Veterinary & Biosecurity
“We are now citizens of the planet, The planetary phase of civilization”
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 2nd to 4th 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.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Makerere University and Partners Celebrate INSSPIRE Project Achievements in Evidence-Based Higher Education on Food Systems and Climate Action
By Harriet Musinguzi & Jacinta Nakaye
INSSPIRE, a flagship project housed at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), has successfully concluded its three-year implementation journey with a final workshop held on Tuesday, 18th November 2025, at the Imperial Royale Hotel. The workshop brought together key stakeholders from leading universities across Europe and Africa to reflect on the project’s achievements, share lessons learned, and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
Over the past three years, the INSSPIRE Project has made significant strides in advancing research, innovation, and capacity-building, particularly in the areas of food systems and climate action. Through its initiatives, the project has contributed to strengthening academic programs and aligning them more closely with societal needs and the evolving job market.
Some of the notable achievements of the INSSPIRE Project include the comprehensive review and enrichment of the curriculum, ensuring that learning is not only academically rigorous but also practically relevant to societal needs and the evolving job market. In addition, the introduction of real-life learning labs has provided students with invaluable hands-on experience, enabling them to engage directly with community challenges and apply their knowledge in practical, impactful ways. The project has also pioneered the use of Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), linking students with peers from other countries to foster cross-cultural exchange and collaborative problem-solving. This innovative approach has strengthened the connection between academia and society, equipping graduates to become solution-oriented leaders in addressing pressing global issues such as food systems and climate action.
Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, was represented at the conference by Prof. Julius Kikoma, Director of Graduate Training. Delivering remarks on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Kikoma commended the remarkable achievements realized through the strong partnership of multiple universities under the INSSPIRE initiative. He underscored the conference theme, “Advancing Evidence-Based and Inclusive Education for Food Systems and Climate Action,” as a powerful reflection of the project’s commitment to tackling global challenges through innovation, collaboration, and shared learning.
Prof. Nawangwe noted that the INSSPIRE Project, centered on innovation for sustainability and societal relevance, has successfully brought together universities from the Netherlands, Spain, Slovenia, Kenya, Uganda, Benin, and South Africa. Within this collaborative ecosystem, institutions have reimagined higher education to make it more inclusive, experiential, and responsive to pressing challenges such as food systems transformation and climate change.
Nawangwe noted that this transformation comes at a critical time when Africa faces immense challenges in food security and climate change. Uganda remains highly vulnerable, with floods and other climate shocks severely affecting communities and livelihoods. He emphasized that food systems are under pressure from rapid population growth, unsustainable practices, and environmental degradation, while climate change is already impacting nutrition and resilience. Universities like Makerere must rise to this challenge, he said, and that through initiatives like the INSSPIRE Project, Makerere University joined regional and international partners to generate evidence, influence policy, and drive innovation though solutions generated by students, researchers, and communities.
The Vice Chancellor expressed gratitude to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the project’s lead institution, for fostering collaboration that has strengthened long-term partnerships between Makerere and universities in Europe and Africa. He praised this cooperation as a model of global academic partnership, where learning flows both ways and innovation thrives in diversity. He also thanked Erasmus+, the European Union, RUFORUM, FAO, national agencies, and research institutions for their support. Special recognition was given to CoVAB for providing an enabling environment, and to the dedicated Makerere INSSPIRE team led by Dr. Charles Drago Kato, whose leadership has been central to the project’s success.
Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, Principal CoVAB expressed the commitment of the college leadership in moving the INSSPIRE innovations forward, as demonstrated in the innovations in the department of Livestock resources and the continuous development of staff to broaden the teaching of these courses. He said the college would remain part of the network and appreciated INSSPIRE for the capacity-building initiatives for the staff of the college especially in the new pedagogical methodologies like the real-life lab.
Dr. Denyse Snelder from VU Amsterdam gave a broad overview of the project activities they engaged in, including the capacity development on evidence-based and inclusive education, strengthening the university to community collaboration, and inter-university collaborations. She highlighted the key achievements realized, which include sixty lecturers actively engaged, 850 students reached through enriched courses, Five Hundred community stakeholders engaged, establishment of community practice with Eighteen Universities in Africa and Europe under the umbrella, South to South and triangular cooperation.
The INSSPIRE Project aimed to prepare students in higher education for labor market success by equipping them with the knowledge and skills needed to drive food systems transformation and adapt to climate change, thereby contributing to sustainable growth.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Urban Farming & Climate-Smart Practices: Makerere Researchers Explore Innovations at Kyakuwa Farm
A team of scientists under the collaborative research project “Building Capacity for Innovation and Advancement of Climate Smart Agriculture in East and Southern Africa (CICSA-E&SA)” recently visited Kyakuwa Farm, a model site for urban farming innovations. The visit provided valuable insights into practical climate-smart farming technologies that can strengthen resilience and reduce emissions in urban and peri-urban livestock systems.
The Climate-Smart Agriculture project is led by Makerere University in partnership with the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (Norway), Maseno University (Kenya), LUANAR, and DARS (Malawi), with funding from the Norwegian Agency for International Cooperation and Quality Enhancement in Higher Education (Diku). One of its objectives is to develop a Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) Platform to bring together key stakeholders to share experiences, promote proven CSA technologies, and build farmer resilience while minimizing greenhouse gas emissions.
The visit was led by Principal Investigator Dr. Nampanzira Dorothy Kalule from the Department of Livestock and Industrial Resources at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (CoVAB), Makerere University. She was joined by other scientists, including Prof. Vincent Muwanika, whose combined expertise enriched the engagement at Kyakuwa Farm. Together, the delegation emphasized Makerere University’s dedication to promoting urban farming and climate-smart agriculture through collaborative learning and knowledge exchange.
While at the farm, the scientists witnessed a number of climate-smart innovations that reinforce the sustainability of the Kyakuwa dairy system. These included silage made from excess sweet potato vines, hay produced from Paspalum grass during compound slashing, and hydroponic fodder cultivated as a nutrient-rich supplement. To address the persistent challenge of flies, the farm applies diatomaceous earth, an organic insecticide, both in the environment and mixed with feed. This integrated approach, they learned, enhanced animal nutrition, improved herd health, and maintained environmental hygiene.
Prof. Jolly M. L. Kabirizi, Executive Director of Kyakuwa Farm and animal research scientist at Valley University of Science and Technology, welcomed the Makerere University team. She showcased her sustainable urban farming model, highlighting dairy production supported by innovative feed, waste management, and climate-smart practices that reduce costs, empower youth, and promote community engagement. The farm places dairy production at its core, integrating innovative feed and waste-management practices that embody climate-smart agriculture. These strategies enhance productivity, optimize resource utilization, and minimize environmental impact, making the farm a replicable model for sustainable urban farming.
According to the scientists, Prof. Kabirizi’s standout innovation is her concept of “turning waste into wealth.” Instead of relying mainly on elephant grass like many dairy farmers, she introduced the use of assorted organic market waste as a sustainable feed source. By training vendors in waste recovery, she incorporates bean pods, sweet potato vines, and pineapple residues into her feeding program. These unconventional resources now form a major part of her dairy system, cutting feed costs, improving sustainability, and reducing organic waste in urban markets.
Prof. Kabirizi complements her waste-to-feed innovations with sustainable feeding technologies that reinforce Kyakuwa Farm’s resilience. The farmer produces silage from surplus sweet potato vines, hay from Paspalum grass during compound slashing, and hydroponic fodder as a nutrient-rich supplement. To tackle the challenge of flies, Kabirizi said she applies diatomaceous earth organically in both the environment and feed. This integrated system boosts animal nutrition, strengthens herd health, and maintains environmental hygiene, showcasing climate-smart agriculture in action.
Kyakuwa Farm highlights a climate-smart use of manure by transforming it into a valuable energy resource. Through solar drying, manure is converted into charcoal briquettes that offer households a cleaner, affordable alternative to firewood. This innovation reduces reliance on traditional fuels, eases pressure on forests, and integrates renewable energy into livestock management, showcasing how circular resource use strengthens sustainability and climate resilience in urban farming. In her closing remarks, after successful deliberations with the scientists, Prof. Kabirizi urged the visiting scientists to champion early retirement planning among farmers, drawing on her own rewarding retirement shaped by community training and mentorship. She has empowered households within and beyond Wakiso District through skills in urban dairy management, climate-smart feeding, and value addition.
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