Agriculture & Environment
Mak Granted 10 Hectares in Poron, Napak to set up Livestock Café & Tick Control Demos
By Jane Anyango
Makerere University has been handed 10 hectares of land in Poron Sub-County, Napak District to set up a livestock café with a tick control demonstration site. The land was handed over from Poron Sub-County to the Napak and Moroto District Technical and Political officials and then to the University on 23rd October 2021.
The demonstration site and knowledge hub are to be implemented under the Drylands Transform project funded by the Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development, aimed at addressing complex challenges in the East African dylands such as climate change, food insecurity, land and ecosystem degradation and weak institutions.
Drylands Transform investigates the inter linkages between land health, livestock based livelihoods, human wellbeing and land governance mechanisms in order to contribute to transformative change and sustainable development of the social ecological system in drylands of East Africa.
The 10 hectares were handed over following a series of meetings between the Makerere University research team and Napak and Moroto District Local Governments and Poron Sub-County Technical and Political officials, wherein the research team sought permission and support to implement five-year project activities for the benefit of the agro- pastoralists and pure pastoralists.
Makerere University’s Principal Investigator Prof. Denis Mpairwe thanked the Parish, Sub-County and District technical and political units for the support and offer. He said the offer followed field visits and meetings with stakeholders, users and land owners as well as the Sub-County officials in areas where the project activities will be piloted.
“We were able to meet all the Councilors, Sub-County Chiefs and all the Local Council Chairpersons of the parishes where we shall be operating. We were welcomed in the area and there was willingness to work with the people on the Drylands Transform project.
What was amazing was that when we came for recognizance, we met the community and when we left they went ahead and demarcated the land. And later when they found it was not adequate they went ahead to give us another piece across the road but still within the same area and so we secured the 10 hectares that we need”, Prof. Mpairwe said.
The other achievement according to Prof. Mpairwe was that the communities were all in acceptance and agreed to work with the project team that is going to come under the LDSF – Land Degradation Surveillance Framework expected of them in December and January during the dry spell.
The third achievement he said, was that the community accepted to work with enumerators scheduled to come to conduct household surveys on people’s livelihoods with priority participants being the local residents as long as they hold degrees and diplomas.
The Local Council III (LCIII) Chairperson Poron Mr. Agella John summed it all up by saying that the Sub-County had already given the University whatever it required and that the parties had better stop talking and embark on action. Through consensus all the Sub-County and Parish Chiefs as well as District Officials had agreed on the land for the project.
They also noted that as a Sub-County they didn’t have a heavily degraded or bare area as sought by the project team but unanimously agreed with the University team that Matany was different from the other study sites as it falls under the rain belt where they are expected to look at degradation not by the bare ground but by the loss of important species.
“We went to the site with the entire team in the afternoon, and were taken around the land, given demarcations and then there was an official hand over of the land from the community to the Sub-County, from the Sub-County to the District, then from the District to the project, and it was made clear that this land is still theirs”. The PI explained.
The community appreciated the humble approach the University used to request for land expressing happiness and readiness to work with the project team.
They were also appreciative that the project was focusing on livestock, crops and land use which were important to them.
The community members also introduced the research team to the main crops grown including, green gram, sunflower, sorghum, maize and cassava. They were interested in seeing how green gram can be improved as the major cash crop.
The community in addition said, since the project was looking at the degraded areas it has to address the problem of water scarcity too.
The research team was also informed that most of the population never went to school but, what they have seen in the livestock cafe as a knowledge sharing centre, is a school where they will acquire practical skills, utilize the knowledge and teach others.
The community acknowledged poor nutrition of the animals and entire families as a major factor affecting them and wanted researchers to address the issue of controlling ticks on their livestock as it poses a big challenge.
The acquired land according to Prof. Mpairwe is to be used as a demonstration site termed as a livestock café. In this area the project wants to demonstrate the sustainable way of utilizing the land without causing degradation but also improve on its productivity and in the long run, improve the livelihoods of the people.
“Within the livestock cafe we are going to look at how to improve all the crops, the pasture and trees in the area. We are also trying to address the challenges of the drylands where the major factors are water and fodder and that is why we want to work with you to show you the sustainable ways of conserving water and utilizing it”, Prof. Mpairwe said.
He reported that the site allocated has a water tank that is silted and that this was a chance for the project to de-silt it so as to provide enough water for the livestock café in addition to setting up a spray race to control ticks.
“Our target is knowledge sharing, teaching the people on what to do, to conserve the land, increase on its productivity, stop degradation, improve animal and human health and in the long run, improve the livelihoods of people.
In a nutshell, we scored high in Napak. We were able to get a team of willing agro-pastoralists stakeholders to work with us after understanding what the project is about. By the fourth year project mark, the people would have learnt how to utilize the land, increase productivity of both the crop and livestock and got enough knowledge to produce from that land, knowledge to give to others and there is high potential of making money especially from feeds and hay which is becoming a big commodity in Uganda”, Prof. Mpairwe stated.
Napak District Agricultural Officer Mr. Nangiro Abrahams said they understood the whole concept of the Drylands Transform project as one of the longest projects the district will host.
The Agricultural Officer thanked the community of Napak and Poron Sub-County in particular for the teamwork saying, where the district leadership had reached in terms of preparation was amazing.
“As soon as we heard of the coming of the project, we were able to take up the matter and share it with our community leaders. As the District Agricultural Officer, we have interested the community to take up developmental interventions in the area and Poron Sub-County in particular. I have also welcomed the project and I am confident that the community will cooperate for the project to achieve the desired objectives”, Mr. Nangiro said.
Nangiro noted that the main aspects of the project which are landscapes, livestock and livelihoods require a lot of demonstrations in the community. He said the community had gone ahead with the leadership of the Sub-County and District to identify some portion of land of over 20 acres where the project will be located.
The Agricultural Officer said, the mode of project delivery focuses on livestock cafes and the land given by the community will be owned by the Sub-County with all demonstrations about livestock management, crop production, water conservation, pasture management done within the given plot of land.
Mr. Nangiro said after the project, the demonstration site will continue acting as a school for the community and many who have not gone to school for the sustainability of the project.
He said Napak District Local Government welcomes interventions that are geared towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals and works together with non-state actors to complement government programs to fill the gaps in advisory services, financing and staffing.
“Many of our people depend on livestock for their livelihood and this aspect has been so much affected because of the changing climate and poor agronomic practices and this is where other actors have to come on board to work with government to find solutions.
Many of our farmers have gone into crop farming and have issues to do with non-adaption to good agricultural practices, lack of agricultural inputs, agro input dealers, agro processing where concerted effort is required”, Nangiro noted. The District Agricultural Officer called upon Makerere University to put more focus into research, practices, technologies and indigenous knowledge that has been lost over the years for better survival of the communities.
Jane Anyango is the Principal Communication Officer, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES)
![[L-R] Dr.Godfrey Akileng - Dean School of Business, Prof. Sarah N. Ssali - Ag. Vice Chancellor, Chief Guest - Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, and Gordon Katwirenabo-Assistant Commissioner, Quality Assurance and Value Addition, MAAIF at the Congress.](https://news.mak.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Entreprenuership-Congress-2025-400x240.jpg)
![[L-R] Dr.Godfrey Akileng - Dean School of Business, Prof. Sarah N. Ssali - Ag. Vice Chancellor, Chief Guest - Mr. Odrek Rwabwogo, and Gordon Katwirenabo-Assistant Commissioner, Quality Assurance and Value Addition, MAAIF at the Congress.](https://news.mak.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Entreprenuership-Congress-2025-80x80.jpg)
Agriculture & Environment
Makerere hosts International Conference on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Actions
By Betty Kyakuwa and Eve Nakyanzi
Makerere University will from 28th to 30th October 2025 host the International Conference and Training Workshop on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Actions (ICTW-FSTCA 2025) under the COMSTECH Forum for Environment and Ecosystem Restoration (CFEER). COMSTECH is the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, one of four standing committees of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) dedicated to the promotion and cooperation of science and technology activities among the member states.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on 28th October, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Uganda, H.E. Muhammad Hassan Wazir, commended Makerere University and COMSTECH for convening discussions on such a timely and relevant theme. Emphasising the urgency of collective action, he remarked, “Climate change is real. While the whole world has been feeling its impact for several years, we in Pakistan witnessed devastation. We recently experienced a large-scale cloud burst, severe flood, flash flooding and melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas.”
H.E. Wazir noted that such experiences reveal the deep vulnerabilities of global food systems and the need for coordinated solutions. The High Commissioner also applauded Uganda’s progress in infrastructure and economic stability, describing it as an attractive environment for investment and collaboration. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work closely with African countries—particularly Uganda—in areas such as agro-processing, water-saving irrigation technologies, and climate-resilient crops, as part of the “Look Africa Policy”, an initiative launched in 2018 to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the African continent.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of universities in addressing Africa’s pressing food security challenges amid high population growth and climate change. He highlighted Makerere’s century-long legacy of academic excellence, innovation, and contributions to regional development, including breakthroughs in medicine, agriculture, and technology. Prof. Nawangwe underscored the university’s commitment to research, innovation hubs, and youth entrepreneurship as key solutions for building resilient and sustainable food systems, and expressed hope that the knowledge shared at the workshop would benefit educators, students, and farmers alike.
In his keynote address, Dr. Logan Cochrane, Dean of the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Qatar, outlined the pressing challenges and promising opportunities shaping global food systems today. He noted that climate change is creating new public health risks, such as malaria spreading to areas that had previously been unaffected, while also disrupting agricultural productivity. Equally concerning are shifts in global diets: more people are consuming processed, salty, and fatty foods, resulting in an unprecedented situation where, in 2025, as many children are overweight as are underweight—approximately 10% of the global population in each category. This dual challenge, he observed, underscores that food systems are not only insufficient but increasingly unhealthy. Dr. Cochrane also highlighted structural vulnerabilities, including overreliance on global food trade, limited irrigation, poor road networks, and inadequate access to markets, hospitals, and schools as factors that reduce the African continent’s efficiency and resilience.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Cochrane emphasized optimism and actionable opportunities. He shared that sustainable local production, especially of regionally relevant crops like Ethiopia’s taro and false banana, can improve nutrition and domestic food security. Strengthening regional trade networks, particularly through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, presents a US$50 billion opportunity for Africa to reduce dependence on imports.
He added that Governments can play a transformative role by enabling smallholders and the private sector through infrastructure improvements, policy support, and food reserve systems. Reducing food loss and waste, which can reach up to 50% from farm to kitchen, he noted, is another key area for efficiency gains. Furthermore, he said that social protection programs, early warning systems for pests and diseases, and school-based nutrition initiatives can safeguard vulnerable populations while supporting farmers’ livelihoods.
Finally, Dr. Cochrane highlighted the need to make agriculture “cool” for young people, by integrating technology, circular food systems, and innovative approaches to attract the next generation to agricultural careers. By leveraging these opportunities, he argued, food systems can become healthier, more resilient, and more sustainable for the future.
Mr. Alex Bambona who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) highlighted Uganda’s commitment to the global food systems transformation agenda. He noted that in September 2021, Uganda joined international efforts to address food security and recognized several challenges in fully harnessing the country’s natural endowments. “Uganda is a beautiful country, gifted by nature, and has the potential to feed not only East Africa but much of the continent,” he said. However, he stressed that gaps remain, particularly in the application of science and technology to transform agriculture. Mr. Bambona also identified climate change as a significant challenge, acting as a negative driver that must be addressed for Uganda to realize its full potential in sustainable food production.
Ms. Angela Atukunda, representing the Secretary General of the Uganda National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)/ Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), highlighted Uganda’s longstanding engagement with international cooperation through its membership in the OIC since 1974, which also brought the country into ICESCO. She explained that UNATCOM, as Uganda’s National Commission for UNESCO/ICESCO, plays a key role in promoting science, innovation, education reform, and cultural heritage preservation in collaboration with government ministries, academia, civil society, and international partners.
Ms. Atukunda emphasized that platforms provided by events such as ICTW-FSTCA 2025 are crucial for sharing knowledge, shaping policy, and building partnerships to address urgent climate action needs through food systems transformation. She noted that globally, food systems account for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, and without reform in production, processing, transport, and consumption, efforts to limit global warming will fall short.
She further noted that climate change is already threatening food security through unpredictable rainfall, soil degradation, droughts, floods, and pests—impacts that disproportionately affect smallholder farmers. She stressed the importance of climate justice and the development of homegrown solutions rooted in science, indigenous knowledge, innovation, and inclusive governance.
The opening ceremony held in the Senior Common Room, Main Building was virtually addressed Coordinator Genera, OIC-COMSTEC-H.E. Prof. Dr. Iqbal M. Choudhary and the Advisor/Director, Science and Technology, ICESCO-Dr. Muhammad Sharif. ICTW-FSTCA 2025 will feature a number of discussion and working sessions on Day 1 and Day 2 and conclude on 30th October with a filed visit to the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Namulonge and the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK).
Agriculture & Environment
RUFS Empowers Smallholder Farmers to Build Resilience against Floods & Droughts
Smallholder farmers across the globe are increasingly confronted with the dual challenges of water-related stresses, ranging from devastating floods to prolonged droughts. These cyclical extremes threaten livelihoods, food security, and sustainable agricultural productivity. To effectively address these challenges, it is essential to implement resilient, integrated strategies that recognize the complex and fluctuating nature of water availability.
The Resilient Urban Food Systems (RUFS) project promotes innovative approaches that empower smallholder farmers to better manage water resources by capturing and storing excess water during periods of abundance, efficiently utilizing limited water supplies during dry spells, and building adaptive capacity to withstand and recover from extreme weather events. Through these solutions, RUFS helps create a foundation for sustainable farming that not only mitigates risks but also enhances productivity and long-term resilience in vulnerable agricultural communities.
Under the initiative titled “Strengthening Urban Food Systems Resilience to Flood and Drought Risks through New Strategic Partnerships: Consolidating Gains from the RUFS Project in Kasese Municipality and Mbale City, Uganda,” the team conducted an intensive two-day training workshop for smallholder farmers in Kasese Municipality. The workshop aimed to equip farmers with practical skills and knowledge, specifically in the production of organic pesticides and fertilizers, to enhance their adaptive capacity.
Conducted on 13th and 14th October 2025 at the residence of Bishop Stephen Nsibambi on Kilembe Road, Kasese Municipality, the training built upon insights and outcomes from the inception meeting of the RUFS Phase II held 18th–21st August 2025. The initiatives under Phase II of the RUFS Project aim to reduce damage from natural hazards, improve drainage and water storage, conserve soil moisture, decrease reliance on rainfall, and ultimately bolster resilience against water-related extremes.
The project is led by Prof. Frank Mugagga from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics, and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University, and funded through the AgriFoSe2030 Programme.
Achievements Registered from the Workshop
The training enhanced the resilience of smallholder farmers by equipping them to better withstand natural hazards, with a special focus on reducing their vulnerability to floods and droughts. The two-day workshop concentrated on the production and use of pesticides and fertilizers derived from locally available, nutrient-rich plants such as Tithonia (Kimyula), Wandering Jew (Naanda), Amaranthus spp. (Ddodo), Black Jack (Sere), and Phytolacca (Luwoko). It also covered the use of ash, animal and human urine, as well as techniques for harvesting and purifying rainwater.
Specifically, smallholder farmers in Kasese Municipality gained practical skills in the production of natural, effective plant teas using decomposing and hairy plants combined with ash, an eco-friendly method to enrich soil sustainably. They were trained in rainwater harvesting through trench digging and other methods, as well as rainwater purification using charcoal. Additionally, the farmers were taken through the process of producing fertilizers using a mixture of cowdung, water and ash, as well as human urine and locally available plants. Furthermore, farmers learned to make organic pesticides from readily available materials such as ash, animal urine, onions, papaya leaves, water, pepper, and soap.
Overall, the training promoted sustainable, eco-friendly farming practices while strengthening smallholder farmers’ skills in pest management and climate-resilient agronomic techniques. It was led by Mr. Henry Stanley Mbowa, Head of Research at AidEnvironment and a member of the RUFS Project.
Insights from the farmers’ representative
Mr. Sunday Salveri, a dedicated smallholder farmer from Kasese, highlighted the critical role of active farmer participation in forming and sustaining a farmer group and association. In his address, he urged fellow farmers to become more engaged and take proactive steps to improve their livelihoods through active group participation. He emphasized that increased involvement is essential for maintaining a vibrant, effective group that benefits all members. Mr. Salveri also encouraged more farmers to join the group, viewing collective effort as key to achieving economic sustainability. “Expanding membership is vital for the association’s growth and resilience,” he noted.
Furthermore, Mr. Salveri stressed the importance of applying practical business lessons learned on the ground. He suggested that farmers produce fertilizers and pesticides themselves as a way to both generate income and reduce costs for members. To facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development, he proposed establishing a demonstration site to train other farmers. Recognizing the role of family support, Mr. Salveri emphasized involving family members in these activities, highlighting that their participation is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of agricultural endeavors.
He underscored the need to think beyond agriculture, advocating for the continued existence of the cluster and the RUFS initiative. He expressed hope that these efforts will bring sustained benefits to farmers and their families.
Courtesy Call
The RUFS team paid a courtesy call on the Bishop of Rwenzori region – Lord Nason Baluku who appreciated the team’s efforts. The meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships and reaffirm mutual commitment toward the initiatives.
-
General2 weeks agoMakerere is No.1 in the Region – THE University Rankings
-
General1 week agoMak Management Decries Student Violence at Mitchell Hall
-
General2 weeks agoTribute to Baba Rt. Hon. Raila Amolo Odinga
-
General2 weeks agoMak and University of the West of England Sign MoU to Advance Research, Innovation and Skills Development
-
General1 week agoMak Endowment Fund 3rd Board of Trustees Inaugurated