Agriculture & Environment
New CAES Principal Delivers Inaugural Speech, explains strategies for improving the College
The new Principal, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University, Dr. Gorettie N. Nabanoga delivered her inaugural speech to the College community on Friday, 4th March 2022. During the event held in the Biology Laboratory at the School of Agricultural Sciences, CAES, the Principal acknowledged the transformative leadership of the outgoing Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha. She also recognized the former deans and Heads of Department for the excellent service to CAES and Makerere University in general. These included; Prof. Johny Mugisha, Dean School of Agricultural Sciences (2013-2021); Prof. Jacob Agea who served as Head Department of Extension and Innovation Studies (2015-2019); Prof. Paul Kibwika, Head Department of Extension and Innovation Studies (2011-2015); Prof. Archileo Kaaya, Head Department of Food Technology and Human Nutrition (2011-2019); Prof. Phillip Nyeko, Head Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism (2011-2019); Dr. Denis Mpairwe, Head Department of Agricultural Production (2011-2019); and Dr. Yazidhi Bamutaze, Head Department of Geography, Geoinformatics and Climatic Sciences (2015-2019). Dr. Nabanoga presented plaques to the outgoing Principal and former administrators in recognition of their excellent service to the College and University in general. The Principal together with members of staff from the School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, led by the Dean, Dr. Fred Babweteera presented various gifts to the outgoing Principal.
Principal’s address
Addressing the CAES community, Dr. Nabanoga appreciated the support accorded to her by all staff and students while she served as Deputy Principal. “The support motivated me to offer myself to serve as Principal of this mighty College,” she noted.
She acknowledged the support rendered to her by the outgoing Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha that greatly advanced her leadership skills. “The job description of the Deputy Principal is shaped/defined by the Principal, and it on this note that I am profoundly grateful to Prof. Bashaasha for having incrementally assigned me roles and responsibilities that nurtured my leadership skills. Your selfless service and leadership were a source of inspiration that gave me confidence to pursue this leadership position, to add a building block on your achievements,” she said.
Dr. Nabanoga explained that Prof. Baashaasha’s contribution remains a strong foundation for CAES’ journey to excellence. “There’s no price I can pay to reciprocate your contribution to my leadership skills, except ensuring that your contribution to CAES’ growth is sustained. Thank you very much for building a firm foundation on which I will ably make a contribution.”
While appreciating the Deans and Heads of Department, Dr. Nabanoga noted that the great performance of a Deputy Principal is anchored on the committed service and management skills of the former. “I appreciate the Deans and Heads of Department that I worked with in the last eight and a half years as Deputy Principal. You indeed made it easy for me to deliver on my mandate,” she explained.
Dr. Nabanoga equally applauded Prof. Jacob Godfrey Agea and Dr. Patrick Okori for offering themselves for the position of Principal, CAES. “You indeed demonstrated to Makerere University that CAES has potential leaders. I know that you have a lot of experience, knowledge, and competences to make good leaders. I pledge to seek and integrate the ideas presented in your manifestos and will continue to seek your counsel and guidance for the betterment of CAES,” she said.
She appreciated the Search Committee, the University Management, Council and the Chancellor, Prof. Ezra Suruma for their trust and confidence in her leadership potential. Following a rigorous search process, the Chancellor appointed Dr. Nabanoga Principal, CAES effective 1st February 2022 for a period of four years.
CAES’ Journey to 2025
Highlighting the achievements, challenges and strategies for improving CAES in the next four years, Dr. Nabanoga reminded members of staff that CAES is a great College with a lot of potential in the area of human capital development through the teaching programmes offered and research and innovations that significantly contribute to Makerere University ranking and brand. “All achievements in the areas highlighted have been possible because of staff commitment, an enthusiastic student community, as well as productive and well maintained research and incubation centres including the Makerere University Regional Centre for Crop Improvement (MARCCI), Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK), the Makerere University Biological Field Station (MUBFS) and the Food Technology and Business Incubation Centre (FTBIC),” she explained, noting that despite the enormous achievements, there is still a lot more potential opportunities that can move CAES to greater heights. “This can only be possible if we deliberate and focus to address the historical and contemporary challenges, while harnessing the unlimited opportunities within and around us,” she noted.
Quoting General George Washington, the First United States President who said “The Honour and Success of the army depends upon harmony and good agreement with each other”, Dr. Nabanoga explained that success can only be realized if there is collective consciousness on the shared mission in an organization. “We are an army of intellectuals whose sole purpose is to shape discourses in our respective disciplines. This can only be possible if we cultivate harmony at CAES and have meaningful engagement with partners. This is a mission I will wake up to pursue every day,” she said.
Structural and operational challenges and strategies to address them
Highlighting the structural and operational challenges that undermine teaching and learning as a key component of the University and College mandate, Dr. Nabanoga explained that CAES programmes require skills development, calling for improvement in practical training. “The quality of practical training at the College has declined over the years majorly because of insufficient and late disbursement of funds for conducting practical training. We do not have enough technical staff in our laboratories. These challenges limit the skillset imparted to the CAES graduate, yet the world today requires human resource with appropriate skillset. As Makerere works towards improving the budget prioritization and funds disbursement routines, we need to diversify collaborations with industry to enable our students to engage in meaningful academic and work experience internships,” she explained.
Regarding the heavy teaching load for academic staff amidst other mandates of research and knowledge transfer partnerships, Dr. Nabanoga explained that most units are understaffed, working with half of the established positions. This, coupled with the low morale amongst teaching and non-teaching, she noted was largely affecting efficiency. “The effects of this include the declining number of grant-winning research proposals, delayed submission of results, and inadequate student research supervision.”
In a bid to improve research and innovations at the College, Dr. Nabanoga called for the revitalization of relationships with former and new development partners with a global research focus. “Additionally, all Units should be encouraged to establish functional relationships with sister Units in Universities in the global North. We also need to work towards fully operationalizing research grant units, and creating incentives for researchers.
On graduate training programmes that are currently experiencing low enrolment, at 6% as opposed to the 40% desired in the University’s Strategic Plan 2020-2030, Dr. Nabanoga said the College through the Office of the Deputy Principal would work on developing a strategy to market graduate programmes. In order to improve the graduate students’ constraint of funding innovative research, she committed to provide support to schools and departments to develop research proposals with a provision of research funds for graduate students. She also committed to foster continuous improvement in the graduate supervision and examination processes, which shall improve the current graduate completion rate from 75% to 90%. “This will require efforts in areas such as increasing the pool of examiners, full operationalization and utilization of the Grad-Track System, developing a system of recognizing best performing examiners, and supporting Units to establish incubation centres to promote innovations.
On resource mobilization, Dr. Nabanoga noted that together with all staff, she would work towards exploring and fully utilizing MUARIK and other Institutes and Centres of Excellence at the College. “We need to change our mindset in sorting these challenges if we have to fast track research and innovation. I propose that we intention and purpose to become entrepreneurs in Academia. My dream is to see CAES as the Apex of impactful research and Human Capital Development, fitting the world of work, with innovative entrepreneurial operations,” she said.
Dr. Nabanoga emphasized the need for inclusivity at all levels of operation, committing that she would support schools and department to form engendered working committees to address their unique challenges.
Concluding her remarks, Dr. Nabanoga recognized the unique services of administrative and other non-teaching staff at the College. “The cleaners do a noble job to keep us healthy, the registrars absorb most of the complaints from the students, and the finance team are the engine of the College operations. All these categories of staff including the Human Resources team, communications team and ICT staff are our unsung heroes and heroines. I pledge to be responsive to your needs, interests and aspirations. I will continue to maintain my open door policy. Feel free to walk in and if you don’t, I will walk to you. I reiterate my commitment to a co-creative approach in identifying and addressing the barriers in our areas of mandate.”
At the event, several members of staff paid glowing tribute to the outgoing Principal, Prof. Bernard Bashaasha for his excellent leadership skills, cooperation, and improvement of the teaching and research infrastructure at the College, and appealed to him to continue offering them guidance.
In his remarks, Prof. Bashaasha acknowledged the overwhelming appreciation of his service by members of staff at the College. He pledged continued support to the new Principal and all staff at the College.
The event was crowned with a cocktail party for all staff held in the School of Agricultural Sciences Quadrangle.
Agriculture & Environment
Makerere Hosts Inaugural Falling Walls Lab Competition as Innovators Pitch Solutions to National Challenges
Students and researchers from Makerere University and other institutions pitched 12 innovations addressing challenges in healthcare, clean energy, agriculture, waste management and community resilience during the inaugural Falling Walls Lab Kampala, held at the School of Public Health Auditorium, Makerere University.
The competition brought together emerging innovators to present solutions to practical challenges through a three minute pitch, followed by questions from a panel of judges.
Modelled on the Falling Walls format that originated in Berlin, the event required each participant to identify a “wall” a problem or barrier, and demonstrate how their innovation seeks to break it down.
Mudhasi wins with newborn jaundice screening device
Andrew Mudhasi of Makerere University emerged as the overall winner with a score of 90 per cent for a low cost medical device designed to improve newborn jaundice screening across different skin tones.
Mudhasi explained that the device uses optical sensor technology and a skin tone targeting algorithm to provide a rapid reading, with the aim of helping nurses and clinicians identify jaundice more efficiently.
During questions from the jury, Mudhasi said the device had not yet been tested on actual babies but had undergone laboratory testing using simulated skin tones.
He reported an accuracy rate of 94 per cent when the device was compared with laboratory spectrophotometers.
The innovation is intended initially for use in clinics and hospitals, with Mudhasi saying the team is also considering a version that could eventually allow mothers to screen babies at home.
Mudhasi’s innovation has previously received recognition at the African Business Concept Challenge and the iF Design Student Award, according to his presentation.
Rhonda’s innovation tackles diaper waste
Rhoda John of the University of Nairobi emerged in second place with 89.6 per cent for an innovation addressing the problem of used diaper waste.
Under the theme “Breaking the wall of diaper waste and drug soils,” Rhonda explained that her team extracts sodium polyacrylate, the absorbent polymer found in diapers, and replaces the sodium with potassium.
The resulting potassium based superabsorbent material is designed to act as a “water battery” in soil by absorbing and retaining water for plants during dry periods.
John said testing showed a 99 per cent increase in germination and a 23 per cent increase in drought resistance.
The innovation also seeks to reduce the amount of used diapers ending up in landfills and the environmental effects associated with their decomposition.
During the question and answer session, John explained that her team was working with government environmental officials in Nairobi on a pilot collection system to address the challenge of gathering used diapers at scale.
Mahera takes third place with herbal peptic ulcer treatment
Stuart Mahera of Makerere University finished third with 86.2 per cent for a herbal formulation targeting peptic ulcers.
Presenting under the theme “Breaking the wall of Nature and Modern Medicine,” Mahera argued that conventional treatment for peptic ulcers can involve multiple medicines and may be associated with side effects and antimicrobial resistance.
His proposed formulation, MARAC capsules, is intended as a monotherapy, combining properties required for peptic-ulcer treatment in a single capsule.
Mahera said his team had carried out quality control work, including characterisation and dose quantification, and had conducted preclinical trials on laboratory mice.
He also told the jury that an application had been submitted to the National Drug Authority as the team awaits the next stage of the regulatory process.
According to Mahera, the proposed seven day treatment would cost about Shs21,000, compared with the existing 14 day treatment approach.
Innovators present solutions to practical challenges
The remaining presentations covered a wide range of challenges.
Esther Nakungu of Utamu University presented Agri-Track, a digital record keeping solution intended to improve visibility, accountability and management of farm operations and financial information.
Dr. Jimmy Chachiga, a Makerere University participant, presented a solar photovoltaic cooker with a heat storage system designed to provide a cleaner and more reliable cooking option during both sunny and non sunny periods.
His presentation focused on reducing dependence on biomass fuels and addressing the challenges associated with intermittent solar energy.
Abdul Noor Luttamaguzi, a PhD student and senior government fisheries officer, presented a mobile application aimed at helping fish farmers and extension officers report, track and manage disease outbreaks.
Henry Duke Tamale presented a herbal cream targeting antibiotic resistant biofilm infections associated with diabetic foot ulcers.
Marvin Seruwu proposed adapting existing near infrared brain monitoring technology to help detect extra-axial brain bleeds in health facilities where access to CT and MRI equipment is limited.
His proposal seeks to repurpose existing technology towards a diagnostic need that could be particularly important in settings where advanced imaging facilities are not readily available.
Kennedy Kisame presented a poultry alert and diagnosis system combining satellite weather information with computer vision disease detection. The proposed system could be accessed through a smartphone application, SMS or USSD, making it potentially usable by farmers with limited internet access.
Frank Atwiine proposed a solar powered mobile diagnostic van designed to bring ultrasound and other diagnostic services closer to rural communities.
Johnson Makmot, a software and blockchain developer, presented a platform that combines GPS tracking and blockchain-based tokens to incentivise and verify plastic-waste collection in Kampala.
Dr. Nelson Ndugu, from a partner university, presented an artificial intelligence tool designed to translate agricultural research publications into local Ugandan languages and generate voice notes for radio-based extension delivery.
The final presentation came from Dr. Juliet Akola, a Ugandan post doctoral researcher at Mangosuthu University of Technology in South Africa.
Akola presented a community digital resilience initiative focused on mapping risks in Kampala’s informal settlements, including flooding, fire, poor sanitation, waste management and inadequate infrastructure.
Her proposal seeks to combine local community knowledge with geographical information systems and link identified risks to action plans involving municipalities and other stakeholders.
Nawangwe calls for more investment in innovation
Closing the event, Prof. Nawangwe congratulated all the participants and described their presentations as an important beginning for Makerere University, Uganda and the wider region.
Drawing on his experience attending the Falling Walls conference in Berlin, the Vice Chancellor said initiatives of this nature are important because innovation will play a major role in determining the future of countries.
He encouraged participants to make their pitches more precise by clearly identifying the problem they are addressing, explaining their proposed solution and demonstrating what they have already achieved.
Prof. Nawangwe also welcomed the participation of innovators from other universities and countries, noting that the Kampala event had attracted participants beyond Makerere.
He thanked the Africa Office of the Falling Walls Foundation for its role in bringing the initiative to Makerere and encouraged continued support for innovation.
The Vice Chancellor further linked innovation to Uganda’s growing youth population and the need to develop home-grown solutions to address challenges such as youth unemployment.
The inaugural Falling Walls Lab Kampala ultimately provided a platform for innovators to move ideas beyond the classroom and laboratory and demonstrate how research, technology and creativity can be applied to challenges affecting communities.
| Position | Winner | Institution | Score |
| 1st | Andrew Mudhasi | Makerere University | 90% |
| 2nd | Rhoda John | University of Nairobi | 89.6% |
| 3rd | Stuart Mahera | Makerere University | 86.2% |
Agriculture & Environment
CAES Freshers Urged to Embrace Academic Excellence to Become Agents of National Transformation
Orientation is an important first step in helping newly admitted students transition into a new academic and social environment. Beyond introducing students to institutional structures and services, orientation provides an opportunity to set expectations, clarify responsibilities and inspire students to approach their university journey with purpose. For the 2026/2027 intake at Makerere University’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), the orientation emphasized the importance of making the most of the university experience, pursuing academic excellence, and developing the knowledge, skills, and values needed to become responsible citizens, innovative professionals, and agents of national transformation.
The CAES Freshers’ Orientation, held on Thursday, 6th August 2026, at the School of Agricultural Sciences (SAS) Quadrangle, provided newly admitted students with an opportunity to familiarize themselves with the College’s academic programmes, administrative structures, technological resources, library services, counselling and other student support services. Beyond introducing the freshers to the University environment and the resources available to support their academic journey, the orientation emphasized the broader purpose of university education. Students were encouraged to view their time at Makerere not merely as a pathway to academic qualifications, but as an opportunity to develop relevant competencies, build character, discover their potential and acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to address real-world challenges and make meaningful contributions to society.
CAES: A College of Opportunities
Welcoming the freshers to CAES, the Principal, Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, urged them to recognize the significance of the opportunity they had received to study at Makerere University and to use their time at the institution wisely.
Prof. Nabanoga reminded the students that university represents a critical stage in their journey towards becoming responsible and productive citizens. She cautioned them against letting the excitement, newfound freedom and social opportunities distract them from their academic responsibilities.
“You are at the tail end of your journey to becoming important citizens, and therefore you need to use your time at the University effectively,” she said, urging the students to begin thinking about what they wish to become from the very beginning of their university education.
She emphasized that success at university requires discipline, commitment and a clear sense of purpose. The freshers were encouraged to take ownership of their education and make deliberate decisions that would contribute to their personal and professional growth.
According to Prof. Nabanoga, CAES is strategically positioned to prepare graduates who can respond to some of the most pressing challenges facing Uganda and the wider world, particularly in food production, agriculture, environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship.
“CAES is at the centre of national development. No life exists without food and a conducive environment,” she noted, describing CAES as a “college of opportunities” where students are equipped with the knowledge and skills to become change agents.
“At CAES, we focus on skilling you to become change agents to feed nations and to protect the environment, and to become job creators,” she said.
Prof. Nabanoga further encouraged the freshers to take advantage of the expertise available within the College, particularly by actively engaging with their lecturers and seeking guidance whenever they encounter academic or other challenges.
She also underscored the importance of investing in young people as future leaders and contributors to national development, noting that sustainable transformation requires a generation equipped with the skills, values and capacity to take on leadership and other critical responsibilities.
CAES Human Capital Critical to National Development
Speaking on the relevance of CAES to Uganda’s development agenda, the Deputy Principal, Prof. Bamutaze, highlighted the College’s responsibility to produce the human capital required to drive the country’s socio-economic transformation.
He noted that Uganda’s development priorities, including agro-industrialization, tourism and mineral-based development, require innovative, skilled and dynamic human resources capable of turning opportunities into tangible solutions.
“The country desires innovative and dynamic people who can contribute to its socio-economic development,” he said.
Prof. Bamutaze encouraged the freshers to take their education seriously and use their time at Makerere to develop the competencies, creativity and innovative mindset needed to respond to emerging national and global challenges.
Students Urged to Become Problem Solvers
The Dean of the School of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. John Baptist Tumuhairwe, explained that the School is committed to producing graduates capable of identifying challenges and developing practical solutions.
He urged the students to make academic excellence a guiding principle throughout their university journey, emphasizing that consistent effort, discipline and commitment would be critical to their success.
Dr. Tumuhairwe also stressed the importance of respect, encouraging students to respect themselves, their colleagues, lecturers, administrators and the wider University community.
He cautioned the freshers against behaviours and activities that could undermine their academic progress and future prospects, particularly betting, drug abuse and irresponsible sexual behaviour.
The Dean further encouraged the students not to underestimate the programmes they had been admitted to. He noted that every programme presents opportunities for success when students remain committed, focused and willing to work hard.
He urged the freshers to take ownership of their academic journeys rather than judging their programmes solely on the basis of perceived popularity or immediate career prospects.
Freshers Encouraged to Settle Down and Focus on Excellence
Representing the Dean of the School of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bioengineering, Prof. Ivan Muzira Mukisa encouraged the freshers to settle into university life quickly and begin working towards academic excellence from the outset.
He cautioned them against wasting time and urged them to develop productive habits early, noting that the routines and discipline established during the first year can significantly influence their academic performance throughout their university journey.
Prof. Mukisa emphasized the importance of effective time management and encouraged students to strike a healthy balance between academic responsibilities and social activities.
He also highlighted the value of teamwork, noting that the ability to work collaboratively is an important skill both within the University and in the professional world.
The students were further encouraged to seek guidance whenever they encounter difficulties instead of struggling with challenges on their own. They were reminded to make use of the academic and student support structures available within the College and University.
Similarly, the Dean, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Prof. Revocatus Twinomuhangi urged the students to focus on academic and professional success.
Freshers Introduced to University Services and Policies
In addition to the guidance from College leadership, the orientation familiarized the freshers with important administrative, technological and student support services that will shape their experience at Makerere University.
The College Registrar, Ms. Jofrina Kyohairwe, briefed the students on registration procedures and key academic policies. The session aimed to familiarize the freshers with the administrative requirements they are expected to fulfil and help them avoid challenges arising from failure to comply with University regulations and procedures.
The students were also introduced to ICT support services by Mr. Albert Muhumuza, who highlighted the importance of effectively using the University’s digital platforms and technological resources to support their learning.
They were further introduced to library services, which provide access to essential academic resources for coursework, research and independent learning.
The orientation also highlighted counselling and guidance services available to students to support them as they navigate academic, personal and social challenges during their university experience.
Pictorial of the orientation:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DmjNj1pdounFv9juFTDG98p2XQO3tq6b?usp=sharing
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