Natural Sciences
Commemorating World Fisheries Day – Stakeholders call for more Investment in Fish Farming
Theme of the 2021 World Fisheries Day celebrations:“Recognizing and Supporting the Contribution and Sustainable Development of Small Scale Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture”
The World Fisheries Day celebrated on 21st November annually presents an opportunity for stakeholders in the fishing industry to reflect on the state of Fisheries resources.
On 22nd November 2021, Uganda joined the rest of the world to commemorate the day. The celebrations to mark the day were held at St. Isidoro (Negri) Bar-Dege, Layibi Division in Gulu City. The event was presided over by the Minister of State for Fisheries, Hon. Hellen Adoa and attended by major actors in the fisheries industry in Uganda as well as political and religious leaders from Gulu District.
Highlighting the achievements and challenges faced by the fisheries sector globally, participants expressed concern over the continued depletion of fish from water bodies as a result illegal and unregulated fishing methods.
Addressing participants, the Minister of State for Fisheries, Hon. Hellen Adoa called for more investment in fish farming to salvage the industry. “The fishing sector is faced with numerous challenges. The persistent use of illegal fishing gears and methods has resulted in catching and processing of immature fish. This has led to the decline of fish stocks reducing fish catches and consequently undermining the contribution of the sector to the economy,” she explained, calling on the general public to embrace aquaculture.
“Uganda is well endowed with water resources, good climate and raw materials for the production of fish feeds. With all these, we are well positioned to undertake aquaculture. Aquaculture can be practiced on commercial scale, in ponds, tanks and cages and has great potential to fill the gap created by the declining fish catches from natural water bodies. It also has potential to provide employment,” she noted.
The Minister acknowledged the support rendered by various actors towards the development of the fishing industry, one of the country’s major foreign exchange earners.
Emphasizing the contribution of the Fisheries Sector to the economy, the Director Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Ms Joyce Ikwaput Nyeko called for concerted efforts to address the challenges affecting the industry.
“Uganda is blessed with a lot of water resources with 20% of our surface area covered by lakes, rivers, swamps, and has potential to provide 1.7 million tonnes from both aquaculture and capture fisheries. This is however undermined by numerous challenges including unregulated fishing, lost fish habitats and global warming. This calls for drastic interventions to sustain the industry,” she said.
Currently, Uganda exports fish worth USD 177 million and is second to coffee in foreign exchange earnings from non-traditional exports. The fishing industry in Uganda provides employment to 1.2 million people and supports 5.3 million people. Besides the commercial benefits, fish and fisheries products play an important role in food and nutritional security around the world.
Representing Hauge Aqua, Dr. Ronald Semyalo, a Lecturer at the Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Makerere University called for more training and skilling of youth in Fisheries and Aquaculture as a measure to minimize unemployment. The Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences, Makerere University supports training in fisheries and aquaculture at various institutions in the country.
Exhibitions
As part of the activities to mark the day, key stakeholders in the fishing industry including the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries; the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO); NutriFish Uganda; and the National Fisheries Resources Research Institute (NaFIRRI) showcased some of their products.
Exhibition by NutriFish Uganda
Supported by the International Research Development Centre (IDRC) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) through their joint programme, Cultivate Africa’s Future Fund (CultiAF), NutriFish aims to address the nutritional needs of vulnerable groups that cannot afford expensive commercial fish but are in critical need of high quality nutritious diets.
As key stakeholders in Uganda’s fishing industry, the project team led by Dr Jackson Efitre actively participated in the exhibition to mark World Fisheries Day in Gulu City. At their stall, the researchers showcased some of their products from small pelagic fish, actively engaging and explaining to participants the nutritional benefits and the product flow process of the fish. Some of the products showcased included, composite flour enriched with mukene (silver fish), Baghia from Nile Perch, fish sauce with mukene, instant porridge enriched with mukene, fish seasoning with mukene, mukene snack and the solar tent drier.
Graduation Ceremony – Award of a Certificate in Community Aquaculture, Level 1
During the ceremony, 100 students from two community aquaculture schools in Arivu, Arua District and at St. Isidoro Farm in Gulu District graduated with a Certificate in Community Aquaculture, Level 1. The graduation ceremony was presided over by Gulu Archdiocese Archbishop, His Grace John Baptist Odama.
The two schools were established with support from Caritas International as part of the contribution of the Catholic Church towards the development of aquaculture in Uganda, and eradication of poverty and hunger in line with sustainable development goals 1 and 2. The project aims to uplift the lives of the vulnerable and unemployed youth and women through creating skills in fish farming, entrepreneurship, and cooperatives for marketing products in the fish value chain. To date, 1,051 students have completed training at these schools.
In his remarks, the National Director, Caritas Uganda, Msgr. Dr. Francis Ndamira appreciated the support rendered by Makerere University Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences towards the training of students.
Makerere University Convocation has honored Mubiru Enock Joel with an award in recognition of his outstanding academic performance. Mubiru, who graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Physics, scored a CGPA of 4.91, making him the best student in the sciences at Makerere University this year. The award, which included a plaque and a cheque of UGX1 million, was presented to him by the Chair of the Convocation on January 14, 2025, the second day of the 75th graduation ceremony.
Overall, the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS) presented 310 students for the award of degrees of Makerere University at the 75th graduation ceremony. Of these, 14 graduated with PhD (5 female 9 male), 36 MSc (10 female and 26 male) and 260 BSc (113 female and 147 male).
In the course of the 75th graduation ceremony that started on 13th January and will end on 17th January 2025, a total of 13,662 graduands will receive degrees and diplomas of Makerere University.
Of these, 143 will graduate with PhDs, 1,813 with Masters degrees, 11,454 with Bachelor’s degrees and 243 with postgraduate diplomas. 53 % of the graduands are female and 47% are male. 44% of the PhD graduands are female. A total of 491 graduands will receive first class degrees. 16% of the students will be graduating with post-graduate degrees and diplomas.
Chancellor’s Address
In his address, Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga congratulated the graduands on their success and expressed appreciation for the support provided by the lecturers, administrators, parents, and guardians. He emphasized that the success of the university is a collective effort, appreciating the faculty and University Council for their critical roles in delivering quality education.
Dr. Kiyonga also extended his gratitude to the President of Uganda, H.E. Yoweri Kaguta Tibuhaburwa Museveni, and the NRM government for their invaluable financial support to Makerere University. The Government has so far allocated UGX30 billion to Makerere University through the Research and Innovations Fund (Mak-RIF).
Looking to the future, Dr. Kiyonga encouraged the University to increase its outreach programmes, particularly in the agricultural sector. He proposed collaborations with medium- to large-scale farmers, where students could gain hands-on experience while also assisting farmers in local communities. He also advocated for stronger partnerships with the private sector to support the commercialization of innovations emerging from Makerere University.
Furthermore, the Chancellor highlighted the President’s directive to teach Political Economy to all university students. He stressed the importance of transforming Africa through the strategic utilization of its resources and emphasized the value of political economy knowledge in this process.
Vice Chancellor’s Address
In his remarks, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated the graduands and expressed deep appreciation for the unwavering commitment of the teaching staff, administrators, parents, and guardians. He also welcomed the Chancellor, Dr. Chrispus Kiyonga, emphasizing that his vast experience would be an asset to the institution.
Prof. Nawangwe acknowledged the College of Natural Sciences for providing foundational training for all the other science-based disciplines at the University. He also commended the College for its ground-breaking research and contribution to the development of mathematics in the region. “The College of Natural Sciences is unique because it handles all the foundation disciplines for all the other science-based disciplines. But apart from the basic sciences, the College provides training and conducts research in critical applied science disciplines, including geology and petroleum studies, industrial chemistry, and others. The College is central in the development of mathematics in the East and Central Africa region and it has also taken the initiative to investigate the problem of poor performance in biology by secondary school students,” the Vice Chancellor noted.
He encouraged the graduands to seize every opportunity and to consider starting their own enterprises, using the knowledge and skills they have acquired during their studies. “Do not despair if you cannot find employment. Instead, reflect on the immense opportunities around you and consider entrepreneurship as a path to success,” he urged.
Message from the Minister of Education and Sports
On behalf of the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni, the Minister of State for Primary Education, Hon. Dr. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, congratulated the graduates and thanked the university for its commitment to excellence in education and research. She emphasized the transformative power of higher education and praised Makerere University for its contribution to the nation’s development.
She also expressed gratitude to the parents and guardians, acknowledging their critical role in the success of the students. “Your support has played an integral part in making this achievement possible,” she said.
Commencement lecture by Prof. Puleng LenkaBula
In her commencement lecture, Prof. Puleng LenkaBula, Vice Chancellor of the University of South Africa, expressed gratitude for the support that Makerere University and Uganda provided in the fight against apartheid. She encouraged the graduands to use the knowledge acquired to address the continent’s challenges, particularly in the transformation of Africa and the empowerment of women. Prof. LenkaBula called for greater collaboration among African intellectuals to create a better future for the continent, particularly through research that directly benefits communities.
Research Excellence and Teacher Recognition
At the ceremony, Makerere University recognized outstanding researchers and educators from CoNAS. The Senior Researcher Award was presented to Assoc. Prof. Juma Kasozi (Department of Mathematics), Assoc. Prof. Charles Masembe (Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences), and Dr. Jamilu Ssenku (Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology). The Mid-Career Researcher Award went to Dr. Julius Mulindwa (Department of Biochemistry), Dr. Patience Tugume (Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology), and Dr. Patrick Ssebugere (Department of Chemistry), while Dr. Omara Timothy (Department of Chemistry), Dr. Mukiibi Ssewannyaga Ivan (Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies), and Dr. Sadik Mustafa Abubakar (Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology) were recognized as the best Early Career Researchers. In addition, Prof. Ann Akol (Department of Zoology, Entomology and Fisheries Sciences), Dr. Sadik Mustafa Abubakar, and Dr. Kalega Peggy (Department of Geology and Petroleum Studies) were honoured as the best teachers of the year from CoNAS.
Transcripts and Certificates
Graduates who participated in today’s ceremony can collect their transcripts from their respective colleges.
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