Veterinary & Biosecurity
The Black Soldier Fly Insect Larvae Enterprise for COVID-19 Livelihood Resilience Project Launched at CoVAB
The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) in Collaboration with Michigan State University has embarked on upscaling the use of the Black Soldier Fly Larvae as a source of insect protein for animal production.
An awareness session was convened at the college on Monday 20th February 2023, attended by stakeholders that included the academia, entomology extension staff from peri-urban districts, officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) and the Centre for Insect Research and Development (CIRD).
The Black Soldier Fly larvae is known to be one of the most environmentally friendly sources of insect protein that is highly nutritious and cheap to rear making it a possible replacement of expensive animal protein based feed ingredients like mukene or silver fish.
During the project launch, it was explained that Black Soldier Fly Larvae farming was growing rapidly despite some challenges that include issues of safety and quality of the larvae produced from different farms, the nutritional content as well as the mixing ratios with other feed ingredients.
Dr. Amulen Deborah and Dr. Patrick Vudriko the respective Principal and Co -Investigators are working together with Prof. Eric Benbow and Dr. Jennifer Pechal from Michigan State University in implementing the USAID funded project namely; Scaling cost effective, safe and quality Black Soldier fly insect larvae enterprise for COVID-19 Livelihood resilience in Uganda. The project comes in to address some of the identified challenges in the Black Soldier Fly enterprise.
According to Dr. Amulen Deborah, the key outputs of the project include a Policy brief on the use of Black Soldier fly larvae in livestock value chains which will guide the policy formulation processes by the planners. She said the one-year project that is supporting a Masters’ Student on Veterinary Medicine will also come out with one formula for BSFL based diet for broiler chicken.
Dr. Amulen explained that in line with the Universities community outreach policy, the project will support training of 100 youth and women in BSFL startups and for sustainability purposes support the Centre for Insect Research and Development (CIRD) as a one stop knowledge center. In addition to strengthening the collaboration between Makerere and Michigan State University, Dr. Amulen explained that another output will be a scientific research paper within the scope of the objectives of the project.
The project isintended to assess the impact of COVID-19 on livestock feed protein source to map out actors in the BSFL value chains in Peri-Urban Kampala and to assess the quality and safety of BSF larvae reared. It is also intended to build the capacity of women and youth in small scale commercial BSFL farming in the Districts of Mpigi, Wakiso, Mukono Entebbe and Luweero.
The collaborating Institutions include Makerere University, Michigan State University and the Centre for Insect research and Development (CIRD), which has since 2019 piloted small-scale commercial BSFL farming under the leadership of the Principal Investigator on this project, Dr. Amulen. The major milestones achieved by CIRD in the pilot phase include setting up a small-scale BSFL unit producing one ton of BSFL weekly, supporting establishment of 100 BSF farming business, establishing market channels for both BSF equipment and breeding seeds such as eggs and pupae, as well as creating demand for dry BSFL among poultry and animal farmers.
In the course of implementing the project, entomologists from selected Districts will support the identification of farmers willing to start BSF farming and serve as focal point persons in the baseline study. The other planned activities include three field questionnaire surveys, seven training workshops for commercial BSL farming to be conducted at CIRD, Laboratory analysis of BSFL for nutritional content and safety, feeding experimentation and determining the performance of Black Soldier Fly Larvae-based feed in broiler chicken as well as a dissemination workshop.
Dr. Vudriko Patrick the Co-PI while giving his reflections on the BSFL enterprise pointed out the need to seriously consider sustainability and the economics of the enterprise, the alternative wastes and their supply chain management as well as the legal framework for the enterprise, in addition to the National technical capacity for BSF development at Ministry and Local Government levels as institutions mandated to undertake training.
Dr. Vudricko emphasized the need for education as a vehicle for knowledge expansion and human resource technical competence, noting that our education system lacks the technical competence, citing the limited content for BSFL training at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), The College of Natural Sciences (CONAS) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES).
He further emphasized the need for a product diversification as part of a holistic value chain development, product diversification, zero waste, not only looking at the larvae but considering maximizing revenue from all products. Other areas to focus he proposed, concerned product certification, determining who to call a breeder, and what it takes for one to qualify as one.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries was in attendance to address issues concerning establishing whether the relevant, laws and regulations were in place, as a condition for providing an enabling environment and ensuring the right standards in order to have the desired quality of products. MAAIF was also to give guidance regarding the existing technical capacity of the ministry and offer direction.
While officiating at the closing of the engagement, the Commissioner for Entomology in the Ministry of Agriculture Animal Resources and Fisheries Mr. Lawrence Tusiime Muhangi noted that the Black Soldier Fly was a relatively new venture. ‘Apart from using the basic principles of entomology, we are all here to learn and the National Livestock Development Policy is the starting point for us all. Most of our participation is in bee keeping and my wish would be to advocate for skilling students at university’, said the Commissioner, affirming that the standards were not in place. He said the Ministry was aligning the Animal Disease Management Bill and that given the fact that the Black Soldier Fly was a biological organism, there was need for a training manual and standards to create a fair condition for all stakeholders, including development economists, the academic, the farmers and extension workers to participate.
He commended CoVAB for initiating the project and emphasized the need for the Ministry to consider other areas of entomology including the Black Soldier Fly since it was steadily getting onboard as a viable enterprise. ‘We need to check where we are in different areas of entomology. Communities are looking at entomologists to get solutions to the many challenges they face and the ministry needs to come in and support’, he said.
He encouraged Makerere University through the key departments responsible for basic entomology to carry out a campaign to ensure that the needed infrastructure is put in place, cognizant of the fact that there were few staff entomologists at the ministry. ‘Use friends, colleagues and contemporaries to push this agenda forward. I look at this as a salvation. These things are known in a small way but we need to think beyond what the entomologist can say’ he said while emphasizing the need for the academia to support to the Ministry on instituting the necessary polices and guidelines.
The commissioner encouraged the entomologists to ensure that there were demonstrations at the Districts and where they were not, have them started at their respective homes, and that with more orientation, more knowledge was to be gained in the management of the Black Soldier Fly enterprises.
In this project, the BSF value chain actors will be coordinated by the private sector (the Center for Insect Research and Development, CIRD) and regulated by the Department of Entomology, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal industry, and Fisheries.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
PREPARE4VBD Project Holds Final Workshop in Uganda; A Landmark in Vector-Borne Disease Preparedness
By Joseph Odoi
The final dissemination workshop of the EU-funded project: A Cross-Disciplinary Alliance to Identify, PREdict, and PrePARe for Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases (PREPARE4VBDs) was successfully held from May 5th to 8th, 2025 at Best Western Premier Garden Hotel, Entebbe, Uganda, marking the culmination of a five-year, cross-continental research effort addressing vector-borne diseases in the era of climate change and globalization.
The hybrid event attracted over 80 participants, including researchers, policymakers, health practitioners, veterinarians, early-career scientists, and students from Africa and Europe. The workshop featured two key sessions with; one at Best Western Premier Garden Hotel, Entebbe, and another at the Centre for Biosecurity, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), Makerere University.
In his opening remarks, Professor Lawrence Mugisha (Uganda’s Co-Principal Investigator from CoVAB, Makerere University), officially welcomed all stakeholders and highlighted that the purpose of the workshop was to share research findings and engage stakeholders as the project wraps up. The project commenced in September 2021 and will end in August 2025.
Prof. Mugisha noted that the overall aim of PREPARE4VBD is to strengthen preparedness in Africa and Europe for emerging zoonotic vector-borne diseases, especially in an era of climate change and increasing global interconnectedness by (a) Creating a broad, and conceptual knowledge about vector-borne disease emergence and responses to climate change that reaches beyond specific diseases, vector species, borders or scientific disciplines (b)Improving prediction and preparedness in Africa and Europe for zoonotic vector-borne diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks and freshwater snails to livestock and humans under climate change and globalization.
In a project overview, the PREPARE4VBD Principal Investigator, Professor Anna-Sofie Stensgaard from the Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences at the University of Copenhagen, noted that vector-borne diseases are on the move, accounting for 17% of all infectious diseases and causing 700,000 deaths across the globe each year. She emphasized that zoonotics can’t be isolated as a human or animal health issue.
“The problem is growing and they are on the move,” she said, pointing to increased outbreaks of Rift Valley Fever, Dengue, West Nile, Chikungunya, Fasciolosis, and Schistosomiasis.
Because of this, she noted that the project thought of the need for cross-cutting and in-depth knowledge to improve surveillance and build capacity for early detection, as vector-borne diseases respect no borders. This, she explained, justified the formation of a multidisciplinary team consisting of 10 complementary partner institutions in Europe and Africa.
In terms of approach, she noted that the project used a proactive approach that focuses on addressing VBDs at a lower level, rather than the usual reactive approach that tackles diseases after they present themselves in large numbers.
More specifically, Professor Anna-Sofie noted that PREPARE4VBD focused on four thematic areas aimed at
A) Building knowledge through baseline data collection of neglected tick-, mosquito-, and snail-borne VBDs of importance for animal and human health in endemic African countries.
B) Assessing their capacity to adapt and spread to new areas using a holo-genomics approach and state-of-the-art climate change impact modelling.
C) Developing novel, sensitive diagnostic tools and model-based surveillance for rapid VBD discovery and early warning.
D) Strengthening the capacity for detection and surveillance of the targeted VBDs through training, effective communication, and dissemination of freely available data.
As part of project activities, Professor Anna-Sofie shared that the project conducted
- Training of 4 MSc students and 11 PhD fellows, as well as early-career researcher summer schools in Uganda and Kenya.
- Engaging fellows in the poster sessions and technical workshops, such as molecular diagnostics and VBD modeling.
- Promotion of transdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange among partners across Africa and Europe.
In terms of key project achievements, she noted the project was able to achieve the following
- The development of a new AI-assisted Mini-FLOTAC microscope model.
- Creation of a model for Rift Valley Fever transmission and analysis of climate change impacts on snail-borne diseases.
- Discovery of an Ixodes tick species in Kenya, which was previously only known in Europe.
- Large-scale vector-snail warming experiments conducted across different climates, from South Africa to Denmark.
- Creation of a Global Vector Database (GVD) for centralized vector data collection.
- Development of non-invasive diagnostic tools, including PCR tools for pathogen detection in livestock blood/tick fluids, environmental DNA methods for liver fluke detection, and establishment of standard operating procedures (SOPs) and training videos, all publicly accessible online.
Research Highlights in Uganda
In terms of consortium research highlights from the VBD project in Uganda, Adriko Moses from the Ministry of Health shared a multi-stakeholder approach to mitigate risks of liver fluke infections, a zoonotic disease affecting humans and animals.
Six districts near lake basins were studied: Hoima, Buliisa, Apac, Lira, Jinja, and Mayuge. The study involved 300 human samples, with 2 positive cases identified. Findings also highlighted damaged livers in slaughtered animals.
To address this trend in Uganda, the following policy recommendations were made from the study
Policy Recommendations for Control and Prevention of Liver Fluke Disease in Uganda
- Strengthen meat inspection policy in Uganda, including livestock testing before slaughter and enhanced meat testing protocols.
- Promote vegetable hygiene to control zoonotic fascioliasis—a parasitic infection transmitted through contaminated food.
- Scale up veterinary interventions in livestock through collaboration between farmers and veterinary services.
- Establish surveillance systems to monitor infections among livestock.
- Increase community engagement to improve health education and foster community-led health initiatives.
Remarks from Government and Academia
Dr. Peter Wanyama, representing the Commissioner for Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), commended the consortium for selecting Uganda and recognized the threat of VBDs to both animal and human health, as well as national development. He noted the challenge of tick resistance, and that MAAIF is constructing 69 diagnostic laboratories to address emerging vector-borne threats. He emphasized the need for local knowledge, effective communication, and knowledge translation.
Dr. Allan Muruta, Guest of Honour and Commissioner for Animal Health Services at the Ministry of Health, welcomed the multidisciplinary team to Uganda on behalf of the Minister of State for Primary Health Care.
He thanked the consortium for a well-done multidisciplinary effort addressing the growing challenge of vector-borne diseases in Africa. As a technical officer in surveillance, Dr. Muruta appreciated the project’s clear planning and timely execution.
“Africa is endemic to zoonotic diseases but allow me to share what the Ministry of Health has done. Our Integrated Surveillance Department has set up coordinated responses to several public health issues,” he shared.
He welcomed the findings and policy briefs developed through the research, noting they are relevant, science-based, and practical. He said the Ministry of Health has clear structures for handling policy issues and committed to engaging further to ensure policy uptake and action.
“All the policy briefs are feasible, new, and based on up-to-date science. The Ministry will follow through to see these policies implemented.”
He further noted that Uganda already has a functional One Health platform bringing together directors from health, water, and wildlife sectors. However, he emphasized the need to strengthen data sharing across the sub-national level. The Ministry, he said, is engaging with different sectors to make this happen.
Dr. Muruta reaffirmed the Ministry of Health’s openness to more collaboration in tackling zoonotic diseases and strengthening the One Health approach.
Prof. Frank Mwine, Principal of CoVAB, Makerere University, welcomed participants and applauded collaborative efforts in addressing vector-borne diseases.
In his remarks at Makerere University, Prof. Frank Mwine welcomed the diverse participants and thanked Prof. Lawrence Mugisha for his proven coordination and mobilization around One Health. He acknowledged the growing threats posed by climate change and emphasized the interconnectedness of ecosystems citing how birds migrate from Europe to Africa—as a reason for cross-border collaboration.
He commended the PREPARE4VBD project team for their unique research and innovations aimed at addressing vector-borne diseases and appreciated the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme for supporting such a critical initiative.
Looking ahead, Prof. Mwine stressed the importance of training the next generation to strengthen preparedness and response efforts in the future.
In a cross-country experience-sharing session involving Côte d’Ivoire, Uganda, and South Africa, coordinated by Prof. Moses J. Chimbari (South Africa), participants agreed on the urgent need to integrate One Health into university curricula and bring together diverse disciplines to address vector-borne diseases caused by climate change and other complex factors.
In this engagement, there were a number of panel discussions revolving around translating policy recommendations into practical actions for long-term impact. Prof Lawrence Mugisha at this engagement announced that another dissemination on VBDs project outcomes will be held specifically for Students who were doing exams at the time of the Project dissemination
Workshop Highlights
Key research outcomes were presented, including the development of a Global Vector Database (GVD), AI-assisted diagnostic tools, and predictive climate-disease models.
The Entebbe session hosted high-level stakeholders, including representatives from the Ministries of Health and Agriculture, NGOs, and international research bodies. Discussions emphasized the importance of translating research into policy and action.
For outreach and dissemination, thirteen policy briefs were shared, alongside posters, infopacks, risk maps, peer-reviewed publications, newsletters, and fellow-driven blog posts all aimed at sustaining knowledge exchange beyond the project lifespan.
Notable to mention was the development of a knowledge co-production model under the project, titled “Knowledge Co-Construction in Stakeholder Engagement Workshops in Health Research” by Kathrin Heitz Tokpa, Lawrence Mugisha, Moses Chimbari, and Bassirou Bonfoh.
The project has notably enhanced Africa Europe scientific cooperation and empowered local institutions with tools and training to detect, track, and control emerging diseases.
About the Project
PREPARE4VBD is a multi-disciplinary consortium that brings together 10 university and ministerial partners from 5 African and 3 European countries, united to address a future with increasingly changing global patterns of zoonotic vector-borne diseases through a holistic, pro-active approach that reaches beyond specific diseases, vector species, borders or scientific disciplines.
Project partners included; Makerere University, Sokoine University of Agriculture, University of KwaZulu-Natal, University of Naples Federico II, Swiss TPH, University of Bern, ICIPE, Uganda’s Vector Control Division, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, and Tanzania’s NIMR.
The project is part of Horizon 2020’s research and innovation actions (Grant agreement No. 101000365: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101000365) and is coordinated by the University of Copenhagen’s GLOBE Institute and Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences.
To read more about the project, visit the PREPARE4VBD website (www.prepare4vbd.eu), which offers key resources on vector-borne disease preparedness, including open-access tools, training materials, and research outputs to support continuous capacity building.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Alumni of Molecular Biology Honor Prof. George William Lubega for Outstanding Contributions
Veterinary & Biosecurity
Uganda Advances Bacteriophage Research in Fight against Antimicrobial Resistance
Makerere University convened a symposium to explore bacteriophage applications in combating antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and addressing health, agricultural, and environmental challenges. Organized by The Alliance for Phage Research and Development Uganda Ltd (PhageTeam Uganda), the event brought together researchers from Makerere University, Kyambogo University, Kampala International University, and Ian Clarke International University, and other players, highlighting a collaborative approach to tackling global and local issues.
Day two of the symposium saw researchers and policy makers together with partners from the UK and USA hold a discourse on the best way forward in the promotion of bacteriophage research and production in the country to support efforts against anti-microbial resistance.
Speaking at the event held at Hilton Garden Inn, Dr. Jesca Nakavuma, the lead phage researcher from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB), Makerere University, stressed the urgent need for alternative antimicrobial agents due to the rise in drug resistance and limited discovery of new antibiotics. Bacteriophages, natural viruses that target bacteria, she said, were identified as a promising solution to revolutionize disease control, treatment, and food security. She said research in this area was key because humankind was at risk of the impending calamity of life-threatening treatment failure.
Prof. Robert Wamala, Makerere University‘s Director for Research, Innovations, and Partnerships, who spoke on behalf of the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, underscored the importance of building local capacity in phage research. He noted that such efforts could enhance Uganda’s resilience against AMR and yield homegrown solutions for human, animal, and crop health.
As the world grapples with the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), bacteriophage research offers a promising alternative. Phages, which are natural enemies of bacteria, have the potential to revolutionize the approach to treatment, disease control, and food security, he noted. He said building local expertise in phage application can enhance Uganda’s resilience against AMR and produce sustainable homegrown solutions to health and environmental challenges.
Prof. Robert Wamala said Makerere University was committed to supporting cutting-edge research and innovation that addresses national and global challenges in line with the university’s role in knowledge generation, technology advancement, and policy influence. The importance of regulatory institutions, he said, cannot be overemphasized in this endeavor, since they enforce compliance, uphold ethical standards, and foster an enabling environment for impactful research and innovation. He said the engagement presented an opportunity to strengthen collaboration between researchers, institutions, and regulatory bodies to ensure that the outcomes are scientifically sound and are aligned to the national development priorities and global best practices.
Dr. Claire M. Mugasa, the Dean of the School of Biosecurity, Biotechnical and Laboratory Sciences (SBLS), CoVAB reiterated the fact that antimicrobial resistance was on the rise in Uganda and Africa, more than elsewhere in the world. She said it was time now that efforts be intensified in looking for sustainable options to curb the dangerous trends. She said this cuts across the human and the animals. She said it was an opportune time for players to come together to find ways of getting the required alternative. She said by coming together, the different ideas developed individually would in a concerted effort, pulling resources together for a way forward.
During the discourse, several subjects were addressed, including an introduction to antimicrobial resistance, phage biology, phage application, and lessons learnt from the establishment of a phage research centre in the UK, which was presented by Prof. Martha Clokie from the University of Leicester. This initiative reflects a commitment to fostering innovation, collaboration, and regulatory compliance, positioning Uganda as a leader in sustainable solutions for global challenges.
The symposium was sponsored by Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF), through a grant to the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in partnership with Phages for Global Health.
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