One world – One farm – One health

Makerere University recently signed a Declaration of intent to join Global Farm platform network and partnership, one of whose objectives is to establish a global academic network to promote farm research platforms for optimization of ruminant livestock production and hence contribute to food security, sustainability and poverty alleviation.

The Global Farm Platform offers an opportunity for conducting large transnational research, collection and exchange of big data and scientific exchanges and application of cutting edge technologies.

The signing of the declaration of intent followed a three-day partnership symposium on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) conducted at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal resources and Bio Security (CoVAB) from 2^nd to 4^th August 2022.

With support from Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), the symposium brought together stakeholders from the University of Bristol UK, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural resources Malawi, University of Ghana, Busitema University, National Agricultural Research Organization (NARO), Africa Institute for Strategic Animal Resource Services and Development (AFRISA) and the host Makerere University.

The symposium that was hosted by the Centre for Biosecurity and Global Health at CoVAB focused on the Theme; Recovery of Human Health and Wellbeing through sustainable Livestock Production in Sub Saharan Africa: The Food Not Feed approach.

It was premised on the realization that the food-feed competition of human food was one of the complex challenges that had greatly contributed to climate change, land degradation and water shortages in an effort to have sustainable food production.  The One world – One farm approach that has been found crucial in redressing the food and not feed approach and the climate change challenges set out to look for multifaceted solutions through collaboration and partnerships. The symposium therefore was convened to reflect on and provide input into sustainable livestock development and production in sub-Saharan Africa in the wake of the globalization of the economy, climate change and pressure for safe food.  It was also among other things aimed at developing research groups to promote science, technology and innovations in accelerated livestock production and productivity and for universities to build strong Global farm platform networks.

The Deputy Principal College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity Prof.  James Okwee Acai welcomed the participants and expressed gratitude towards the Minister for Science, Technology and Innovations for her continued support to the College which he said, was a manifestation of the trust in the output of the college. He noted that her presence at the symposium was an indication of the commitment that the Ministry had in building the much needed partnerships.

While addressing himself to the theme, Prof. Acai said the symposium brought together a great team of partners as evidenced from the Universities represented as well as the Makerere University team led by Prof. John David Kabasa. He expressed optimism that the outputs would contribute greatly towards the realization of the much needed synergies in livestock research output drawing lessons from the partnerships involving the North and South.

Makerere University’s Prof. John David Kabasa who made remarks on behalf of the consortium noted that the universe was in the planetary phase of civilization which he described as a state of increased global interdependence.  He said it was necessary that they discussed ways of ensuring sustainable production in the wake of climate change and other challenges facing the world.  While giving reference to the concept of One world – One farm – One health, Prof. Kabasa said that until recently with the onset of COVID- 19 and the Ukraine War and their effect on our livelihood, we did not know that we were  linked to one another.

Prof. Kabasa illustrated the composition of a healthy plate that should include carbohydrates, proteins and vegetables.  He said this was required by the Eight Billion people living on the planet. ‘Where will a healthy plate come from with the increasing population vis the existing land and water resources’ queried the Professor, while encouraging land use change. ‘The model of burying should change since it is not sustainable, food must increase, urbanization and peasantry displacement is inevitable,’ he explained while emphasizing the need for better, scientifically proven methods of increased productivity in order to satisfy the food demand. 

Prof. Kabasa noted that although the existing challenges were created by Science Technology and Innovation, it was the same way that they could be redressed.  He urged the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio security to take lead in the intensification of production of animal sources of food to help meet the projected demand.He cautioned that unless there was a change, the kind of science we were doing would lead to our own displacement and cited the example of the daily meat demand that stood at 40 million kilograms.  ‘As we intensify, you must produce on land, below the land and above the land’ he said.

Prof. Kabasa pointed out the challenge of the greenhouse emissions and urged scientists to come up with the right models of production. ‘Scientists must come out loudly to address the challenges we have created ourselves. We need new brains to redress the issue of poison which is destroying the biodiversity’. He noted.

He said that being part of the global farm required addressing the modes of production that had led to the rejection of products from Africa leading to market loss, which meant no jobs, leading to labor export, while importing products.  ‘When will you scientists become angry. Even your own children will be exported’, he said. Kabasa also stressed the need to re-orient the science Technology Innovations pathways to industrial value chains and away from a commodity based thinking. At CoVAB, through the various schools there were pillars of industrial value chains including medicine resources, wild life resources, biomolecules, bio lab resources as well as household resources, he said.

Hon. Monica Musenero Musanza, The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovations while opening the symposium noted that for long Africa had relegated the responsibility of thinking and depended on the thoughts from others. All this has not helped Africa, she observed, and the current thought process was to provide the next leaders, citing the think tank that exists at her ministry.

While giving the example of the Mbale flood tragedy that had left scores dead, Hon. Musenero noted that such a scenario was a result of action without thinking that led to environmental degradation. She said the symposium would help organize thoughts and that the more the thinking, the better the results. She said the onset of Covid -19 in Africa provided a landmark that pushed us to sit in a thinking chain. ‘The future does not happen but is created. As we sit here and think global sustainability, it means integrity and balance, which are key for sustainability’ she observed.  She encouraged the scientists to think of new innovations and continue investing in the thinking process given that 50% of the work in the Science Innovation and Technology sector was thinking.  It is unacceptable that a Professor with all the research and teaching has no patent or commercialized product, she stressed.

The participants at the symposium took off time to visit some farmers that included Edward Kalemba who is an urban Dairy farmer in Kasangati with eight animals operating in his compound. He uses animal waste to make bio gas while the slurry from the biogas used on his farm.

At the symposium, presentations were made by the respective entities. In the end there were a number of recommendations made that included the establishment of a multi-disciplinary research group to uphold the Global Farm Platform, to collaboratively harness the science Technology and Innovations capacities of African institutions to resolve the challenges of climate change and sustainable livestock development and production as well as developing appropriate and alternative livestock feed and production technologies.

Makerere University and the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Bio Security (CoVAB) in particular are set to open a Diary Demonstration Farm project, the Korea-Uganda Dairy Project (KUDaP) on Wednesday 24^th of August 2022 at Nakyesasa, one of the incubation centers managed by the college.

The Dairy demonstration farm is being established under a collaboration with Jeonmbuk National University and support by Korea Rural Cooperation.

The event is expected to be graced by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, The Dignitaries from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries and other stakeholders in the industry.

According to the College Principal Prof. Nobert Frank Mwiine, the project to be handed over will serve as a center research and training hub in dairy development.  He said the intended beneficiaries include Veterinary and Animal Production/ Management students that will use it as a training and research center but also farmers interested in dairy production.

The Principal who led a delegation of staff from the College to make an on-spot inspection of the project and other enterprises at Nakyesasa incubation Centre also chaired the Academic Board and Finance Committee meetings at this site.

He commended the project team for the work done to date that led to the completion of the first phase of the project to be formerly received as one of the achievements marking the 50 years of higher Veterinary education in Uganda and 100 years of Makerere University.

Prof. Robert Tweyongyere, the Dean School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources and Principal investigator (PI) of the project said the handover will mark the end of the first and construction phase of the project which will be followed by a subsequent phase of stocking with cows and later on value addition.

Prof. Tweyongyere said the project is intended to support the College play a role in improving productivity of dairy farmers and to serve as a dairy demonstration farm for Makerere University.  He said on Friday 25^th of August 2022, the project management consultant is expected to hand over the project to Makerere University.

The team on the inspection visit on 25^th July 2022 comprised Heads of departments and other staff from CoVAB as well as representatives of the Project team that also made a tour of other enterprises on the farm including the banana plantation and discussed ways through which the different enterprises would synergize each other.

View on CoVAB

It is a pleasure for me to present to you highlights of the achievements and milestones that the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio Security has realized over the year 2021. The report covers what we were able to do based on the targets set out in the strategic plan amidst the challenges. The past year in my view was both an exhilarating and challenging time not only at CoVAB but generally at Makerere University and in the higher education sector in the country. All this is because it posed to us as leaders in the sector, unprecedented scenarios that needed quick action and innovativeness as well as changes in the way we usually handle the teaching and learning. Indeed, it was not business as usual.

The year 2021 marked a 50-year milestone in the teaching and learning on the Veterinary Sciences and the yearlong celebration of achievements fits in well with the Mak@100 mark of excellence of Makerere University.

This report gives some highlights of the tremendous achievements realized in the delivery of services responsive to the needs of the communities. The signing of an agreement between the College and Alfasan Uganda Limited to address the problem of ticks and tick-borne diseases in Africa is worth mentioning. As part of the COVAB@50 celebrations, Nakyesasa Livestock Industrial Research, Incubation and Skilling Centre was commissioned as an alternative model of skilling education, community and household transformation.

The College attracted a number of research grants that enhanced the practical teaching and learning experience at the college for both staff and students. Staff and students were able to reach out to the communities in need in the application of the skills and knowledge acquired through a number of studies and this made our presence felt among the communities for whom we exist.

I take this rare opportunity to appreciate the Government of Uganda and the University Administration for creating an enabling environment despite the hard times that saw us complete the academic year successfully. It is worth mentioning that all this has also been realized with support from our development partners to whom we are greatly indebted.

Based on the practice of collective responsibility, all that we have been able to do has been through the contribution of every member of staff at CoVAB, both Academic and Administrative and their input cannot go unnoticed. Suffice it to mention the great contribution made by my predecessor Prof. John David Kabasa who passed over the baton of leadership at the end of the year.

I take cognizance of the lessons learnt along the way and these will be some of the basis that will guide the course of implementation of the College mandate in the coming period.

Prof. Norbert Frank Mwiine
PRINCIPAL