrigation systems that minimize water loss by up to 60%.
- Biogas systems that convert organic waste into clean energy for households.
Despite these advances, uptake remains low. A 2024 UBOS report revealed that only 3% of Ugandan households currently use clean cooking fuels and technologies, way below international clean energy adoption targets.
The importance of Academia-community engagement in promoting green growth
The training emphasized the need for universities to serve as “living laboratories” for green innovations. Makerere University, through the TORCH Project, is integrating green growth concepts into its curricula, running pilot projects in communities, and training the next generation of sustainability leaders. “We are committed to bridging the gap between academic research and community transformation,” Dr. Musinguzi said. “Green growth must not remain in lecture halls, it has to be felt in farms, households, and cities across Uganda.”
Participants agreed that scaling up green growth is not just a policy ambition, but a national necessity. “With the right investments, awareness, and community involvement, Uganda can transition towards a zero-emission, climate-smart, and inclusive economy by 2040.”

Insights from Participants
- Dr James Wasike Mangeni from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Makerere University highlighted the need to rebuild social structures and foster responsible use of resources within the university, calling on leadership to reinforce environmental management and nurture respectful behaviours among students.
- Dr. Isaac Newton Alou from the Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management at Makerere University praised the green growth and Living Labs concepts, urging incorporation of sustainability into infrastructure projects like green and solar rooftops, and enhancing student-led data collection for impact assessment.
- Dr. Anthony Mwije from the Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Makerere University stressed that green growth starts with personal discipline and should be embedded in university operations, including procurement and transport. He advocated for infrastructure supporting sustainable lifestyles, such as bicycle-friendly roads and reliable public transit.
- Dr. Olupot Giregon, Head, Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management at Makerere University raised concerns about the equitable distribution of green growth costs, especially for smallholder farmers, emphasizing stewardship and the importance of making green growth meaningful from curricula to end-users.

Living Labs: Innovation at community level
In rural Uganda, smoky cooking fires pose serious health risks for many families. The TORCH Project is tackling this issue by transforming households from passive energy users into active innovators, building a cleaner, healthier future.
At the heart of this initiative are Living Labs – community hubs where academia, industry, policymakers, and local residents collaborate to develop and test practical green technologies. These include biogas digesters that turn animal waste into clean fuel, solar power systems replacing hazardous kerosene lamps, energy-efficient stoves, and rainwater harvesting solutions.

“Living Labs empower communities, especially women, who face the greatest energy challenges, to lead sustainable transitions,” said Dr. Musinguzi. “Students also work directly with villages, gaining hands-on experience in addressing Africa’s energy needs. A significant advantage is linking these efforts to carbon credits, enabling families to generate income by reducing emissions and turning climate action into economic opportunity.”
The TORCH Project plans to expand Living Labs throughout East Africa, supported by digital tools to accelerate clean energy adoption, climate action, and poverty alleviation. More than just projects, these Labs foster community pride and position local residents as innovators in the fight against climate change.
Agriculture & Environment
Uganda Urged to Strengthen Extension Services to Realize Climate Smart Agriculture Goals
Published
2 weeks agoon
September 25, 2025By
Jane Anyango
Fort Portal, Uganda
Uganda’s progress toward Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) will remain limited unless deliberate efforts are made to strengthen agricultural extension services and turn policy intentions into real impact for farmers.
This was the key message delivered at a high-level policy dialogue held in Fort Portal, which brought together over 30 district officials, researchers, and policymakers from 11 districts across the Bunyoro and Rwenzori sub-regions.
The dialogue, held at Night Rose Hotel, was organized by the Environment for Development (EfD)–Mak Centre, under Makerere University, coordinated by the EfD Global Hub at the University of Gothenburg Sweden, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The event aimed to deepen local understanding of CSA and strengthen connections between policy frameworks and implementation at the grassroots.
In his welcome remarks, Baguma Brian James, Senior Fisheries Officer for Kabarole District, thanked the EfD team for bringing such a relevant discussion to the region. He described the event as a moment of professional and academic reflection, noting that many participants had been reawakened to concepts they once encountered in school.
“I’d like to thank you all for being part of these valuable engagements,” Baguma said. “As Kabarole District, we are actively participating in this project. Our farmers are progressing toward co-funding stages for input support.” He expressed hope that the dialogue would not only offer technical knowledge but also actionable strategies participants could take home and apply.

Representing the Director of EfD-Mak Centre, Dr. Nicholas Kilimani underscored the importance of science in guiding agricultural decisions. He reminded participants that the EfD Centre’s functions include research, outreach, and policy engagement – all of which converge in dialogues like this one.
“The theme of this dialogue Smart Agriculture resonates with Uganda’s urgent need to sustain its agricultural backbone amid mounting pressures from climate change and human activity,” Dr. Kilimani said. He emphasized that decision-making must be grounded in scientific evidence rather than conjecture, pointing out that agriculture, while essential to Uganda’s economy, continues to suffer under environmental degradation, poor planning, and the effects of climate variability.
“We are no longer in an era of trial and error. Decision-making must come from science, not hearsay,” he added. Kilimani also highlighted the power of global collaboration, noting that the EfD network spans six continents, creating a powerful exchange of knowledge to support sustainability around the world. “We are using these global synergies to contribute to a sustainable planet—of which we only have one.”

Fort Portal Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Busingye Emmanuel, officially opened the dialogue and welcomed participants to the city. He applauded the event’s focus on climate-smart agriculture but lamented the widespread failure to enforce environmental laws and coordinate government action effectively.
“Uganda is not short of laws or institutions to protect the environment. The problem is either poor coordination or outright inaction,” Busingye said. He cited the continued degradation of wetlands in Fort Portal as a key example of where environmental protection efforts fall short. While several government agencies exist to enforce these policies, their actions are often fragmented or undermined by personal and political interests.
“If we did what we are supposed to do, we wouldn’t have this level of environmental destruction,” he added. Busingye further urged participants not to treat the event as a box-ticking exercise but as a launching point for real implementation on the ground. “Let’s not attend workshops and stop there. Let us act on the ground.”
Presenting an overview of CSA, Dr. Peter Babyenda revealed sobering statistics about land use and degradation. He noted that agriculture accounts for 72% of Uganda’s land use and that 41% of this land is already degraded. If the current trend continues, by 2040, nearly 90% of Uganda’s land could be under agricultural use, intensifying environmental stress.

“Our natural forest cover once fell to 9%, though efforts to promote CSA have raised it to around 30%,” Dr. Babyenda explained. He warned, however, that only 30% of farmers in Uganda are currently practicing climate-smart techniques — a dangerously low figure given the urgency of climate change.
“CSA offers a triple win increased productivity, improved resilience, and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “But adoption remains low due to costs, lack of awareness, and poor access to technologies.” Dr. Babyenda also highlighted the European Union’s upcoming regulatory requirements on deforestation-free coffee exports, warning that Uganda could lose access to lucrative markets if it fails to embrace CSA practices. “Without climate-smart agriculture, our exports will suffer,” he stated.
Dr. Florence Lwiza Nsereko delivered an evidence-based presentation on CSA case studies and emphasized the critical role of extension services in scaling CSA. She reiterated that agriculture, deforestation, and other land-use forms like livestock production remain Uganda’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Yet despite an abundance of policy documents, actual implementation remains weak.

“Climate Smart Agriculture integrates productivity, adaptation, and mitigation. But its adoption remains low because our extension services lack capacity,” Dr. Lwiza said. She pointed to key barriers in extension delivery, including lack of access to training, weak institutional support, and poor perceptions about CSA among field officers. Notably, she revealed that female extension workers often outperform their male counterparts in CSA delivery.
She further noted that Western Uganda is both highly vulnerable to climate shocks and densely populated, making it a prime candidate for CSA interventions. “Western Uganda is both a climate risk hotspot and an opportunity zone. Now is the time to act,” she concluded.
Adding another layer to the discussion, Dr. Aisha Nanyiti presented research on the role of renewable energy micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in transforming agriculture across Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She argued that clean energy and climate-smart practices must be pursued together to achieve inclusive, low-carbon growth.

“Agricultural modernization and climate goals can go hand in hand — if we remove barriers to clean energy,” she said. She stressed the importance of financial access, supportive regulations, and targeted capacity building to ensure that MSMEs can support CSA.
Closing the dialogue, Deputy Speaker of Fort Portal City, Tusiime Florence, expressed gratitude to the organizers but raised concerns over the sustainability of such engagements. She urged EfD-Mak and its partners to avoid the common trend of one-off workshops that do not translate into long-term support for local governments.

“Workshops come and go, but no one returns to follow up with our communities,” she said. Tusiime called attention to the overwhelming workload and underfunding of agricultural extension officers, many of whom use their own money and have no transport to reach rural areas. “Our extension workers are overworked and underfunded. They have no motorcycles, no transport,” she said. “Yet they are expected to implement national climate and agricultural goals.”
She called for continued support and follow-through from Makerere University and the EfD-Mak Centre. “When farmers dry maize on bare soil, it’s not ignorance – it’s lack of training and support,” she noted. “If you come back and work with us, we will make CSA work.”
The Fort Portal dialogue highlighted the growing urgency to transition from policy declarations to farmer-level action, as climate shocks continue to impact agricultural livelihoods. While Uganda has made strides in crafting climate and agriculture policies — including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and CSA frameworks — weak operationalization, limited financing, and poor coordination remain major obstacles. Stakeholders agreed that building capacity, particularly among extension workers, remains the single most effective route to scaling climate-smart agriculture and delivering tangible impact where it matters most — at the farm.
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