Agriculture & Environment
Mak Launches IGE in Practice Programme
By Hilda Makune for EfD-Mak
Makerere University has launched a new program dubbed “Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) in Practice”. IGE in Practice, is a collaborative programme between Makerere University’s Environment for Development Initiative (EfD-Mak) Center and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden fully funded by Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). Other participating countries are Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda.
The program is aimed at strengthening Uganda’s capacity for transformation towards an Inclusive Green Economy largely under the United Nations SDG 8 that focuses on promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
IGE in Practice will focus on the use of environmental policy instruments, and specifically economic instruments such as environmental taxes, pollution fees, subsidies or subsidy reduction and other types of fiscal incentives for societal development in line with the Global Agenda 2030.
The program is an advanced in-service training with direct applicability in the participants’ daily work involving theoretical training within IGE, practical exercises, project development and support for implementing own change work.
The official program launch and training was held at at Makerere University’s Central Teaching Facility 2 (CTF2) on 4th June, 2021 with six (6) selected senior public servants competitively selected among the 19 participants nominated through the Permanent Secretary, Minsitry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development and relayed via zoom to other participants.
The selected senior public servants were from the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Ministry of Water and Environment, the National Planning Authority (NPA) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA).
These selected public servants will undergo a one year course (running from June 2021 to June 2022) and upon successful completion, given a title of IGE fellows and are expected to become IGE change agents and IGE trainers in their different Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The function was also attended by the Principal, Makerere University College of Business and Management Sciences (CoBAMS) Assoc. Prof. Eria Hisali, the Director EfD-Mak Centre who is also, Dean, School of Economics Assoc Prof. Edward Bbaale and Makerere University IGE program support team – Dr. John Sseruyange, Lecturer in School of Economics and Mr. Peter Babyenda the Policy Engagement Specialist in charge of coordinating the training program. These were joined by Prof. Anders Ekbom, the IGE program head at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
In his opening remarks, the Principal CoBAMS Assoc. Prof. Eria Hisali said the future for sustainable growth across the global is in Inclusive Green Economy, a new phenomenon, yet to be fully tapped into. He thanked the donors for putting trust in the university assuring them that they shall rise to the task that they are taking up.
He underscored the importance of IGE as extremely important in the case of Uganda and across the developing world presenting a number of opportunities and areas of interest to harness such as Water, Agriculture Energy that have been adequately taken care of in the planning frame work under the National Development Plan of Uganda.
“There is vast potential in the area of Renewable Energy; we have a potential to produce up to around 6,000mega watts of renewable energy, and yet what has been exploited as of now is under 500mega watts so, there is quite a big potential in the renewable energy in Uganda.
The good will we still have with the donor community, Inclusive Green Economy naturally includes among others tapping into the appropriate technology, good technology and value addition”, the Principal said.
Assoc. Prof. Hisali noted that although there are a number of opportunities and initiatives available in the Inclusive Green Economy, the concept is still new across the private and public arena. He implored the university IGE team to ponder on the issues such as stakeholder coordination, engagement, and involvement.
“Even when you sample across the public and the private sector, not everyone would appreciate the concept in the same way. The coverage is still limited. How do we get the different stake holders on board? How do we exploit now the untapped potential in terms of an Inclusive Green Economy?
The development philosophy of Uganda is largely the private Sector, will naturally play a very big role in driving the development process. Therefore, the question here is how do we incentivize the private sector to take up these different aspects of Inclusive Green Economy investments.
There are a number of initiatives under Inclusive Green Economy investments which are across the country both in the private and public sector. There are different sectors in different locations. How do we plan to coordinate these sectors?” Assoc. Prof. Hisali questioned.
The Director, EfD-Mak Center who is also part of the support team of Inclusive IGE Assoc. Prof. Edward Bbaale introduced EfD as a global network of Environmental Research Centers comprising fifteen centers across the world coordinated in the EfD Secretariat, a special unit in the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg Sweden.
He said the EfD impact modal values a lot academic training which feeds into the Applied Research and also, institutional development which ultimately leads to Research Policy interaction and then the realization of an impact.
The Director said the meeting was about Inclusive Green Economy in practice, a capacity building program where the trainees will be equipped with information about the IGE Program, what it is about, why IGE, what the training will cover and the role of the centre and the trainees.
Prof. Bbaale expressed the need to ensure commitment by the participants on the program tasks and also connect with each other and understand each other’s roles.
He reported that the first round of this program will run until March 2022 and targets the senior civil servants mainly the economists. In Uganda. Prof. Bbaale said 19 participants were recommended but 6 were selected but the program too has a regional focus with 5 participants from Kenya, Rwanda with 6, then, Tanzania and Ethiopia each with 6.
“The main objective is to strengthen East African countries capacity to transform into an Inclusive Green Economy through; Increased knowledge and Application of Economic and Environmental policy instruments; Organizational change, how do we change the organizations where we work to make sure that we are well aligned in the inclusive Green Economy agenda and; Strengthen National systems for Inclusive and sustainable Economic development”, Bbaale said.
In the program out line, Prof. Bbaale said, phase 1 in March –April 2021was a call for applications and phase 2 is the startup meetings which was being done and running according to plan. In phase 3 there will be trainings on the Inclusive Green Economy aspects, theories and practices.
Prof. Bbaale reported that Phase 4 shall have the Golden thread called the Inclusive Green Economy Project where each participant will have to design a project in their different organizations intended to show how they can change their organizations and how well they can align themselves in a Green Economy.
In the same phase 4, the Director said, there will be support workshops, high level policy workshops, support meetings from the mentors and the peer running reviews followed by regional course between October and March 2022 and then national workshops.
“This program is an advanced in-service training with direct applicability, where participants will get great understanding, knowledge and ability to critically review and analyze the current economic policies and conditions while at the same time find opportunities for transformation towards a Greener Economy. Therefore, this means you are a change agent in your organization, the training will strengthen the role of the participant as a change champion.
The program is organized by the UGOT, the center for sustainable development in collaboration with several expert organizations and Makerere University being part of that under the EfD- Mak Center. A team of experts and Lecturers include; those from Sweden but also other international experts with extensive experience.
The program is fully funded by the Swedish International Development operational Agency (SIDA). All costs are covered by the UGOT. Therefore, the participants will only contribute their time.” Assoc. Prof. Bbaale added.
He highlighted some of the benefits from the program at individual level, organizational and at the system level that combines the entire country.
At individual level he said, there is peer to peer learning, understanding the inclusive green economy, its usefulness, risks and opportunities of applying these economic instruments, and increased knowledge of organizational change, how does one start up the change at organization level and how to build network efforts at international level.
At organizational level; he explained that one will benefit by building capacity on behalf of the organization in the area of Inclusive Green Economy; Application of economic instruments and increased priority on Inclusive Green Economy and the Introduction of Inclusive Green Economy or economic instrument projects and support of the ongoing IGE projects.
At national level, he said the benefits range from Strengthened National systems for green economic transformation; Improved cooperation between government agencies and across countries of collaboration and; Enhanced application of green economy analysis and economic instruments for IGE transformation
Program Training Methodologies
In terms of training Methodologies, the Director said, these shall include; advanced professional capacity building program, which will have action learning methodologies online; under that shall have online meeting place for professionals in planning and policy development strategic and resource green economy.
Since it is going to be an action learning experience, part of it shall be exchange of knowledge and sharing of experiences. There shall be interaction in terms of group work, discussions, joint learning i.e. on line and then develop the Golden Thread – the Inclusive Green Economic Project which will be developed from the different organizations.
The Program Tasks according to Prof. Bbaale include participation in the training, developing and implementing the Inclusive Green Economy Project and conducting and participating in National policy review workshops for peer learning.
As part of the tasks; one will be a trainer and as a participant, one will be given a title of Inclusive Green Economy Fellow (IGE-Fellow) which will distinguish one from those that have not undergone this program.
As a Fellow, one will be required to actively involve the workmates/colleagues where one will form a team at their place of work with in their organization. One will work on experiences and work projects and actively contribute on their own expertise and experiences.
One will in addition manage development and implementation of a number of tasks through the 10months of the program duration and upon graduation and successful achievement of all tasks, one will be awarded a certificate and become part of the IGE-Fellow networks or program alumni.
All IGE-Fellows are assigned a support team which includes; Country Academic partners and expert advisors on Inclusive Green Economy.
Prof. Bbaale said, the role of the support team is to; Provide feedback on ones assignments and tasks, offer advice on critical questions, support and encourage one to keep moving on the program. This support team understands the Inclusive Green Economy processes, changes process and organization capacity program and they will challenge, coach , encourage and also critically review the written tasks and helps fellows with the information sharing and IGE networking.
Program Guide for the Trainings
- 10th-11 June as the first training
- 17th -18 June second training
- 9th -10th September third training
- 16th -17th September fourth training
These trainings will be conducted virtually.
Giving his remarks via zoom, the IGE program head at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Prof. Anders Ekbom said, Inclusive Green Economy (IGE) is one of the Agenda of 2030 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 8).
He said the rich and poor countries cannot do things the same way for various reasons and that is why development is not sustainable.
“And therefore we cannot go on the way we do. The Rich countries consume too much while the poor countries cannot invest in technologies that are sustainable. Investments are not environmentally or socially and economically sustainable. Our horizons are too short.
Therefore, the agenda is to guide development and this program focuses on SDG 8 which really deals with jobs, decent work but also sustainable economic development,” Prof. Anders Ekbom said.
He said IGE is a practical approach to address and work with SDG8 and that it is broader than just Green Economy because one can go for policies that promote green growth but at the expense of the poor or the marginalized people.
He clarified that, one has to emphasize on inclusion or social acceptance as one designs the green economy policies.
He explained that the SDGs are made up of 5Ps, i.e. Prosperity, People, Planet, Peace and Partnerships where the first three Ps represent Inclusive Green Economy.
In the case of IGE Prof. Anders said there is need to ensure that the economy and the environment are brought together in a large extent.
“The concept of IGE is to bring the social, economic and environmental issues together for integration, inclusion of people in planning, decision making and the outcomes. Environmental sustainability, social sustainability and economic sustainability, the three need to come together so as to have a comprehensive sustainable development”, Prof. Anders Ekbom said.
IGE according to Prof. Anders is made up of several concepts; resource efficiency, system mitigation, system resilience, strong communities and habitats, sustainable economic growth, Inclusive economic growth, equity, poverty reduction, strengthening of rights and social inclusion.
He said the Green economy wants to reduce pollution, reduce inefficiency, reduce waste, economize the natural resources and go for extensive use of natural resources while IGE has to make use of internal policy plans, and other departments as well.
“This does not mean taking over their jobs but rather working together through campaigns and other means.
IGE needs to promote green jobs and sustainable employment. Need to move from the Ministry of Environment and NEMA, and involve the Ministry of Finance because these organizations sit on very powerful tools to manage the environment through economic empowerment.
IGE needs to move away from the victims being paid for polluting the environment but rather have the polluters pay for polluting the environment. That way the environment will be preserved.
Need to move from environmental conservation and protection to sustainable management”. Prof. Anders Ekbom stressed.
Working with potential future employers of PhD students in Kenya and Uganda, Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Trans-disciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education (ADVALUE) Project aims to develop curricula that best prepare academic specialists in agricultural sciences for their careers.
Overview
The lack of skills-oriented training significantly undermines the relevance of doctoral graduates in today’s rapidly evolving job market, particularly within industries such as agriculture, where practical expertise and adaptability are essential. While doctoral programmes traditionally emphasize research and theoretical knowledge, they often fail to equip graduates with the hands-on, industry-specific skills needed to address real-world challenges. In agricultural value chains, for instance, the ability to apply advanced research to optimize production, supply chain management, sustainability practices, and technological advancements is crucial. Without a strong foundation in these practical areas, doctoral graduates may struggle to effectively contribute to innovation and efficiency in agricultural systems. From improving crop yields through data analysis to enhancing logistics and distribution methods, agricultural value chains require professionals who can seamlessly integrate research with practical application.
What the ADVALUE Project targets to address
Co-funded by the European Union, the ADVALUE Project—Advancing Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains through Strengthening Trans-disciplinary Skills and Cooperation in East African Doctoral Education—seeks to modernize doctoral education in agricultural and agro-environmental sciences at universities in Uganda and Kenya. This initiative aims to enhance trans-disciplinary skills to promote the development of sustainable agricultural value chains, addressing pressing challenges such as food insecurity, unemployment, and climate change.
Project partners include; Nuertingen-Geislingen University, Germany (NGU); German Institute for Tropical and Subtropical Agriculture (DITSL); Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU); Swedish University of Agricultural Science (SLU); Makerere University, Uganda; Uganda Christian University (UCU); University of Nairobi, Kenya (UoN); Pwani University Kenya (PU); Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture, Uganda (RUFORUM). Associated Partners: European Alliance in Agricultural Knowledge for Development, Belgium (AGRINATURA); National Agricultural Research Organization, Uganda (NARO); National Council of Higher Education, Uganda (NCHE); Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO); Ministry of Education Science and Technology Kenya (MoEST). The project PI is Prof. Dr. Heinrich Schüle. In Uganda, the project is coordinated by Prof. John Tabuti.
Project objectives
- Develop innovative courses on trans-disciplinary research methodologies and value chain analysis within doctoral programmes.
- Strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders to ensure research is demand-driven and fosters innovation.
- Enhance the expertise of both academic staff and doctoral students.
- Improve quality assurance frameworks and development processes in doctoral education.
To achieve these goals, ADVALUE is developing four modules for PhD students that will be integrated into the curricula of the partner universities in Kenya and Uganda, taking into account the experiences and expectations of local stakeholders and potential future employers. The modules will include topics on scientific work, trans-disciplinary research, rangeland management, and agricultural value chains. The collaboration and exchange between the universities and representatives from the working environment, government organisations and international partners aims to strengthen the career prospects of postgraduate students in East Africa and promote their expertise with regard to the local requirements for achieving the SDGs.
The ADVALUE interim conference
The project team held an interim conference at Makerere University on 17th-19th March 2025 to evaluate the state of PhD education in agriculture, incorporating diverse insights from both European and East African perspectives. The conference brought together academic staff, students, and leaders from partner institutions, associated organizations, and key stakeholders in the Agricultural sector.
The conference aimed to highlight the progress and findings of the project, offering a platform for discussing PhD research on agricultural value chains within higher education institutions (HEIs). A key focus was on trans-disciplinary approaches, as well as fostering dialogue on quality criteria for PhD programs. Additionally, the event served as a formal meeting for the project’s Steering Committee and provided an opportunity for partners to refine their assessments of doctoral education in line with established quality standards and institutional contexts.
Presentation by Mr. Joseph Nkandu on the Agricultural Value Chains in E.A
In his address on the sustainability of agricultural value chains in East Africa, Mr. Joseph Nkandu, Executive Director of NUCAFE (Uganda’s national umbrella organization for coffee farmers), emphasized the vital role that higher education plays in strengthening and advancing agricultural value chains. He stressed the importance of aligning education with the region’s broader development goals to ensure that future generations of agricultural professionals are equipped with the necessary skills for sustainable growth. “Education must become more practical and closely integrated with the region’s development objectives,” he noted. He praised the initiative, noting that the project would greatly enhance doctoral training at partner institutions, empowering students with advanced knowledge and skills to support and sustain agricultural value chains across East Africa. “The sustainability of Africa’s value chains is essential if we are to meet the demands of the growing population,” he added.
Uganda’s agricultural value chains are a cornerstone of its economy. However, several challenges threaten their sustainability, including climate change, which affects crop yields and water availability; inadequate infrastructure, which hinders market access; limited access to finance for smallholder farmers; land degradation; and insufficient technology adoption. Moreover, pest outbreaks and post-harvest losses further undermine the efficiency and profitability of agricultural systems. Tackling these challenges is essential to improving the sustainability and resilience of Uganda’s agricultural sector.
Remarks from NCHE
In her remarks, Prof. Mary Okwakol, the Executive Director of the National Council for Higher Education, emphasized the critical role of doctoral training in driving societal progress. She explained that advanced research and innovation resulting from doctoral programmes not only contribute to academic advancement but also pave the way for ground-breaking discoveries. “These discoveries, in turn, play a pivotal role in shaping and transforming nation-states by addressing pressing challenges, fostering economic growth, and improving the quality of life for communities.” Prof. Okwakol called for continued investment in doctoral education to harness its potential for national development and global competitiveness.
Highlighting the challenges related to Doctoral training, the Deputy Principal of CAES, Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze, noted that the project was timely and would greatly strengthen the research capabilities of doctoral students, ensuring that their skills are more aligned with current academic and industry needs, ultimately improving the overall relevance and impact of their research outputs. “As Makerere University strives to become a research-intensive institution, the importance of collaboration cannot be overstated. This project will make a substantial contribution to this goal.”
Engagement with smallholder farmer in Matugga
During the conference, the project team had the opportunity to visit the farm of Mr. Sam Mpiira, a dedicated smallholder farmer located in Matugga, within Nansana Municipality. The visit allowed the team to gain first-hand insight into Mr. Mpiira’s farming practices, observe the challenges he faces, and better understand the impact of various agricultural initiatives in the region. This experience was an important part of the conference, as it provided a real-world context to the discussions on smallholder farming and rural development.
Key Issues Arising from the Workshop
- Overemphasis on theoretical science: While science is extensively studied, its practical application remains problematic.
- Outdated supervision: Many PhD supervisors are not up-to-date with current research trends. There is a need for educational frameworks that align with the latest development agendas.
- Technician mentality among graduates: A significant number of PhD graduates tend to think like technicians rather than innovators. Many struggle to apply the knowledge they’ve acquired and lack the ability to think creatively.
- Lack of innovation: There is a notable absence of innovation among doctoral graduates, which hinders progress.
- Evolving skillsets in value chains: There is an urgent need to address the changing skillsets required across different value chains.
- Unrealistic PhD programme durations: The prescribed durations for PhD programmes are often unrealistic and fail to reflect the complexity of the research process.
- Competing priorities: The multiple demands on students’ time hinder their ability to complete doctoral studies in time.
- Financial barriers: Limited funding continues to undermine the success and sustainability of doctoral training programmes.
- Lack of student commitment: Some doctoral students exhibit a lack of commitment and dedication to their studies, impacting their success.
- Negative student attitudes: Students often display an underestimation of the role and guidance of their supervisors, which affects their academic progress.
- Inadequate research facilities: Limited access to essential research facilities hampers the quality of doctoral research.
- Weak analytical skills: Many doctoral students lack the necessary analytical skills to perform at the required level of their academic discipline.
- Gender-based challenges: Gender roles negatively impact the performance and progression of female doctoral students, limiting their academic potential.
- Supervisory workload: Excessive workload on supervisors affects the quality and effectiveness of their mentorship.
- Need for relearning in value chains: Achieving sustainability in value chains demands continuous relearning and adaptation.
Recommendations
- Dedicated study leave: Doctoral students should be granted leave from other responsibilities to focus fully on their research.
- Creating research spaces: Institutions must create dedicated, conducive workspaces for doctoral students to foster collaboration and focus.
- Increase funding opportunities: More scholarships and financial support should be made available to PhD students to ease financial barriers.
- Research-oriented supervision: Supervisors must establish and maintain active research agendas to ensure they remain relevant and effective in guiding students.
- Strengthen institutional collaboration: Encouraging greater collaboration between Higher Education Institutions can foster exchange of ideas and resources to enhance doctoral research outcomes.
Photos from conference activities
More photos at:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1cZwlLXt5YBWoeMfO0wVbdva0NLIQ5sHr
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/107GJR6nCZJwKjmfrwveGXw7As2AhAQWt
Agriculture & Environment
Mak Launches Urban Futures Project, Unveils Handbook on Urban Heat Management
“Toward health equity, inclusive governance, and climate adaptation in African Informal Settlements”
Makerere University, in collaboration with the University of Waterloo and the University of Manchester, on 6th March launched a new project titled: The Urban Futures Project: Toward Health Equity, Inclusive Governance and Climate Adaptation in African Informal Settlements, and Urban Heat Risk Awareness Raising and Knowledge Exchange. The Urban Futures project is the first learning lab initiated to foster collaboration, knowledge exchange amongst the various stakeholders and inclusive decision-making process that addresses complex challenges faced by informal settlements in Kampala.
Project Partners: Makerere University, University of Waterloo and the University of Manchester, Institute of Development Studies, Sierra Leon Research Centre, Training and Research Support Centre, Government of Uganda, Kampala Capital City Authority, Act Together Uganda, and Focus for Life Development Link.
Unveiling the Urban Heat Management Handbook
During the launch event at Fairway Hotel in Kampala, the Urban Heat Management Handbook was unveiled to help raise awareness and promote knowledge exchange on heat stress. The handbook covers critical topics such as understanding heat resilience, assessing heat risk, planning for heat resilience, responding to heat waves, and providing solutions for heat resilience.
The Urban Futures project will highlight the multifaceted risks faced by informal residents and workers, aiming to create South-South learning opportunities to address these inequitable threats. The study will focus on vulnerable populations in informal settlements and workers, seeking to identify equitable adaptation pathways to address climate risks that exacerbate health disparities.
Project Approach
The project will adopt a collaborative approach involving diverse stakeholders, focusing on developing health adaptation strategies, building resilience, and fostering growth through knowledge co-generation, continuous learning, evaluation, and improvement. The research will be conducted in three large African cities on the frontlines of climate change: Kampala (Uganda), Freetown (Sierra Leone), and Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). Through interdisciplinary and participatory methods, the study will gather evidence on how climate-related risks impact the daily lives of residents and workers in these areas.
Key Remarks
In his opening remarks, Dr. Paul Mukwaya, Head of the Department of Geography, Geo-informatics, and Climatic Sciences, described the learning lab as an essential space for dialogue among stakeholders in informal settlements. “The Urban Action Lab is our space to discuss urban development challenges together as a community, to find effective solutions,” he said.
Ms. Anita Kusiima, representing the Executive Director of Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), spoke about the challenges posed by attitudes toward enforcement. “KCCA has initiated strategies like greening, skilling, and livelihood programs. However, we struggle with enforcement. Until statistics like these are shared with communities, people don’t realize how much we are destroying our environment. It’s common to wake up and find over 40 trees have been cut down overnight. In places like Nakasero, many trees are cut during the night. As a country and a city, we face not only poor attitudes toward the law but also towards the quality of life we want to achieve,” she said. “Urban farming has seen success at the household level, greening has been effective, and school programs aimed at raising awareness have also been successful.”
Dr. Robbinson Kabanda, a Veterinary Doctor at KCCA, emphasized the learning lab’s potential in addressing issues such as budget cuts and the impacts of climate change on Kampala. “With budget cuts affecting many funded activities, this is a great opportunity for Kampala, where the majority live in informal settlements and are especially vulnerable to climate change,” he said. “These collaborative spaces foster innovation and experimentation in urban contexts, bringing together various stakeholders and practitioners to address complex urban challenges through shared learning.”
Mr. Hakimu Ssevviiri, from the Research Urban Action Lab, highlighted the power of the urban learning lab in addressing urban challenges through collaboration, innovation, and community engagement. He emphasized the importance of urban resilience, improved decision-making, and public involvement.
Issues highlighted at the Launch
- There is a critical need for timely interventions to address heat stress and other challenges facing informal settlements.
- Informal settlements lack sufficient space for tree planting.
- Trees take time to mature, making them a long-term solution.
- Reducing electricity costs and improving water access are immediate priorities.
- Solar energy use is vital for reducing heat stress, particularly in households.
- Strong government policies on heat stress, such as promoting the use of mosquito nets, are essential.
- Wetland degradation and tree clearance are major contributors to heat stress.
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