_{By Damali Mukhaye}

Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) is developing an agroecology curriculum to address mounting pressures on agri-food systems in sub-Saharan Africa, including poverty, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

Curriclum development is part of the requirements under the Regional Multi-Actor Research Network for Agroecology in East Africa (RMRN-EA) Project led by the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology, in collaboration with three African universities, including the University of Nairobi (UoN, Kenya), Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA, Tanzania), and Makerere University (MAK, Uganda).

CAES hosted a two-day Stakeholder Validation Workshop for the Agroecology Curriculum in East Africa at Protea Hotel between 5^th and 6^th May 2026. The workshop brought together researchers, scientists, policymakers, and educators from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania to critically review and validate a landmark baseline study on agroecology in Uganda.

At the heart of the workshop was a presentation by Dr. Kenneth Balikoowa, Programme Assistant on a comprehensive assessment of agroecological integration across 28 CAES curricula 14 undergraduate, 13 postgraduate, and one PhD programme, alongside other presentations delivered by regional experts and academics.

Dr. Balikoowa noted that agroecology, as defined by FAO through 10 elements and 13 principles, provides a proven pathway for smallholder farming transformation by applying ecological and social principles to food systems design.

He emphasised that higher education is central to scaling agroecology, as embedding it in curricula builds a critical mass of change agents equipped to drive Uganda’s agri-food transformation, with establishing a curricular baseline at CAES as the first step under RMRN-EA interventions.

Using a rigorous six-stage mixed-methods approach, the assessment carried out by CAES, scored each programme against FAO’s 13 agroecological principles and 8 agroecological elements, conducted contextual analysis of 11 key agroecology-related terms, and benchmarked findings against international standards, including FAO and High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) frameworks.

The findings revealed that while CAES has solid technical, practical, and scientific foundations, agroecological integration remains partial, fragmented, and mostly implicit across 26 of the 28 programmes reviewed.

Two standout programmes including the Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Extension and Rural Innovation (BARI) at undergraduate level, and the Master of Science in Agricultural and Community Development (MACD) at postgraduate level demonstrated that comprehensive agroecological integration is entirely achievable within CAES and should serve as design templates for broader curriculum redesign.

Among undergraduate programmes, BARI emerged as the top performer with an average score of 3.8, recognised for comprehensive participation and co-creation approaches, while BAGR, BEVS, and BHOR performed strongly, with solid soil health and biodiversity coverage. At postgraduate level, MACD led with an average score of 4.1, with agroecology woven centrally across its curriculum.

Across both levels, the assessment found that programmes consistently score higher on agroecological elements than on principles, indicating that operational concepts such as efficiency, diversity, and resilience are more readily absorbed than value-laden principles such as fairness, social values, and farmer participation.

Soil health emerged as the most integrated principle, present as a core component in nine programmes, while animal health, input reduction, and land and resource governance were the  least integrated.

Critically, the assessment identified people-centred dimensions as the most consistently underrepresented areas across all programmes. Farmer agency, social equity, indigenous and traditional knowledge (ITK), and participatory methodologies,all central to FAO’s agroecological framework were largely absent.

Uganda’s rich indigenous agricultural knowledge was found to be almost entirely invisible in the curricula reviewed, representing both a significant gap and a major opportunity for culturally relevant curriculum development.

Going forward, the assessment recommends a foundational agroecology course common to all programmes as the single highest-impact, lowest-complexity action, deliverable within the next academic year. Full curriculum transformation is envisioned as a five-year commitment requiring sustained investment in faculty development, infrastructure, and community partnerships, but a phased roadmap makes it achievable.

Designing Curricula That Create Value

Assoc. Prof. Anthony Egeru, Principal Investigator, Makerere University (Uganda), underscored that the PhD programme in Agroecology goes beyond traditional notions of soil health and yield, placing sustainability at its very centre.

“The centrepiece is really sustainability. The conversation has now shifted from isolated discussions about soil or animal health to an integrated agroecological approach that ensures nature remains healthy while sustaining agricultural production and productivity,” Prof. Egeru said.

Prof. Egeru emphasised that productivity must be understood broadly encompassing income, animal health, circular economy, and value creation and directly linked to Uganda’s ambition of building a $500 billion economy (ten-fold).

He noted that Makerere is currently at stage three of the curriculum development process, with stakeholder validation now underway to refine and strengthen the programme. He anticipated that once the internal process of submitting the programme to the School, College, and the University Senate is complete, it will be submitted to the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), with the first set of students expected between the 2027 and 2028 academic years.

Tanzania’s Experience

Prof. Japhet Kashaigili, Principal Investigator for Tanzania and Director of Postgraduate Studies at Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), shared that Tanzania is ahead in the curriculum development journey.

According to him, Sokoine already runs a PhD programme in agroecology that has been active for seven years. He added that a newly developed Master’s programme has been submitted to the Tanzania Commission for Universities for accreditation, with enrolment expected in the next academic year. Programmes targeting extensionists and tertiary-level winter schools are also in the pipeline.

However, Prof. Kashaigili sounded a strong warning on job market absorption.

“We don’t see government hiring agroecology experts, or other institutions like big NGOs hiring agroecology experts,” he cautioned, calling it a critical gap that must be urgently addressed.

He called on governments across East Africa to actively buy into agroecology programmes and create deliberate employment pathways for trained graduates, warning that training without absorption is an investment without a return.

Kenya’s Journey

Prof. Richard Onwonga, Principal Investigator from the University of Nairobi and Professor in the Department of Land Resource Management and Agricultural Technology, noted that Kenya is making steady progress, with several universities, including Murang’a, Chuka, and the University of Nairobi, at advanced stages of developing agroecology programmes.

He noted that the University of Nairobi had completed desktop reviews, needs analysis, surveys, and stakeholder validation, and is now developing content for identified course units.

Prof. Onwonga argued that agroecology is fundamentally a return to farming systems that existed before the Green Revolution introduced chemicals that degraded soils, the environment, and human health.

He emphasised that training agroecology-equipped extension agents will be transformative for smallholder farmers across East Africa.

He also highlighted agroecology’s potential for youth employment through circular economy enterprises   from composting crop residues to engaging at every node of agricultural value chains.

“These are money-minting enterprises that the youth can get involved in,” he said.

Resolutions from the Workshop

While giving the project overview on day one, Dr. Frank Chidawanyika, Principal Investigator of the RMRN-EA Project, noted that the key outcomes from the Agroecology Validation Workshop include the development of an agroecology curriculum, a regional curriculum framework, defined competencies, and an action plan for implementation.

He also indicated that the workshop was slated to evaluate the status of the curriculum and competencies for teaching agroecology in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, noting that the outputs would guide training, research, and policy engagement across East Africa.

At the end of the workshop, stakeholders agreed that the PhD in Agroecology and Agri-food Systems will be anchored in four thematic areas, including Science of Agroecology, Practice of Agroecology, Knowledge Co-creation and Management, and Social Movement.

Project Summary

Agri-food systems in Africa have long been plagued by a multitude of challenges, including poverty, social exclusion, food insecurity, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change. Agroecology offers sustainable pathways for transforming these agri-food systems using locally and context-specific solutions, following participatory approaches that foster co-creation of solutions.

Through funding from the EU DG-INTPA, the establishment and operationalisation of the Regional Multi-Actor Research Network for Agroecology in East Africa (RMRN-EA) Project strengthens the practice, education, knowledge generation, and data management of agroecology through a multi-pronged approach involving curricula development (universities), data management (NARES), bottom-up participatory living labs (multi-stakeholders), and an Agroecology Policy Working Group (APWG).

Makerere University, in partnership with local, regional, and international institutions, is advancing climate-smart agriculture and sustainable livelihoods through the TORCH Project – Towards a Clean Energy and Zero-Emission Society in East Africa: Strengthening Academic and Community Collaboration in Outreach, Training, and Research for Green Growth and a Healthy Environment.

TORCH is a collaborative initiative designed to help communities respond to climate change through practical innovations, research, and inclusive partnerships. Implemented across Uganda, South Sudan, and Austria, the TORCH Project is focused on strengthening academic and community collaborations in outreach, training, and research aimed at building a cleaner energy future and a zero-emission society. In Uganda, one of the flagship interventions is the establishment of a Living Lab in Kabale District, Kamuganguzi Sub County Nyabumba Village, where farmers, students, researchers, and development partners are working together to test and demonstrate environmentally friendly technologies that can improve household welfare while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

A Community-Centred Response to Climate Change

The Living Lab model places communities at the centre of innovation. Rather than introducing externally designed solutions, the project works directly with local households to identify challenges affecting their livelihoods and co-create practical responses suited to their environment.

A project monitoring and progress review meeting was held on 27 April 2026 in Kabale, bringing together key stakeholders to assess achievements, review ongoing activities, and plan the next phase of implementation. Participants included representatives from Makerere University, BOKU University (Austria), Kabale University, Youth Go-Green, as well as students, researchers, farmers, and community leaders.

Addressing the participants, Dr Patrick Musinguzi, Principal Investigator from Makerere University, explained that climate change is no longer a distant concern but a present-day challenge affecting every sector of society, including agriculture, health, energy, and livelihoods.

He said the TORCH Project seeks to support communities with solutions that progressively reduce greenhouse gas emissions while improving resilience and productivity. “The project is about greenhouse gas emissions. We need to see how to progressively reduce or cut down the emissions,” Dr Musinguzi said.

He further observed that universities have a responsibility to generate knowledge that solves real community problems and supports sustainable national development.

Practical Technologies Already Transforming Rural Households

The Kabale Living Lab has identified several priority technologies based on the specific needs of farming households in the area. According to Prof. Phelix Mbabazi Businge, the Project Coordinator from Kabale University, four technologies were prioritized after consultations with the host family and surrounding community.

These include:

1. Biogas Systems

The biogas technology is to convert animal and organic waste into clean cooking fuel, reducing dependence on firewood and charcoal while lowering indoor air pollution. It will also provide nutrient-rich slurry that can be used as organic fertilizer.

2. Woodlots

A woodlot of 500 trees (Calliandra, Grevilia and Gliricidi) was planted. The establishment of the woodlots is to promote sustainable fuelwood production, restores degraded land, and contribute to carbon sequestration. This will help reduce pressure on natural forests.

3. Food Warming Baskets

These traditional but energy-efficient baskets help retain heat in cooked food, reducing the need for repeated reheating and minimizing fuel consumption.

4. Rainwater Harvesting Tanks

Water harvesting systems improve access to clean water for domestic use, livestock, and small-scale farming, especially during dry periods.

Assoc. Prof. Busingye reported that implementation of these technologies is progressing steadily and that the host farmer has already expressed satisfaction with the impact of the project.

He called upon local residents to continue supporting students and researchers who will be using the site as a learning and demonstration centre even after the project officially closes.

Empowering Youth as Drivers of Green Transformation

Recognizing that youth are central to future sustainability, the TORCH Project has partnered with Youth Go-Green, an organization working to mobilize young people around environmental conservation, entrepreneurship, and community development.

Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Muhumuza Edwin, the organization’s coordinator, said Youth Go-Green currently works with more than two million young people across Uganda through national and regional structures.

He stressed that agriculture remains one of the most strategic sectors for youth employment and economic transformation.

“Farming is one of the key priority areas that we need to emphasize and improve,” he said.

He encouraged young people and community members to actively participate in the project and support one another in adopting sustainable farming practices.

Host Farmer Shares Life-Changing Experience

At the centre of the Kabale Living Lab is Mr. Charles Byarugaba, the host farmer whose home now serves as a practical learning site for the community.

Mr. Byarugaba explained that before engaging with the TORCH Project, farming in the area was often done without planning, resulting in low productivity, inefficiency, and financial losses.

“Traditionally, I used to engage in unplanned business and farming. We would benefit little or find ourselves at the losing end before we started working with the TORCH Project,” he said, noting that the project had introduced him to better planning, enterprise management, and more sustainable farming methods. Beyond his own household, he sees the Living Lab as an opportunity for the wider community to learn improved practices that can reduce poverty, improve nutrition, and create more reliable incomes.

Mr Byarugaba expressed appreciation to the project partners for selecting his farm as a demonstration site and pledged continued cooperation.

Research that Begins With Communities

Mr. Andreas Bauer, a representative from the Institute of Development Research at BOKU University, highlighted the TORCH Project’s unique participatory research approach.

He explained that unlike conventional research models where experts first define scientific questions and later seek communities to test them, TORCH starts by listening to people.

“Before we come up with a research question, we talk to the community and see what their issues are in their livelihoods. We ask what should be done to make a difference in the local communities,” he said.

This method ensures that research outputs are relevant, inclusive, and responsive to the real needs of farmers and households.

The model also provides students with valuable field-based learning opportunities, exposing them to applied research, stakeholder engagement, and innovation for development.

Strengthening Academic Partnerships Across Borders

The TORCH Project demonstrates the power of cross-border academic collaboration in solving pressing development challenges. Key partner institutions include: Makerere University, BOKU University (Austria), Kabale University, Kyambogo University, Busitema University and University of Juba

Together, these institutions are combining expertise in agriculture, climate science, energy systems, community engagement, and higher education to build solutions that can be replicated across East Africa.

Way Forward

As implementation continues, stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to expanding successful interventions, increasing community participation, and strengthening research outputs that support sustainable development.

For Makerere University, the TORCH Project reflects the institution’s broader commitment to research excellence, innovation, and community transformation. By connecting academic knowledge with local realities, the University is helping communities build resilience against climate change while creating pathways to cleaner energy, food security, and inclusive growth.

With climate pressures increasing across the region, the Kabale Living Lab stands as a strong example of how universities and communities can work together to shape a more sustainable future.

This report provides an update on ongoing training, research and community engagement activities being done under the DANIDA-funded APCCO Coffee Agroforestry Project that is being implemented at Makerere University under collaboration with NARO-University of Copenhagen (UCPH), National Coffee Research Institute Uganda (NaCORI), Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute (MuZARDI), CURAD Incubator, GrowGrounds, NewForesight, and Regen Farmer. This report highlights part of students’ PhD research studies being conducted in Mukono and Nakaseke districts focused on understanding how Robusta Coffee Agroforestry systems can contribute to improving smallholder livelihoods, closing the living income gap, and enhancing climate resilience. The APCCO project seeks to promote sustainable coffee agroforestry systems that deliver environmental benefits such as carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience, while also improving household welfare. Integrating trees into Robusta coffee farms is a proven strategy to enhance smallholder productivity and build resilience to climate variability. As a multi-benefit nature-based solution, tree integration can improve ecosystem services, support climate adaptation, and strengthen livelihoods when effectively managed. However, its adoption remains uneven, constrained by gaps in farmers’ knowledge, socio-cultural and economic barriers, and misconceptions, particularly under increasing climate pressures. This project aims to investigate farmers’ knowledge of tree species, the factors influencing their integration and the performance of Robusta coffee in central Uganda.