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
Makerere University Hosts Stakeholders Workshop on One Health approach to understanding Climate Change and Zoonoses
By Joseph Odoi
On January 30-31, 2025, Makerere University in partnership with Glasgow, UK and University of Stockholm, Sweden with support from Europe’s CIVIS University Alliance, organized a multi-disciplinary workshop at Kabira Country Club, Kampala, Uganda entitled “One Health and Diagnosing Zoonoses – Understanding the Importance of Climate Change in Disease Prevalence.” The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including academicians, researchers, and practitioners, to collaborate on addressing public health challenges at the intersection of human, animal, and environmental health.
The workshop was organized and officially opened by Associate Professor Lawrence Mugisha from the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (CoVAB), Makerere University alongside Professor Jonathan Cooper from the University of Glasgow, who led the CIVIS Alliance team to Uganda.
In his opening address, Prof. Mugisha welcomed participants and outlined the key objectives of the workshop. He noted that the primary aim of the workshop was to build new pathways for knowledge exchange and strengthen One Health capabilities within Uganda and East Africa in order to develop a better understanding of the role of climate change in disease dynamics (including zoonoses) in humans and animal health and their wellbeing.
Furthermore, the workshop sought to explore the regional links between zoonotic disease prevalence and climate change by using appropriate digital tools/systems that will, in future, have the potential to be used more widely in Sub-Saharan Africa.
On the impact of Climate Change in Disease Prevalence, Professor Mugisha noted that the World Bank, the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have all warned around the need to better understand the harmful effects of climate change on health and disease, especially in low-and-middle-income-countries with such effects readily seen with Sub-Saharan Africa suffering some of the worst impacts.
‘’Uganda is also considered as a ‘hot spot’ for emerging and re-emerging infectious disease epidemics. The country has experienced several epidemics including; Ebola, Marburg, Plague, Rift Valley Fever, Yellow fever and Crimean Congo hemorrhagic fever. ‘’Many of these public health challenges arise from the interaction between humans-animals-environment and require a One Health approach as a collaborative effort of multiple disciplines working locally, nationally, and globally, to attain optimal health for people, animals, plants and the environment.’’ added Professor Mugisha.
In his remarks, Professor Jonathan Cooper from the University of Glasgow acknowledged participants and provided a brief background on the CIVIC University Alliance. He stated that under CIVIS, multiple universities collaborate to offer joint learning pathways, research opportunities, and diverse degree programs, creating a dynamic network where students and academics can move freely between institutions. Through this collaboration, they work together to address societal challenges, including One Health and climate change, while also developing real-world solutions. He also commended the collaborative efforts of Makerere University, particularly those of Professor Lawrence Mugisha, in working across multiple disciplines at local, national, and global levels to achieve optimal health for people, animals, plants, and the environment.
Prof. Mugisha delivered a keynote address on climate change and human health and highlighted how climate change is causing unprecedented threats to human health, driving emergence of new infectious diseases and exacerbating the existing ones in addition to fueling frequent occurrence of severe natural catastrophes like floods, hurricanes and wildfires. He reported as per World Economic Forum Report of 2024, that climate change is projected by 2050 to cause additional 14.5 million deaths and $12.5 trillion in economic losses worldwide. He called upon all stakeholders to act together through research, innovations and public directed interventions to reverse the potential impact of climate change. He provided examples of different research consortiums working together to contribute to finding solutions to address the impacts of climate on health of humans, animals and entire ecosystem. Highlighted Projects include DIDIDA-Improving disease diagnosis in Africa (Home – Didida), PREPARE4VBDS— A Cross-Disciplinary Alliance to Identify, PREdict and prePARE for Emerging Vector-Borne Diseases (prepare4vbd.eu) and recently funded DIDIDI- development of advanced, low-cost and deployable digital dashboards and diagnostics to understand how changes in climate are affecting the dynamics of soil-transmitted helminth (STH) and schistosomiasis in underserved rural community settings in sub-Saharan Africa
Dr. Frederick Monje, a focal person for the One Health Platform from the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF), provided a brief background of the National One Health Platform of Uganda. He stated that the platform was established in 2016 to serve as a multi-sectoral coordination mechanism aimed at addressing public health threats arising from the interactions between humans, animals, and the environment.
Dr. Monje emphasized that the National One Health Platform in Uganda plays a critical role in surveillance, early detection, and rapid response to outbreaks through collaborations with district health teams, universities, and research institutions. He noted, “One Health is one of the ways to prevent the next pandemic. We need to do a lot of preparedness to prevent cross-cutting public health threats from coming to us. We have developed a number of training and partnerships with universities and many stakeholders to achieve the One Health objective.”
In his presentation, Mr. Monje also cited the World Bank’s report, highlighting that globally, zoonotic diseases sicken 2.4 billion people annually, kill 2.2 million, and affect more than 1 in 7 livestock. The direct economic costs of zoonotic diseases are estimated at 20 billion dollars per year. He pointed out that Uganda, due to its proximity to the Congo Basin and other hotspots, faces significant public health threats from zoonotic diseases.
Mr. Monje further emphasized that the platform’s impact is evident in its district-level One Health teams, which have strengthened Uganda’s pandemic preparedness and response to zoonotic diseases such as Ebola, Rift Valley Fever, and anthrax. He reiterated that One Health is critical to preventing future pandemics, requiring continuous preparedness, collaboration, and policy development to safeguard public health.
In her presentation, Ms. Patricia Nyinguro- Principal Meteorologist at the Kenya Meteorological Department revealed that there is rising temperatures in Kenya, showing an increasing trend since 1961, particularly in semi-arid regions. Despite this, she noted that public perception of heatwaves is low yet rising temperatures are key drivers of heat-related mortality, morbidity, and infectious diseases.
Moving forward, Ms. Patricia emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in developing heat health action plans and called for the development of indicators to measure progress in climate change adaptation.
In a digital technologies session, Dr. Xin Guo from the University of Glasgow shared insights on mobile health platforms for diagnostics, including demonstrations of relevant applications. He showed how apps can help diagnose diseases, especially zoonotic ones, and improve healthcare, especially in areas that need better disease tracking and response.
Participants engaged in discussions on zoonoses, its impact, and the importance of the One Health approach. Key questions explored included: What are zoonoses? Why is One Health crucial? Who are the stakeholders involved, and how can zoonoses be effectively addressed?
Using the Double Diamond Methodology, participants in group discussions also identified the most pressing challenges that climate change poses or will pose on zoonoses, potential solutions, and the reasons why these solutions aren’t being implemented yet.
Key outcomes from the engagement included the drafting of a policy brief outline, which will guide future initiatives aimed at tackling public health threats.
The workshop also tackled important issues such as data interoperability, data ownership and management, and ethics and privacy. These topics were thoroughly explored during structured discussions, with a particular focus during the Early Career Researcher (ECR) session.
Dr. Paul Mbanka, Assistant Commissioner of Health Services, outlined the Ministry of Health’s commitment to addressing Zoonoses related cases citing presence of an incident management system, which includes an SMS-based mechanism for reporting diseases to the emergency response center. Upon detection of an alert, the information is verified, samples are collected, and if confirmed, a response is initiated. In terms of areas for improvement, Dr. Mbanka acknowledged the challenge of information sharing across various sectors. When asked about Data sharing by workshop participants, He also stated that the Ministry of Health is open to sharing data with researchers, provided it supports the Ministry’s goals
The two-day workshop concluded with an emphasis on the critical need for continued collaboration in the One Health sector. Participants, including Researchers, Academicians, PhD and Master’s students from Makerere University, and Uganda and Kenya registered students at Glasgow University made presentations and also engaged in strategic discussions on tackling zoonotic diseases, climate change, and the integration of digital innovations in health data management.
To conclude the workshop, Prof. Lawrence Mugisha, Professors Julien Reboud and Jon Cooper of the Makerere University and University of Glasgow respectively expressed their appreciation to all participants for the insightful presentations, discussions and emphasized the importance of ongoing partnerships across human, animal, and environmental health sectors.
Veterinary & Biosecurity
The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity Marks Milestone Achievement
The College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity presented a total of 186 students during the 75th Makerere University Graduation ceremony. This diverse cohort included 68 women and 118 men. Among the graduates, six earned their esteemed PhDs, showcasing the college’s commitment to advanced education and research.
In addition to celebrating the graduates, the event also honored faculty members for their exceptional contributions to research excellence. Senior career awards were presented to Prof. Mugisha Lawrence, Dr. Enoch Matovu, Prof. Kankya Clovice, Prof. Frank Norbert Mwiine, and Dr. Nyakarahuka Luke.
The Midcareer awards went to Dr. Muhanguzi Denis, Dr. Vudrico Patrick, Dr. Mutebi Francis, and Dr. Nanteza Ann. The Early career awards were given to Dr. Wilfred Eneku, Dr. Abigaba Rubaijaniza, and Dr. Paul Ssajakambwe. These awards highlight the college’s commitment to fostering excellence in research and education across various career stages.
During the first session of the Graduation ceremony held at the Freedom Square, the Chancellor Dr. Crispus Kiyonga in his remarks directed the integration of political economy teaching across all courses to enhance students’ understanding of the country’s socioeconomic conditions.
He said in the effort to further the research endeavors, the government pledged to increase Makerere University‘s research funding and strengthen partnerships with the private sector to commercialize innovations developed at the institution. Dr. Crispus Kiyonga, the newly appointed Chancellor, presided over the event and encouraged the university to establish an agro-industrial park on its land. “The parks would serve three purposes: teaching, generating income, and acting as a demonstration site for communities across the country,” he stated.
The ceremony was graced by Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, Minister of State for Primary Education, who represented the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Kataaha Museveni. Other dignitaries included members of Parliament, the judiciary, the diplomatic corps, and academics. She lauded Makerere University for its dedication to academic excellence and innovation. “Today reflects the resilience, hard work, and commitment of our graduates, supported by the university staff, management, and parents,” she said. The Minister commended the Vice Chancellor and management for fostering research and innovation while urging them to maintain robust quality control systems to uphold the institution’s integrity. She also reflected on Makerere’s recent milestones, including the commissioning of a new School of Law building and the launch of the School of Graduate Studies and Research. “Your achievements stem from hard work, transparency, and accountability. They set Makerere apart as a leader in higher education,” she noted.
Vice Chancellor Highlights Makerere’s Impact
Vice Chancellor Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe congratulated the 13,658 graduates at Makerere University, including 143 PhD recipients and a notable 53% female graduates. He acknowledged the contributions of staff, parents, and sponsors in supporting the students’ educational journeys. Prof. Nawangwe highlighted the College of Veterinary Medicine’s significant contributions to biosecurity and sustainable food systems. He reiterated the university’s transformation into a research-led institution, driven by the government’s Research and Innovation Fund. Key national priorities being addressed include improving the Parish Development Model and advancing e-governance.
Highlights of CoVAB’s Notable Research Achievements
Prof. Nawangwe emphasized several significant research projects and accomplishments at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources, and Biosecurity (CoVAB). He mentioned that in collaboration with the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) and supported by the Civilian Research and Development Foundation (CRDF) Global, CoVAB researchers are tackling the rising threat of cyberattacks on laboratories handling high-risk biological materials.
Furthermore, the Centre for Biosecurity and Global Health (CeBiGH) at CoVAB continues to advance the development of recombinant vaccines and diagnostics, with support from the Science Technology and Innovations Office of the President (STI-OP). They have established state-of-the-art laboratories with up to Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) containment. These labs have developed prototype prognostic tests and vaccine prototypes for COVID-19, anti-tick vaccines, and East Coast Fever, expanding their research to other diseases requiring diagnostics and vaccines.
The Vice Chancellor also informed the gathering about the molecular and computational biology research group, led by Dr. Muhanguzi Dennis. This group, in partnership with the Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas (FORTH) in Greece, leads a large consortium of seven sub-Saharan institutions to explore the role of ticks as disease vectors, focusing on Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever.
Additionally, the college, supported by the Swiss Government, is leading efforts to eliminate rabies in Uganda and the region through electronic surveillance. This initiative, using a one health approach, involves partnerships with the University of Zurich, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries, and the Uganda Wildlife Authority, among others.
“Graduation Statistics of the 75th graduation ceremony
During the course of the 75th graduation ceremony, a total of 13,658 graduands received degrees and diplomas of Makerere University. 53 % of the graduands were female and 47% male. 44% of the PhD graduands were female. 16% of the graduates are graduating with post-graduate degrees and diplomas.
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