Veterinary & Biosecurity
Mak Launches Facility to Support Dairy Technology & Infrastructure Improvement
Published
2 years agoon
The Korea Rural Community Corporation (KRC) on Thursday 25th August 2022 officially handed over a facility aimed at “Improving Productivity of Dairy Farmers by Supporting Dairy Technology and Infrastructure in Uganda” to Makerere University. Implemented under the Korea Uganda Dairy Project (KUDaP), the facility is housed at the Nakyesasa Incubation Centre, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), on the fringes of the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Namulonge. The ceremony was presided over by the Chairperson Appointments Board, Counsel Innocent Kihika, who represented both the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa and the Chairperson, Makerere University Council, Mrs. Lorna Magara.
The facility was handed over to the Principal CoVAB, Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine by the Vice President KRC, Hon. KIM Byung-Soo following a tour of the premises, where the investment in dairy technology and infrastructure was appreciated. Present were the Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Uganda, H.E. PARK Sung-Soo, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Commissioner for Animal Health in the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), Dr. Anna Rose Ademun Okurut who represented the Permanent Secretary Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama.
Others were the Chairperson KUDaP Steering Committee, Prof. William Bazeyo, Executive Director, Dairy Development Authority (DDA), Dr. Michael Kansiime, KUDaP Project Manager, Prof. LEE Hak-Kyo, KUDaP Principal Investigator and Dean School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Resources (SVAR), CoVAB, Prof. Robert Tweyongyere, Assistant Commissioner Information and Communication, MAAIF, Ms. Consolata Acayo, Members of Makerere University Management, Officials from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), Jeonbuk National University (JNBU), Korea, Uganda Veterinary Association (UVA) President, Dr. Daniel Kasibule among others.
KUDaP came into force following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) Korea on 17th December 2018. The project that commenced in February 2019 is implemented by SVAR and the National Animal Genetic Resource and Data Bank (NAGRC&DB) in collaboration with JNBU. It is aimed at: Establishing a model farm to train students, dairy farmers, extension workers and Artificial Insemination Technicians; Establishing an elite dairy herd in Makerere University; and Promoting improved dairy production practices in Uganda.
The components of the KUDaP Project are;
- Construction of a Dairy Demonstration Farm Facility at Makerere;
- Provision of dairy cows, high quality semen and embryos to farmers;
- Capacity building in dairy feeds production; and
- Upgrading/supporting breeding laboratory capacity at NAGRC&DB as well as human capacity development in Dairying in Uganda.
In his remarks, the Guest of Honour, Counsel Innocent Kihika congratulated Makerere University and CoVAB in particular upon successfully commissioning the Dairy Development Project, especially during a year when both the institution and college mark 100 and 50 years of existence respectively, two years into the implementation of the ten-year strategic plan.
“The Council has continued to emphasise the need to align our research with the requirements of national development as articulated in the National Development Plan and various instruments of Government and the private sector” he said.
Counsel Kihika emphasised that agriculture remains a primary employer in Uganda and any improvements in the sector would directly contribute to the growth of decent jobs in the value chains. “I must say that right now people are very excited with what is happening with Uganda’s oil in the Albertine rift valley but when you go deep into that, you will see that agriculture is the core of our economy and the oil is just a catalyst to that.”
The Guest of Honour noted that the commissioning of the facility at Nakyesasa positions Makerere University for robust research and technology transfer in the dairy sub-sector as part of the institution’s continued contribution to national development. He extended an open invitation to Ambassador PARK Sung-Soo to be a part Makerere‘s plans to develop its seven square mile acre property in Kyankwanzi District as well as the Buyana Stock Farm in Mpigi District.
“I wish to pledge the Council’s commitment to continuously improving the framework conditions for research through policy making, facility linkages with the relevant government entities and mobilising the required human resources” he concluded.
Reiterating the emphasis of agriculture to Uganda’s economy, Ambassador PARK Sung-Soo admitted that the sector has been a pertinent issue in the Republic of Korea’s partnership strategy with Uganda. He added that the KUDaP project is very meaningful for the future of Uganda because as everybody knows, this future lies in rural development.
“Agriculture including livestock and dairy industry is the backbone of Uganda’s economy. The dairy industry is especially a promising sector in Uganda’s agriculture; it is growing at a rate of 8-10% every year” remarked the H.E. Park.
The Ambassador added that the new President of the Republic of Korea, H.E. YOON Suk-Yeol is desirous of strengthening his country’s relationship with African Heads of State, with a special Korea-Africa summit planned for the second half of 2024 in Seoul. “I am 100% sure that this event will create new momentum to open a new chapter in the Korea-Africa cooperation and I believe that Uganda will be a part of this history-making process.”
He congratulated Makerere University upon celebrating 100 years of existence and pledged to continue strengthening cooperation and knowledge exchange with the institution. “I really hope that through this dairy project, Korea and Uganda may strengthen our mutual understanding and trust and extend our cooperation and collaboration into other fields and areas.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe emphasised the readiness by Makerere and CoVAB to demonstrate that they are doing things differently especially as they celebrate their 100th and 50th anniversaries respectively.
“The facility was have launched today is a demonstration that we are ready to do things differently and that we are becoming more relevant to our community. As the top national university, we must address the challenges that face our country, whose population is growing exponentially” remarked Prof. Nawangwe.
The Vice Chancellor through the Ambassador thanked the Government and people of the Republic of Korea for the generous support that led to the establishment of the facility that will benefit not only Makerere but also Ugandan farmers in the dairy sub-sector.
“I wish to pledge our total commitment to ensure the proper management and maintenance of this facility. We will play the role expected of us, especially the recruitment of the necessary human resource and payment of all the utility bills” said Prof. Nawangwe.
Speaking on behalf of the Permanent Secretary MAAIF, Dr. Ademun Okurut noted that the Dairy Demonstration Farm will play an important role in improving the livelihood of approximately 1.7million Ugandan households who depend on milk for nutrition, food security and employment.
“Currently we are running the Parish Development Model (PDM) and our extension service is now going further to ensure that production reaches the remaining 35% of our population that are not in the money economy” remarked Dr. Ademun Okurut.
She further shared that the Government had developed and is actively promoting a strategy on food and animal feed security, aimed at responding to the two failed season and alleviating any foreseeable shortages both in the short and long-term.
Dr. Ademun Okurut congratulated Makerere University on the project milestone, noting that it was an indication of institutional commitment to address the needs of our community. She acknowledged the fruitful collaboration with JNBU and the financial support of KRC and pledged her Ministry’s commitment to continued partnership with Makerere University and the furtherance of KUDaP as well as other projects of national importance.
On behalf of KRC, Hon. KIM Byung-Soo congratulated the Ugandan Government, Makerere University the Project Manager Prof. LEE Hak-Kyo upon the successful completion of the project, noting that it was an affirmation of “cooperation based on the principles of reciprocity and mutual interest”.
“I hope that after this ceremony, the corresponding Ministries and departments in Uganda and Korea will make further efforts to promote our cooperation in order to take Korea-Uganda relations and strategic partnership to a higher level” he added.
As any proud father would the Principal CoVAB, Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine could not help but speak with pride of what would be achieved through the Dairy Development Farm facility. “This opening ceremony marks the beginning of yet another and major phase of implementing successful dairy farming, and this will need optimum commitment from us as managers and sustained support of the University and Government as owners of the farm.”
Prof. Mwiine added that the facility is set to exhibit the desirable practices that will lead to increased milk productivity by Ugandan farmers and hands-on training for University students. He added that CoVAB strongly supports the establishment of the facility and would like to nurture it to grow into a self-sustaining training and research centre of the college.
He thanked JNBU represented by Prof. LEE Hak-Kyo for the excellent collaboration and support for the successful initiation and implementation of KUDaP. He appreciated Prof. William Bazeyo for the great guidance, astuteness and good eye as Chairperson of the KUDaP Steering Committee and Prof. Robert Tweyongyere for his dedicated work as KUDaP Principal Investigator.
Prof. Tweyongyere in addition to acknowledging the support from Korean Government, JNBU, Ugandan Government and the Leadership of Makerere University noted that the beginning of the implementation phase calls for the establishment of another phase of infrastructure. He noted that as a Demonstration Farm, the facility will need to put in place training facilities and housing for all prospective students.
“In the next phase, apart from maintaining a healthy vibrant herd of animals, we need to cater for processing and value addition, as well as research, training and knowledge transfer to the community. We have already enrolled into a partnership of the dairy network and we want to ensure that we can be beneficial to our partners” said Prof. Tweyongyere.
The Dairy Development Farm facility will receive thirty thousand doses of Korean Holstein Fresian semen and two hundred embryos of Korean Holstein Fresian cattle. It comprises an office block, Integrated Micro Organism (IMO) cattle shed, state-of-the-art milking parlour, cattle dip, spray race and silage making facilities as well as farm implements such as two tractors and two pick-up trucks. The structures are surrounded by fields planted with highly nutritious Chloris gayana grass for hay and crops for silage production. A banana plantation has also been established to make the most of the manure produced by the cattle.
The event was moderated by Prof. Lawrence Mugisha, from the Department of Wildlife and Aquatic Animal Resources, SVAR, CoVAB and the Principal Public Relations Officer, Ms. Ritah Namisango.
At the same occasion, Makerere University presented appreciation awards to; Hon. KIM Byung-Soo, Prof. LEE Hak-Kyo, Prof. William Bazeyo and Norbrook (Uganda) Limited. In the same spirit, KRC presented appreciation awards to; Mrs. Lorna Magara, Counsel Innocent Kihika, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe, Prof. William Bazeyo, Maj. Gen. David Kasura Kyomukama, Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, Dr. Michael Kansiime, Prof. Robert Tweyongyere and Dr. Clare Mugasa.
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Veterinary & Biosecurity
Strengthening CoVAB’s Partnership with the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI)
Published
6 days agoon
December 19, 2024The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) and the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLRRI) agreed on the urgent need to formalize their relationship in the area of skilling, training, joint research activities, supervision, and joint grant writing. The two institutions are looking for ways to mutually benefit from each other’s strengths and expertise for improved productivity in their mandates leading to significant advancements in livestock research and education.
The staff of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), led by Principal Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, visited the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLRRI) in Nakyesasa on Tuesday, December 17th, 2024. They were welcomed by the Director of Research, Prof. Samuel Majalija, who, along with his staff, conducted a guided tour of the institute’s facilities and enterprises to gain learning experiences. The purpose of the visit was to forge a formal partnership between the two institutions in the fields of teaching, research, and outreach.
In his welcome remarks, Prof. Samuel Majalija, formerly a Deputy Principal of CoVAB, noted that NARO values collaboration and synergy and explained that all the ongoing work at NaLRRI/NARO was rooted in both local and international partnerships, including those with Makerere University. He said the visit by the college leadership and staff was no mean achievement for NaLRRI/NARO, but a gesture of continued relationships between the two institutions.
During a meeting held after a tour of various enterprises ongoing at NaLRRI, Prof. Samuel Majalija emphasized the pivotal role of scientists in enhancing the country’s productivity. Lack of written documentation hampers knowledge transfer he observed and stressed the necessity of creating simple Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for every enterprise to instigate change nationwide. He expressed concern that despite being Uganda’s only livestock research institute, and the time he has been in the office of Director of Research, he had not seen any CoVAB students interning at NaLRRI. He challenged the college leadership to ensure that CoVAB students transition from theory to practical teaching and learning. Students need to be encouraged to gain hands-on experience, which is crucial for driving meaningful changes. Additionally, Prof. Majalija mentioned that NaLRRI/NARO was open to collaboration, with highly trained staff ready to engage with CoVAB students through Guest Lectures and skill-building initiatives. He emphasized the importance of Makerere University opening its doors to allow the research institute to tap into its extensive expertise.
Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, the Principal of CoVAB, acknowledged the warm welcome extended to CoVAB by the Director and staff of NaLRRI/NARO. He noted that the Makerere Strategic Plan 2020-2030, provides for a shift towards becoming research-led with increased emphasis on postgraduate training. Prof. Mwiine mentioned that Makerere benefits from a 30 billion research grant through MakRIF and highlighted ongoing collaborations with NARO, citing activities on the CoVAB land in Nakyesasa, which was originally part of NARO land. He said some NARO and Makerere University staff have in the past published jointly specifically in the field of livestock research and that both institutions were receiving funding through the Ministry of Science and Technology for vaccine development and emphasized the need for greater synergy and a convergence zone. Prof. Mwiine further stressed the need for continued collaboration with staff at NARO especially in student supervision and research publication.
The CoVAB Deputy Principal Assoc. Prof. James Acai Okwee, presented an overview of the ongoing research activities, challenges, and proposals for enhanced collaboration with NaLRRI/NARO. He outlined the existing research capacity in areas such as zoonotic pathogen screening for both human and animal infections, and the RTC’s work in researching ticks and tick-borne diseases. He also highlighted ongoing work at the Centre for Biosecurity and Global Health, which he said was leading the vaccine development efforts at CoVAB. Dr. Okwee noted that CoVAB acquired land in Nakyesasa in collaboration with NARO, and it was one of the areas where the college was undertaking activities like the livestock demonstration farms supported by the Korean government.
The Deputy Principal highlighted several challenges, faced by the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity including unfunded student research, which leads to delayed completion, dropout, and lack of depth. He also pointed out the inadequate infrastructure that requires refurbishing and the unsustainable project-based approach to research, as opposed to a program-based approach. He criticized the ivory tower model, where training is disconnected from research and practice. Additionally, he noted that the college has a large concentration of 140 underutilized scientists.
The CoVAB team was given a tour of the labs, where they observed the state-of-the-art equipment and demonstrations in the Nutrition Lab. They also visited the Pasture field, where Research Officer Allen Molly led the team through various demos of pastures and legumes. These included both Indigenous varieties from different regions of Uganda and improved varieties like sogmaize, highlighting their efficacy for milk and beef production. Also visited was the Aflasafe facility which undertakes monitoring of the safety inclusive of the analytical platform used for quantifying the different contaminations in food and beef and developing bio-control products to counteract the aflatoxins. At the Dairy establishment, the visiting CoVAB team was conducted around the Zero waste infrastructure, right from the care and feeding of cows themselves to the technologies issued in processing dung into gas and other bye by-products including soap, shampoo, and manure among others. Also visited was the anti-tick Vaccine facility which is undergoing expansion and will eventually undertake massive vaccine production of Livestock vaccines which is already developed.
As a way forward, it was also agreed that the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity was bound to benefit from the high expertise of the staff at NARO by not only allowing them to teach at Makerere University but also enabling them to involve more of the CoVAB students in the NaLRRI/NARO research programs. The partnership would also enable the two institutions to make accessible all available equipment and facilities for use across the board as far as it is possible as well as harmonize training at master level/research.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Mak Field Day Training on livestock feed Climate-Smart Innovations conducted in Buwama
Published
1 month agoon
November 22, 2024A team of scientists and students from Makerere University convened at Our Lady of Assumption Mitala Maria Parish in Buwama where, together with farmers from the surrounding area undertook a practical demonstration of improved silage-making technologies aimed at faster animal feed production. The outreach activity was aimed at addressing the challenge of low production in terms of milk and meat from livestock, which was attributed to low quantity and poor quality of feeds especially during the dry season, coupled with the poor production systems with limited land–intensive systems of production in the face of climate change.
The farmer field school event held on Wednesday 20th November 2024 was organized under the theme; Stakeholder Platform: Collaborative Knowledge Co-Creation and Sharing for livestock feed Climate-Smart Innovations in Uganda. It was one of the four-year collaborative research project activities titled, “Building Capacity for Innovation and Advancement of Climate Smart Agriculture in East and Southern Africa” (CICSA-E&SA). This collaborative research project is implemented by Makerere University in partnership with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway), Maseno University (Kenya), and LUANAR and DARS (Malawi), funded by the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku)
The Principal Investigator, Dr. Dorothy Nampanzira Kalule, who is also the head of the Department of Livestock and Industrial Resources (LIR) at the College of Veterinary Medicine Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) led the team that comprised Dr. Herbert Mukiibi from CoVAB, Prof. Vincent Muwanika from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) and Dr. Esaete Josephine from the College of Education and External Studies (CEES).
In her remarks, Dr. Nampanzira observed that because of climate change, the country particularly the farming communities was experiencing challenges in sustaining productivity and in getting adequate feeds for the livestock in the dry spells. We are looking for innovations that can sustain production she said, while emphasizing the fact that several useful practices from indigenous knowledge could be developed further for the benefit of many others. She said as scientists, they were going to the communities to look out for such practices, have them validated, and thereafter build capacity about these practices. Silogist, the technology used in making silage was developed through such on-farm experiences to preserve pastures and ensure the availability of feeds, especially in the dry season, she noted.
One of the pillars of the project, Building Capacity for Innovation and Advancement of Climate Smart Agriculture in East and Southern Africa” (CICSA-E&SA), is the creation of a stakeholder platform involving various players in the livestock value chain, inclusive of researchers, farmers, politicians, and the church. The outreach conducted in Mitala Maria was in line with the project’s objectives of developing a Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) platform that includes key stakeholders engaged in activities and initiatives that promote Livestock CSA practices and technologies that limit greenhouse gas emissions from Livestock. Through such fora, the stakeholders would deliberate and establish why, despite the number of innovations and technologies developed by scientists at Makerere University, farmers were still engrossed in poverty as evidenced by the lack of feeds during the dry season. The stakeholder engagement was expected to find ways of transferring these technologies to the people for adoption, leading to improved livestock productivity said, Dr. Nampanzira while explaining why the university reached out to the communities through Mitala Maria Catholic Church.
Dr. Herbert Mukiibi, the brain behind Silogist who is a veterinarian by training with an interest in the microbiology field said throughout his practice he has been exposed to the challenges faced by farmers and using literature from research at Makerere University, together with the farmers, through action research, he has come up with solutions to the existing problems faced by farmers. He noted a lot of expertise has been written in many forms of publications which unfortunately was not being used by the farmers. As a university, we were finding ways of packaging such messages through such demonstrations to enable hands-on experience and tooling amongst the farmers.
‘In Mitala Maria, we found them with a non-commercial farm, shared the technologies that were piloted in other communities, and supported them make the farm commercial. We are here to look at what was done and enable other farmers to learn that they can turn around their farms and go commercial amidst the climate change era where farmers are increasingly getting confused with low crop and animal yields because of the scarcity of resources’ said Dr. Mukiibi. He pointed out other challenges faced by farmers like lack of nutrient recycling caused by people taking products from the farm and not having a loop of nutrients coming back to the farm leading to depletion of soils for which he said, he had come up with nutrient recycling tools so that farmers can realize high yields as it used to be.
Prof. Vincent Muwanika who explained his background and linkages with the Sustainable Future Global Network and the Stewardship Institute of Environment appreciated the efforts by Mitala Maria parish which was engaged in several enterprises including livestock farming, banana plantations, eucalyptus growing, and others. He said as a faith-based institution, it was the mandate of the institution to embark on empowering their faithful with the needed knowledge and skills necessary for them to generate household and ultimately church income. He said allowing the farm to be used as a demonstration for others to come and learn was important in supporting the individual household efforts to gain the skills needed to undertake enterprises for income generation.
Several livestock farmers and those with intentions of embarking on the trade participated in the day’s activities drawing valuable learning experiences. ‘I have found silage very user friendly because the cows like it very much, secondly, it makes the feed readily available’, said the cattle attendant at the Mitala Maria farm that hosted the farmer field school where the demonstration was conducted. He said he benefited from the training to further understand the process of making silage and was optimistic that he was going to do the same in his own home where he is rearing cattle.
The head of the laity Mitala Maria Mr. Bwanika informed the gathering that although the farm had been in existence for a long time, it had deteriorated. He commended the team from Makerere University who came on board to support the revitalization of the farm using several technologies according to the strategic plan of the parish. He said, with the advice of the university staff, they were able to plant the pastures, restock the farm, and were on the right path to make it a model farm for the rest to learn from.
Building Capacity for Innovation and Advancement of Climate Smart Agriculture in East and Southern Africa” (CICSA-E&SA) aims to develop a higher education multi-disciplinary curriculum in agriculture and economics, targeted to building knowledge and scientific capacity for innovation and advancement of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) in East and Southern Africa through long-term partnerships between and among NMBU and four institutions in Kenya, Malawi, and Uganda.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Mak Hosts INSSPIRE Project Workshop on Enhancing Evidence-Based Education on Food Systems and Climate Change
Published
2 months agoon
October 24, 2024Written by Jacinta Nakaye
Kampala, Uganda – October 14, 2024 – Makerere University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (COVAB) is hosting a five-day Training of Trainers workshop for the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) model. This is part of the Innovation for Sustainability and Societal relevance (INSSPIRE) project, which focuses on enhancing evidence-based education in food systems and climate change.
The workshop that brought together partners and stakeholders from various higher education institutions across Southern and Northern Africa to brainstorm innovative strategies for addressing these pressing global challenges.
During the opening session held at the Centre for Biosecurity and Global Health (CEBIGH) at CoVAB, stakeholders demonstrated their progress in implementing Real Life Learning Labs (RLLL), an experiential learning approach designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration on real-world development projects. These labs aim to tackle relevant issues in agriculture, industry, and society by equipping students with practical skills and problem-solving capabilities.
Associate Professor Robert Wamala, Makerere University’s Director of Research and Graduate Training delivered a keynote address on behalf of Vice Chancellor Makerere University Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe. He emphasized the severe impact of climate change on global food systems, particularly in vulnerable regions. “Climate change disrupts food systems globally, aggravating food security by impacting agricultural production through extreme weather events and shifting rainy seasons,” he stated. Prof. Wamala highlighted the need for transformative solutions that address the intertwined issues of food security and environmental degradation, which was on the areas to be addressed through the intervention.
The INSSPIRE project aims to stimulate innovative education and build inter-university capacity through international partnerships. By focusing on capacity building in higher education, the initiative supports staff development at participating universities in Kenya and Uganda thereby enhancing the delivery of educational modules on food systems and climate change.
Dr. Kato Charles Drago from CoVAB who is the team lead for the INSSPIRE project at Makerere University, coordinated the workshop, which attracted participation from institutions such as South Eastern Kenya University, the Institute for Innovation & Development of the University of Ljubljana, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Maseno University, the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, Ghana, and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani, Ghana.
Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, the Principal of COVAB, in his address to the participants noted that Uganda’s economy largely depends on agriculture and the sector supports several families and employs a big part of the population both formally and informally including graduates from Makerere University across several disciplines. He said food systems in the country were rapidly evolving as a result of population demands amidst the increasing challenge of climate change. ‘We are glad that the INSSPIRE project plans to address this gap by strengthening food systems and adapting them to the challenges of climate change, he said.
Prof. Mwiine appreciated the support that CoVAB will receive from the project in enriching curricula for two courses under the Bachelor of Animal Production Technology (BAP) by building the capacity of staff to deliver modules on food systems, which he said, would make the graduates competitive in the ever-changing job market. The training of staff in curriculum enrichment and new course delivery approaches like the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), and gamification will help improve teaching and aid student’s interest and understanding of agriculture-based courses. He observed. While addressing himself on the real life-learning labs pioneered by the INSSPIRE project, he said the model will facilitate students to acquire practical skills and hence enhance their relevance in the community as the students and staff support communities to identify real-life challenges and tackle them holistically. He reaffirmed the commitment of the college leadership in moving these innovations forward, as demonstrated and that the college was ready to engage further in resource mobilization drives to propel the innovations forward.
As the workshop unfolds over the coming days, participants will deliberate on innovative strategies to transform food systems and advance climate change education, underscoring the critical importance of multidisciplinary approaches in fostering sustainable development.
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