Seated L-R: Prof. Inger Måren, Prof. Henry Alinaitwe and Dr. Ronald Semyalo with facilitators and participants at the close of the MBRS on 8th December 2022, Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, Makerere University.
Officially opened on Monday 28th November 2022, the first ever Makerere-University of Bergen Research School (MBRS) came to a lively end as student participants cheered each other on at a certificate award ceremony presided over by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Finance and Administration), Prof. Henry Alinaitwe. Held on Thursday 8th December, 2022 in the Multimedia/e-Learning room of the Frank Kalimuzo Central Teaching Facility, the ceremony was moderated by the Mak-UiB Collaboration Coordinator for Makerere University Dr. Ronald Semyalo. Also present at the award ceremony were UiB’s Prof. Tore Sætersdal, Prof. Inger Måren, Nils Gunnar Songstad, Anja Christine Rørnes Tucker as well as other officials from Makerere and UiB.
Prof. Henry Alinaitwe addresses participants at the close of the MBRS.
In his remarks, Prof. Alinaitwe, who represented the Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, congratulated the facilitators from Makerere and UiB as well as the student participants upon successfully completing the two-week course. “Makerere takes great pride in collaborations and as our Vice Chancellor often says, we are the University that collaborates most in the whole world; we literally collaborate with institutions on all continents without discrimination.”
Turning to the University’s aspirations to become research-led, Prof. Alinaitwe, Prof. Alinaitwe appreciated UiB for choosing to host the PhD School at Makerere, noting that it augurs well with the institution’s research strategies. The MBRS was held as part of activities to celebrate Makerere’s 100 years of excellent service to humanity and 35 years of close collaboration with UiB.
Prof. Henry Alinaitwe (R) and Prof. Tore Sætersdal (L) present a certificate to one of the participants (C) during the award ceremony.
Prof. Alinaitwe added that activities such as the MBRS help make the PhD journey more engaging and will be remembered by participants long after they complete their respective programmes. He noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had put physical conventions such as the MBRS on hold and it is good for institutions to be able to resume them. He therefore urged participants to take full advantage of the networks they forge during such engagements.
“Makerere is a very progressive institution and we are looking forward to continue collaborating with various individuals and universities,” he said. Turning to the MBRS topic; Food and Water Security in a changing World, Prof. Alinaitwe noted that although Uganda is well endowed with a variety of naturally occurring food and water resources, it would greatly benefit from technology-transfer partnerships. These partnerships, he said, would help promote technologies that enable communities to become food and water sufficient, despite varying onsets and amounts of rainfall received in the different regions of the country.
MBRS participants during a field visit to the Mt Elgon Biosphere reserve over the weekend of 3rd to 4th December 2022. Photo: Twitter/@RSemyalo
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The Department of Biochemistry is built on a commitment to excellence in basic research, established when it was founded in 1883, and continuing to the present day. Contributions by our researchers have dramatically changed our understanding of life and rank among the highlights of biochemistry to date. You can learn more about the Department’s history on our About page, and about the University of Wisconsin–Madison on the university’s main website.
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Application materials must be uploaded by August 31, 2025. Accompanying recommendations must be uploaded by September 15, 2025.
A study by researchers from the EfD-Mak Centre at Makerere University has revealed stark gender differences in the impact of COVID-19 on food security among Uganda’s urban poor, with female-headed households bearing the brunt of the crisis. The findings were presented at a stakeholder dissemination meeting held at Tick Hotel in Kawempe Division, Kampala.
The research, led by Dr. Fred Matovu, Fred Kasalirwe, and Anitah Kyamugabwa, focused on Kawempe Division, one of Kampala’s most densely populated and low-income areas. Using data from a 2022 household survey of 415 respondents, along with focus group discussions and interviews with key government stakeholders, the study examined how the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic disruptions worsened food security in informal urban settings.
Peter Babyenda speaking during the dissemination workshop.
Speaking on behalf of the EfD Uganda Director, Dr. Peter Babyenda stressed that Uganda’s current social protection structures are inadequate, especially for the most vulnerable. He called for policy frameworks that are informed by grassroots realities. “We need policies that involve those affected from the ground up, especially the urban poor who live on daily incomes. During COVID-19, these groups suffered immensely when lockdowns were imposed without consultations,” he said.
The study, titled “Differences in COVID-19 Effects on Food Security and Adaptive Strategies among the Urban Poor: Experiences from Uganda and Tanzania”, was conducted between 2022 and 2023 in collaboration with EfD Tanzania. In Uganda, the research focused on how urban poverty intersected with gender and food insecurity.
Peter Babyenda representing the Director EfD-Mak Centre.
Presenting the findings, Fred Kasalirwe reported that poor urban households, especially those relying on informal employment, were disproportionately affected due to low and unstable incomes. The containment measures introduced in March 2020 including stay-at-home orders, closure of schools, suspension of public transport, and night curfews had a devastating effect on daily earners. As economic activity halted, access to food, healthcare, and essential services declined sharply.
The research found that food security and dietary quality worsened for both male- and female-headed households. However, the impact was more severe for female-headed households due to greater caregiving responsibilities and fewer income-generating opportunities. With limited access to social safety nets, families resorted to extreme coping strategies such as selling household assets, depleting savings, and changing their diets involuntarily. Kasalirwe noted that government food assistance during the crisis was inconsistent and insufficient.
Fred Kasalirwe presenting the study findings.
He explained that female-headed households faced unique challenges, often balancing caregiving with limited means to earn income during lockdowns. “These households suffered more from income shocks, leading to worsened nutrition among children and the elderly,” he said. Most had to rely on informal networks or personal savings to survive.
The study also noted an unexpected finding: persons with disabilities experienced relatively improved food security during the crisis, likely due to targeted social support. However, this level of support was not extended to most households, exposing critical gaps in Uganda’s social protection systems.
Fred Kasalirwe presenting the research findings at Tick Hotel in Kawempe.
While the COVID-19 pandemic was a primary focus, researchers emphasized that food insecurity among the urban poor in Uganda has been driven by a wider series of shocks. These include prolonged droughts, floods, mudslides, economic recessions and the suspension of major aid programs such as USAID. Each of these events has further strained already fragile food systems and household resilience.
Kasalirwe warned that unless Uganda adopts robust and inclusive social protection policies, the country will remain vulnerable to future crises. He urged the government to consider gender-responsive strategies that recognize the disproportionate burden carried by women and informal workers. “Government programs often collapse because communities are not involved in designing or owning them,” he said. “What we need is a bottom-up approach where self-help mechanisms and community buy-ins are developed alongside government interventions.”
A stakeholder contributes during the discussions.
He further noted that while COVID-19 provided the context for the study, the findings are applicable to a wide range of future shocks, including public health emergencies, climate change, and global economic downturns. “We’ve seen floods in Mbale, Ebola outbreaks, and the ripple effects of the Ukraine war. We need systems that don’t crumble when funding dries up,” he said.
The researchers urged both the government and development partners to shift focus from emergency responses to long-term resilience building. They emphasized that coping strategies such as selling productive assets or reducing food intake are impoverishing and unsustainable. The study called for a strong policy framework that prioritizes food security, supports vulnerable populations, and enhances urban livelihoods.
A participant makes contribution to the study finding.
The study recommends a participatory approach that actively involves vulnerable communities in the design and implementation of social protection programs. It also calls for the establishment of community-based safety nets that are sustainable even in the absence of regular government funding. The researchers stressed the importance of gender-sensitive planning, especially in informal settlements where women face heightened challenges during economic shocks. Additionally, the government is urged to streamline its social protection initiatives through the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, ensuring effective outreach and awareness to reach those most at risk.
The research was funded by the EfD Global Hub and coordinated by the EfD-Mak Centre. Participants at the dissemination meeting echoed the urgency of addressing urban food insecurity and preparing more effectively for future crises.
More photos from the workshop
A participant contributes during the discussion.A local government official clarifies on some issues during the discussion.
Jane Anyango is the Communication Officer EfD Uganda.
Researchers from the Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology, and Biotechnology at the College of Natural Sciences (CoNAS), Makerere University have highlighted the urgent need to conserve medicinal plants in the face of increasing threats from climate change, over-harvesting, and habitat destruction.
Despite Namutumba District’s rich diversity of medicinal plants, conservation efforts are limited, and several species are already classified as globally and nationally threatened. This highlights the urgent need for focused conservation strategies to safeguard these vulnerable medicinal plants.
Dr Tugume addressing the workshop participants on the key research findings.
Under a project titled “Knowledge, Attitudes, and Conservation of Commonly Traded Medicinal Plants in a Climate-Changing Environment in Eastern Uganda,” a team of researchers led by Dr Patience Tugume documented 174 medicinal plant species. The goal was to assess the existential threats facing these plants due to unsustainable harvesting practices and the lack of effective conservation measures. These species are widely used to treat various health conditions, including malaria, syphilis, diabetes, hypertension, and certain cancers. The findings of the study are intended to guide the development of species-specific, evidence-based interventions to curb possible extinction and loss of medicinal plant resources. The research revealed troubling trends in the availability of key medicinal plants, including:
The herbalists mostly collected their medicinal plants from bushlands (92.0%), markets (82.3%) and wetlands (74.7%) and were rarely cultivated. This is of great concern regarding the conservation and future availability of these resources.
It was noted that 36% of the herbal products were made from roots, which presents a conservation threat since the heavy utilization of roots affects the regeneration of the medicinal plants.
Common plants used were: Kigelia africana (Naibere), Erythrina abyssinica (Ekiyirikiti) and Geranium sauveolens (Lokowe). Kigelia africana was the most cited species by the herbalists, indicating heavy utilization and a high conservation threat if deliberate measures are not taken to ensure its future availability.
Almost all respondents (289, 96.3%) acknowledged a considerable decline in the availability of 13 medicinal plants species including Aloe wollastonii (Ekigagi), Commiphora africana (Nkulidho), Myrica kandtiana (Mukikimbo) and Acacia sieberiana (Mufundawuzi).
Four plant species i.e. Tamarindus indica (Enkoge), Warburgia ugandensis (Balwegira), Mitragyna rubrastipulata (Mutamatama) and Mondia whitei (Mulondo) appear on the Red List of Globally and Nationally Threatened Species and were mentioned among the plants whose population has greatly declined.
The causes of decline in availability of medicinal plants included climate change, overharvesting, agricultural expansion, habitat destruction, land use change and inadequate regulations.
There were no medicinal plant conservation efforts by herbalists.
Kigelia africana was the most cited species by the herbalists, indicating heavy utilization and a high conservation threat.Participants included leaders of the herbalist associations, traders and research assistants.
The study recommended the following practices to ensure conservation of the medicinal plants:
Promote the use of sustainable harvesting techniques to ensure conservation of medicinal plants.
Conduct capacity building for stakeholders in the medicinal plants sector on conservation, value addition and standardization.
Establish community botanical gardens raw plant collection and sensitization programmes.
Advocate for agroforestry among herbalists to reduce the dependence on natural habitats.
Develop and enforce regulations on accessing natural areas for medicinal plants.
Promote conservation awareness campaigns.
Dr Tugume appreciating the Chief Administrative Officer-Namutumba, Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel for hosting the Dissemination Workshop at the District Offices.
Research Dissemination in Namutumba District
At the research dissemination workshop held in Namutumba District on 23rd July 2025, and attended by district leaders, researchers, and local herbalists, the project team led by Dr Patience Tugume expressed hope that the insights gained from the project, particularly in medicinal plants conservation approaches, will be invaluable for minimising the decline in medicinal plants.
The Resident District Commissioner-Namutumba, Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu (Standing), the PI, Dr Patience Tugume (Right), and the LC5 Chairperson, Mr. Mutyaba Patrick (Left).
In her remarks, Dr Tugume, thanked the Government of Uganda through the Makerere UniversityResearch and Innovations Fund (MakRIF) for funding the project. She expressed gratitude to the research team composed of Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa, Dr Jamilu E. Ssenku, Dr Savina Asiimwe, and Dr Abdul Walusansa who have worked with her closely from project inception in February 2024. She further thanked the research assistants and all respondents, mainly the herbalists that participated in the study.
In a special way, she appreciated Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu (Resident District Commissioner), Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel (Chief Administrative Officer), Mr. Kiire Noah (Communication Officer), Mr. Mugunywa Enock (District Community Development Officer), Mr. Kirya Moses (District Environmental Officer), Mr. Bamusubire William (District Forest Officer) and the leaders of herbalist associations for providing support throughout the study and sparing time to attend the dissemination workshop.
The MakRIF research Team. Left to right: Mr. Ronald Muwanika, Dr Savina Asiimwe, Dr Patience Tugume (Principal Investigator), Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa, and Dr Abdul Walusansa.
Addressing the participants, the Resident District Commissioner, Mr. Fred Aggrey Bangu urged all stakeholders to engage in a collaborative discussion on how the study findings can be translated into practical solutions to promote sustainable use and conservation of commonly used medicinal plants in Namutumba District amidst adverse effects of climate change.
The MakRIF project team with leaders of the Traditional Herbalist Associations.
Mr. Ofwono Emmanuel, the Chief Administrative Officer, praised the Makerere research team for selecting Namutumba as the study area. He said the research served as an eye-opener to the district officials and community, especially regarding the pressure exerted on natural medicinal resources.
Front left to right: Mr. Ronald Muwanika (Coordinator), Mugega Amos (Sec. Health), Mutyaba Patrick (LC 5), Bangu Fred (Resident District Commissioner), Dr Patience Tugume (Principal Investigator), Ms. Kiire Noah (Communication Officer), Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa (Researcher). Back left to right: Mugunywa Enock (District Community Development Officer), Kirya Moses (District Environmental Officer), Bamusubire William (District Forest Officer). Dr Savina Asiimwe (Researcher), and Dr Abdul Walusansa (Researcher).
Report compiled by Dr Patience Tugume and Dr Abubakar Sadik Mustafa – Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology, CoNAS, Makerere University