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
APRC Trains Graduate Students & Stakeholders in the Use of the African Agriculture Adaptation Atlas
The Agricultural Policy Research Centre (APRC), housed within the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at Makerere University, continues to play a pivotal role in shaping Uganda’s agricultural future through evidence-based policymaking. With a mission to ensure that agricultural policies are grounded in empirical research and data, APRC is actively investing in capacity-building initiatives that empower researchers, policymakers, and development actors.
In a significant stride toward building climate resilience in African agriculture, APRC recently organized a two-day intensive training workshop focused on the African Agriculture Adaptation Atlas (AAAA) – a state-of-the-art, web-based decision-support platform that facilitates the integration of climate data into agricultural planning and policy.
The workshop, held on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th June 2025 at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Makerere University, targeted two key groups: graduate students on the first day, and university faculty, government officials, and development practitioners on the second. This structure ensured tailored learning experiences for both emerging and seasoned professionals, helping to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world policy implementation.
The African Agriculture Adaptation Atlas (AAAA) is designed to provide dynamic, data-rich visualizations that support informed decision-making in agriculture and food systems across the continent. Through interactive maps and analytical tools, users can explore projected climate impacts, evaluate risks, and identify localized, climate-smart adaptation strategies.
Throughout the sessions, participants received hands-on training in a broad range of AAAA functionalities, including:
- Leveraging the Atlas for research and policy communication: Enhancing the ability of scientists and policy actors to translate complex climate data into actionable insights;
- Assessing projected climate impacts and associated agricultural risks: Essential for forward-looking planning and risk mitigation;
- Identifying climate-smart investment options, with a particular focus on the livestock sector, which is especially vulnerable to climate shocks;
- Analysing gendered vulnerabilities: Examining how climate change disproportionately affects women in agricultural communities;
- Understanding the implications of heat stress on agricultural productivity: Supporting targeted interventions to protect producers and their livelihoods;
- Estimating the economic returns of adaptation strategies: Aiding in prioritizing investments and allocating limited resources effectively.
Prof. Bernard Bashaasha, the APRC Coordinator, emphasized the importance of the training in advancing Africa’s adaptation agenda. “As climate change continues to threaten food security and disrupt livelihoods across the continent, tools like the AAAA, and the skills to use them effectively are essential. They empower decision-makers to craft policies that are adaptive, inclusive, and rooted in science,” he noted.
The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Florence Rwiza, Lecturer in the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics at CAES.
More photos from the Training
Agriculture & Environment
NbS4Tea Project Team Makes Great Progress, Deploys Drones for Data Collection
****Funded by the Danish Fellowship Centre under Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NbS4Tea is a five-year initiative aimed at enhancing climate resilience and tea productivity in Uganda.
Launch of drones for data collection
The Nature-based Solutions for Tea (NbS4Tea) project has registered a significant milestone with the successful deployment of drones to improve environmental and agricultural data collection.
On 19th June 2025, the project team officially launched the drones at the Rwebitaba Tea Research Centre in Kyenjojo District, the project’s main research hub. The launch event included hands-on training sessions by Mr. Timothy Mutungi, a certified Remote Sensing Drone Pilot. Mr. Mutungi provided detailed instruction on drone operation, safety procedures, and data acquisition techniques specifically tailored to the project’s goals. The training was attended the core NbS4Tea researchers as well as students supported by the project.
By utilizing drone technology, the team will be able to capture high-resolution imagery and gather critical environmental data across vast tea-growing areas. This will enable more precise assessments of biodiversity, soil health, water use, and overall ecosystem services. The valuable insights generated will guide the development of sustainable, nature-based agricultural practices with the potential for widespread adoption throughout the tea industry.
About the NbS4Tea Project
NbS4Tea is a five-year initiative aimed at enhancing climate resilience and tea productivity in Uganda. Funded by the Danish Fellowship Centre under Denmark’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and led by Dr Emmanuel Arthur from Aarhus University, the project is being implemented through a consortium of Ugandan and Danish institutions namely: Makerere University, the National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Uganda, Uganda Tea Association, Aarhus University, Denmark, and Kick-start International.
The primary objective of the project is to sustainably close the tea yield gap in Uganda by developing research-driven, nature-based solutions that enhance the climate resilience of tea production systems. This involves identifying climate-resilient tea varieties, integrating tea prunings and banana by-products, utilizing nitrogen-fixing agroforestry trees, and improving irrigation management. The approach emphasizes socio-economic feasibility, capacity building in research, and a market-oriented, multi-stakeholder collaboration to ensure both environmental and economic sustainability.
At Makerere University, the project is coordinated by Dr Alex Nimusiima from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences at CAES. Other Project members are; Dr Grace Nakabonge from the Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism; Dr Prossy Nakawuka from the Department of Agricultural and Bio-systems Engineering; Dr Twaha Ali Basamba from the Department of Agricultural Production; and Dr Alice Turinawe from the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics.
Specific objectives
- Identify and quantify climate change impacts on tea yield and quality based on historical and newly obtained data and novel data mining methods.
- Screen, select and recommend tea varieties adapted to abiotic (drought and heat) and biotic stresses (diseases and pests).
- Develop new knowledge on the potential of local waste biomass (tea prunings, banana pseudostems and peels) as soil amendments- mulch, compost, biochar, to recycle nutrients, improve soil fertility, increase carbon sequestration and alleviate drought.
- Reveal NbS through agroforestry combined with organic mulch, irrigation and resilient tea varieties that increase biodiversity and tea yield.
- Innovate new methods to enhance tea production under climate change through rainwater harvest and climate-smart irrigation infrastructure.
- Empower vulnerable groups (women, youth, and people with disabilities) in tea production and processing to ensure multi-actor involvement and socio-economic benefit outreach of the proposed NbS in tea cultivation and production.
- Identify export market strategies for NbS tea products, aligned with consumer preferences.
Progress thus far
Launched in January 2024, the project, organized in five work packages, has registered significant progress. Each of the work packages listed below supports one PhD student and one Masters’ student. The PhD students are: i) Mr. Adiga Hassan from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences at CAES conducting research under work package 1; ii) Ms. Sarah Namayengo from the Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism conducting research under work package 2; Ms. Vivian Namutebi from the Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management undertaking research on work package 3; Mr. Keneth Chelimo from the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering conducting his research under work package 4; and Ms. Moreen Asasira from the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics focusing on work package 5. The Masters students are: i) Ms. Evelyn Katasi from the Department of Environmental Management at CAES (work package 1), Mr. Vereriano Turyahebwa from Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism (work package 2); Mr. Ben Okurut from the Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management (work package 3); Mr. Augustine Okot from the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (work package 4); and Mr. Augustine Kigozi from the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics (work package 5)
Work packages and achievements registered
Work Package 1: Climate change impacts on tea yield and quality – Headed by Dr. Alex Nimusiima
This work package centres on the analysis of historical and projected climate conditions in the study area. It examines how current climate patterns influence tea production, as well as the potential effects of future climate change on tea yield and quality.
Progress
i) A household survey assessing the socio-economic status of tea farmers and the effects of climate variability on their livelihoods has been completed.
ii) The collected data has been cleaned, and the Masters student supported under this work package is currently writing her thesis based on the survey findings.
iii) A historical climate analysis of the study area has been conducted by the PhD student, who is now preparing a manuscript.
Work Package 2: Screening & selecting tea genotypes for resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses – Headed by Assoc. Prof. Grace Nakabonge
This work package focuses on evaluating existing tea genotypes for their resistance to pests and diseases, using chlorophyll fluorescence imaging as a diagnostic tool.
Progress
i) A screen house has been constructed to serve as the experimental site.
ii) Germplasm from two tea varieties is currently being cultivated in the screen house in preparation for the upcoming experiments.
iii) A drone has been acquired to assist in data collection for this work package.
Work Package 3: Evaluation of NbS for climate resilience, higher yield and biodiversity- Headed by Assoc. Prof. Twaha Ali Basamba
This focuses on the characterization of mulch and biochar derived from tea prunings to improve soil health. It also aims to quantify the added value of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in enhancing tea productivity, promoting climate resilience, and supporting biodiversity.
Progress
- So far, Biochar has been produced from tea prunings and characterized.
- The Masters student supported under this work package is writing his thesis on the results of biochar characterization.
Work Package 4: Innovating smart and scalable irrigation technology for improved tea production- Headed by Dr. Prossie Nakawuka
This work package aims to develop and evaluate smart, scalable irrigation solutions to boost tea production. It focuses on assessing how irrigation impacts tea yield and quality, measuring water use efficiency, and analyzing the economic returns of irrigation practices. Additionally, it explores deficit irrigation and climate-resilient strategies to ensure sustainable tea farming in changing environmental conditions.
Progress
- The irrigation infrastructure is now in place and fully operational at Rwebitaba Tea Research Centre in Kyenjojo District.
- The experimental plots for irrigation experiments are already in place with water pipes.
Work package 5: Socio-economic assessment of tea-agroforestry and selected tea varieties – Headed by Dr. Alice Turinawe
This work package emphasizes co-creation within multi-stakeholder innovation networks to evaluate the economic feasibility and market access of tea agroforestry systems. It also focuses on promoting gender balance and understanding consumer valuation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) tea from Uganda.
Progress
To date, two co-creation workshops have been successfully conducted and the Masters student under this work package is currently analyzing the workshop results as part of their research.
Expected outputs and outcomes
- Increased tea production, productivity, and biodiversity through the adoption of NbS.
- Increased research and technical capacity of Makerere and R-ZARDI.
- Holistic stakeholder insight on economic feasibility, consumer acceptance and market access strategies, especially for vulnerable groups in the tea value chain.
- Increased job prospects for youth and women in tea production sub-sectors.
- Improved social status and increased incomes of tea farmers, traders, and exporters.
- Improved economic and environmental quality by recycling biomass waste into value-added products dedicated to soil enhancement.
- 4+ high-yielding tea genotypes adapted to drought and heat, diseases and pests.
- 15+ scientific articles, conference presentations.
- Five PhDs and Five MSc degrees.
- Market access assessment and empowerment.
Details on the project: https://news.mak.ac.ug/2024/01/new-caes-project-to-improve-tea-production-in-uganda/
More photos from the event
Makerere University, through its Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), has launched a new project aimed at fostering green growth and promoting sustainable development across East Africa. This initiative aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and create eco-friendly, low-carbon communities through collaborative research, education, and technology.
Introducing the TORCH Project: Towards a Clean Energy and Zero-Emission Society
The two-year project, code-named TORCH (Towards a Clean Energy and Zero-emission Society in East Africa), seeks to strengthen cooperation between academia and local communities to promote green growth and environmental sustainability. Funded by the OeAD-GmbH under the Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education Research for Development (APPEAR), TORCH focuses on clean energy solutions, carbon emission reduction, and community empowerment through training, research, and co-creation of green technologies.
Officially launched by the Principal of CAES, represented by Dr. Paul Mukwaya, Head of the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University, TORCH builds upon existing East African government policies. The project will implement the innovative concept of living labs, where universities, communities, and stakeholders co-design, co-create, and co-produce affordable, reliable green technologies tailored to local needs.
Key Objectives and Activities
TORCH aims to:
- Enhance teaching on green growth by integrating principles into selected academic curricula.
- Establish three living laboratories in Central, South Western, and Eastern Uganda to boost co-creation on energy efficiency and low-carbon emissions.
- Increase human capacity through short courses, field research, and training.
- Empower women in science and technology.
- Promote novel green technologies and support policy transformation.
- Strengthen partnerships among universities in East Africa.
These activities directly contribute to achieving several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDGs 4 (Quality Education), 5 (Gender Equality), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and 13 (Climate Action), while also reducing health risks and conserving the environment.
Leadership and Partner Institutions
The overall project coordinator is Dr. Patrick Musinguzi, Lecturer in the Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management at Makerere University. TORCH involves several partner institutions, including: Makerere University (Uganda), University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (Austria), Kabale University (Uganda), Busitema University (Uganda), Kyambogo University (Uganda), and the University of Juba (South Sudan).
Highlights of the Launch Ceremony
During the launch ceremony held in the GIS Lab at Makerere University, and attended by representatives from the partner institutions, Dr. Musinguzi presented an overview of TORCH, outlining key strategies for implementation and expected outcomes. Central to the project’s strategy is the integration of green growth principles into Makerere University’s academic curriculum. This will be formally proposed to the University Management for adoption. Additionally, the project aims to strengthen the university’s research agenda in this critical area. This will involve supporting faculty and student-led research projects and generation of evidence-based insights on green growth to influence policy at both local and national levels. There are also plans to establish three living labs in Central, South Western, and Eastern Uganda to serve as practical hubs for advancing green growth.
Expert Insights on Community Engagement
In his presentation, Mr. Andreas Bauer from the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna provided valuable insights into the critical role that living labs play in promoting sustainable, green growth. Highlighting practical examples and innovative approaches, Mr. Andreas Bauer emphasized how living labs serve as dynamic platforms for collaboration between researchers, industry stakeholders, and local communities, enabling real-world experimentation and the development of eco-friendly solutions that drive environmental and economic progress.
To emphasize the importance of collaboration between local communities and the academia, Mr. Kayanja Susane, a farmer from Kawumu Village in Luweero District, explained that, with guidance and support from the project team, he learned to produce biogas from animal waste -a reliable source of energy that reduces dependence on traditional fuels, subsequently minimizing environmental degradation.
Research Focus
As part of the strategy to guide implementation, the project team brainstormed potential ecological and social indicators of low emissions in homesteads, and proposed several research areas to support green growth. Proposed research areas include:
- Life cycle analysis
- Circular economy practices within homesteads
- Gender integration and the intersection of gender with green growth
- The role of livestock in promoting green growth
- Evaluating the impact of interventions on total emissions
- Barriers to adopting green innovations
- The use of indigenous knowledge in promoting green growth
Addressing the participants, the Principal of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), represented by Dr. Paul Mukwaya, Head of the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics, and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University, commended the project as a timely initiative aligned with the University’s research agenda. He underscored the importance of collaborating with other stakeholders, noting that similar projects have been conducted within and outside Makerere. Dr. Mukwaya called for the adoption of the theory of change framework to ensure the project delivers measurable, sustainable impacts that extend beyond policy briefs and gender mainstreaming, ultimately contributing to lasting green transformation in the region. He expressed appreciation to the project funders for their unwavering support to Makerere University.
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