The Deputy Secretary General of the National Resistance Movement (NRM), Ms. Rose Namayanja, has called for stronger collaboration between researchers and farming communities to ensure farmers access the right information, technologies, and products needed to improve agricultural productivity and livelihoods.

Namayanja made the remarks during a visit to the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) at Makerere University on October 12, 2026, where she interacted with researchers and innovators working on various agricultural solutions. A key focus of the engagement was AZOLLA, an innovative low-cost protein source being developed as an alternative livestock feed ingredient to help reduce feed costs and improve farmer productivity. She explained that her visit to CoVAB was intended to obtain first-hand, research-based information that could be shared with other stakeholders and used to provide informed guidance to farmers.

While reflecting on the performance of beneficiaries of the Parish Development Model (PDM), Namayanja noted that government efforts to train and support farmers were yielding positive results in many areas, citing Mubende Municipality as an example. However, she expressed concern about the escalating cost of animal feeds, which continues to affect farmers across the country. She specifically cited the high price of ‘Akalungo’, a protein premix commonly used in livestock feeds, as one of the challenges undermining profitability in the agricultural sector.

Namayanja, who indicated that she too was involved in poultry farming with over One hundred thousand birds,  explained that she had learned about Azolla, an alternative and affordable source of protein for animal feeds, from several sources, including the Uganda Prisons Service’s two-acredemonstration facility at the Jinja Show Ground, where a number of agricultural innovations are showcased. Interested in obtaining first-hand knowledge about the innovation, she visited CoVAB to engage with the researchers behind Azolla and better understand its potential to address the feed cost challenge facing farmers.

She noted that her intention was to obtain well-researched and evidence-based information that would enable her to provide accurate guidance and informed advice to farmers seeking practical solutions to improve productivity while reducing production costs.

Explanation of Improvements

“Many people, including members of the elite class, are increasingly investing in agriculture and are seeking support and information from credible institutions,” she said.

Namayanja commended the young scientists and innovators at the college for putting their academic knowledge into practice through solutions that address animal nutrition challenges and help farmers reduce the cost of livestock feeds.

She pledged to work closely with CoVAB to ensure that farmers’ challenges are addressed through scientifically guided interventions and innovations.

CoVAB Showcases Research and Academic Programs

The Principal of CoVAB, Prof. Clovice Kankya, highlighted the wide range of research and academic activities being undertaken at the college. He explained the college’s structure, which comprises the School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources (SVAR) and the School of Biosecurity, Biotechnologyand Laboratory Sciences ((SBLS), outlining the various academic programs and research initiatives offered under the two schools.

Scientists Promote Alternative Feed Sources

Speaking during the engagement, Assoc. Prof. Claire Mack Mugasa, the Dean of SBLS emphasized the college’s efforts to develop alternative animal feed sources using insects such as maggots and black soldier flies. She explained that these innovations help transform waste into useful products while addressing the growing demand for affordable protein sources in animal feeds. As a representative from the unit responsible for quality management, she noted that the college places great emphasis on ensuring that animal feeds meet national standards and regulatory requirements.

“Food is often said to be a drug, and therefore the feeds we produce must be of high quality,” she said, noting the need to comply with standards set by the National Drug Authority and other regulators.

Prof. Mugasa observed that conventional protein sources such as fish meal and soybean remain expensive, creating competition between livestock and humans for food resources. She stressed the need to expand research, establish demonstration gardens, and increase farmer awareness and confidence in innovations such as Azolla.  She also highlighted the need for further research into preservation technologies, including grinding and fermentation methods, to improve the storage and utilization of Azolla products.

Linking Innovations to Communities

Edward Ssebuufu, founder of Anaweza Innovation Academy, said the academy identifies gaps within communities and develops solutions to address them. He revealed that the organization in conjunction with researchers from CoVAB and CAES is establishing demonstration gardens to promote Azolla as an affordable protein source for animal feed among many other innovations.  Ssebuufu proposed stronger collaboration between the academy and the Parish Development Model so that proven technologies can be disseminated more effectively to communities.

“We have the technologies here at CoVAB. The question is how we get them to the communities?” he said.

He noted that high feed costs and concerns about feed quality remain major challenges for farmers. According to him, practical community training centers, proper enterprise selection, and farmer group formation are essential strategies for improving agricultural productivity and adoption of innovations.

Makerere UniPod Promotes Commercialization

The Assistant Manager of Makerere UniPod, Dr. Margaret Nagwovuma, said the innovation hub welcomes staff, students, and members of the public with innovative ideas. She acknowledged that while numerous innovations are being developed at the university, many people are not fully utilizing the services available through the center.

“Our role is to link academia to industry and serve all categories of innovators,” she said.

Dr. Nagwovuma further observed that there is a significant gap in the commercialization of research outputs and innovations, emphasizing the need for coordinated efforts among researchers, innovators, government agencies, and industry players to ensure that technologies developed at the university reach communities and contribute to national development.

Makerere University and Xiangtan University are set to update their close to 20-year academic partnership, with a new focus on launching a joint Master’s degree program in Chemical Engineering and expanding student and staff exchange initiatives. 

The commitment was reaffirmed during a recent visit by a delegation from Xiangtan University to Makerere University headed by Professor Dingyu Ou, in the company of Mr. Tang Fei and Professor Gilbert Gumshabe, the Chinese and Ugandan Directors of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University respectively. 

While addressing the delegation, Professor Nawangwe highlighted that this initiative is part of a broader strategy to diversify academic offerings and contribute to national development through training in Chemical Engineering. Through this new initiative, the University will better prepare graduates for the petrochemical industry and support the country’s industrial growth.

The Vice Chancellor appreciated that the proposed collaboration aims to address Uganda’s growing need for industrial expertise, particularly as the country develops its petroleum sector. The two universities here are working toward a 1+2 training model, which will enable Makerere students to gain practical experience and access advanced laboratory facilities at Xiangtan University.

Professor Nawangwe further reiterated that “our relationship with the people of China, not just for Makerere but also for a big part of Uganda, has been opened wider by the establishment of the Confucius Institute, considering that many other collaborations like one being discussed now have come through this collaboration.”

The head of the Xiangtan delegation, Professor Dingyu Ou, expressed appreciation for the meeting, and acknowledged the history between the institutions. “As mentioned, we have a very long relationship and a very stable friendship between our two universities.” 

Professor Ou extended appreciation for the support provided to the Confucius Institute at Makerere, the care shown to his colleagues, and looked forward to the successful start of the Chemical Engineering collaboration.

Assuring the delegation of Makerere’s readiness for the collaboration, Ms. Hawa Ndagire Kajumba the Lead, Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement, Makerere University Advancement Office, aligned with the Vice Chancellor’s emphasis of University goal to have both theory and practice imparted to the students. 

She said “the curriculum of the university and Uganda as a whole is moving towards competence-based education training to ensure students are equipped to demonstrate those skills in the actual field, particularly regarding petroleum exploration.” 

Ms. Ndagire Kajumba also emphasised a shift in strategy for the partnership office, saying, “we are moving away from just signing MOUs that collect dust, and moving towards those that are more collaborative to benefit our faculty and students, just like this one.”

Professor Gilbert Kumushabe aligned his remarks with those of the Vice Chancellor and Ms. Ndagire Kajumba, and described the method used at Xiangtan University as “actually competence-based teaching.” 

Based on his recent visit, Prof. Gumoshabe shared that students in China are divided into groups with dedicated teachers to perform practical, hands-on work beyond the theoretical lecturers. He expressed gladness that the same was being adopted for the Ugandan context.

Both institutions are now working to finalise the specific agreements for the joint degree and exchange programs. Beyond academic training, the collaboration will advance cultural and professional exchange.

Makerere University School of Public Health invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for three positions under the Wellcome Trust-supported NETOMA study, which examines the coexistence of health worker shortages and unemployment among qualified health professionals in Africa.

Available Positions

1. Research Officer
   To coordinate longitudinal research, data management, quality assurance, and statistical analysis across study sites.
   Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21465
2. Policy Scientist
   To undertake health workforce policy research, evidence synthesis, qualitative analysis and knowledge translation.
   Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21468
3. Research Assistants
   To support participant recruitment, field data collection, research documentation, and analysis.
   Full details and application: https://sph.mak.ac.ug/careers/?view_job=21470

Application deadline: Friday, 16 October 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EAT .