Agriculture & Environment
New CAES Project to Improve Tea Production in Uganda
*****Funded by the Danish Fellowship Centre under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark, the Project, Nature-based Solutions for Climate-Resilient Tea Production in Uganda (NbS4Tea), is envisaged to sustainably bridge the tea yield gap in Uganda by developing research-based NbS for enhanced climate resilience of tea production systems.
Overview
Tea is a widely consumed and one of the oldest beverages in the world ranked second after water. Reports indicate that in Uganda, tea is the second-largest export crop after coffee, grown by both large-scale (32%) and smallholder farmers (68%). Tea production is increasing in rural areas due to its high demand and associated benefits in the provision of jobs, incomes, and health. The third National Development Plan (NDPIII) 2020/21-2024/25) identifies tea as a key agricultural crop to contribute to the national Vision 2040 of a higher middle-income country with sound food security. Yet, current tea production in Uganda is neither optimal in terms of field management, sustainable intensification, and biodiversity potential, nor climate-resilient under increasingly erratic weather patterns. Farmers in Uganda still grow colonial-era (old) tea varieties that are not climate resilient or properly managed, resulting in low yields of 6 tea hectares per year. Tea production is negatively impacted in yield and quality by climate change impacts on soil quality, disease and pest incidence, drought and heat waves. About 75% of Ugandan soils, upon which 68% of smallholder farmers derive their livelihoods, are predominantly Ferralitic, with excellent physical, but poor chemical properties (low organic matter and nutrient levels, high phosphorus fixing potential). Some farmers circumvent these challenges of soil infertility by applying expensive inorganic fertilizers that consequently pollute the environment and increase greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Soil interventions that can sustain the cultivation, productivity, and quality of tea by improving soil fertility are needed. Also, weather variability, increased temperature and erratic rainfall significantly reduce crop yield and tea is no exception. Compared to the 1960s, the temperature in Uganda is expected to increase by 1.8°C by 2050 and rainfall will be more erratic. These abiotic climate stresses act directly and negatively on the tea plants, and increase outbreaks of tea pests and diseases, including arthropods such as mites and mealybugs. Developing methods for detection of plant growth dynamics and stress, improving soil status, and identifying climate-resilient tea varieties resistant to pests and diseases is crucial. There is also a wide knowledge gap in Africa regarding the impacts of the current climate, its variability and expected climate change on tea production systems, especially for smallholder farmers and their sustainability. Bridging this gap can be done by a combination of surveys, modelling, and field experiments.
Fixing the problem through NbS4Tea
A new project by Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) in collaboration with NARO, Aarhus University (Denmark), Uganda Tea Association, and Kickstart International is envisaged to address the challenge and improve tea production and productivity in Uganda. Launched by Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe on 16th January 2024, the project titled; Nature-based Solutions for Climate-Resilient Tea Production in Uganda (NbS4Tea) will identify and quantify climate change impacts on tea yield and quality in Uganda. Through the project, the research team will identify and recommend climate resilient tea varieties, develop new methods and knowledge on locally available organic resources and NbS, innovate and deploy affordable irrigation technologies, empower vulnerable communities in tea production and processing, and identify export market strategies to substantially increase tea production and productivity in Uganda.
Funded by the Danish Fellowship Centre under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Denmark and led by Dr Emmanuel Arthur from Aarhus University, the overall objective of the project is to sustainably bridge the tea yield gap in Uganda by developing research-based NbS for enhanced climate resilience of tea production systems.
Specific objectives:
- The project team will identify and quantify climate change impacts on tea yield and quality based on historical and newly obtained data and novel data mining methods;
- Screen, select and recommend tea varieties adapted to abiotic (drought and heat) and biotic stresses (diseases and pests);
- Develop new knowledge on the potential of local waste biomass (tea prunings, banana pseudostems and peels) as soil amendments- mulch, compost, biochar, to recycle nutrients, improve soil fertility, increase carbon sequestration and alleviate drought;
- Reveal NbS through agroforestry combined with organic mulch, irrigation and resilient tea varieties that increase biodiversity and tea yield;
- Innovate new methods to enhance tea production under climate change through rainwater harvest and climate-smart irrigation infrastructure
- Empower vulnerable groups (women, youth, people with disabilities) in tea production and processing to ensure multi-actor involvement and socio-economic benefit outreach of the proposed NbS in tea cultivation and production.
- Identify export market strategies for NbS tea products, aligned with consumer preferences.
Expected outcomes and outputs
The expected outcomes tackle both knowledge and tools. These include: (1) Increased tea production, productivity, and biodiversity through the adoption of NbS in an integrated plant-soil management system, (2) Increased research and technical capacity of Makerere and R-ZARDI for (i) irrigation science (ii) remote sensing campaigns and application to tea physiology studies, and (iii) crop simulation modelling, (3) Holistic stakeholder insight on economic feasibility, consumer acceptance and market access strategies, especially for vulnerable groups in the tea value chain, (4) Increased job prospects for youth and women in tea production sub-sectors, (5) Improved social status and increased incomes of tea farmers, traders, and exporters, and (6) Improved economic and environmental quality by recycling biomass waste into value-added products dedicated to soil enhancement. The expected outputs are quantifiable and include: (1) 15+ scientific articles, conference presentations, national reports, and policy briefs informing on climate impact on tea production, resistant varieties, and NbS effects on soil quality, GHG emissions, biodiversity, tea yields and quality, (2) Five PhDs and Five MSc degrees, (3) 4+ high-yielding tea genotypes adapted to drought and heat, diseases and pests, (4) Historical trends and rates in rainfall and temperature changes in major tea-growing areas of Uganda, (5) Future suitability of tea-growing areas in Uganda based on projected climate; Impact of climate parameters on tea production in Uganda, (6) Models for tea net primary production based on canopy reflectance, (7) Model for calculating tea transpiration from canopy temperature data, (8) Chlorophyll fluorescence-based model for identifying most virulent pathogens and effects of disease on resistant tea clones, (9) Catalog of NbS combining agroforestry, mulch-biochar, irrigation and resilient tea varieties to increase biodiversity and tea yield for improved climate resilience of tea farmers in Uganda with documented effects, (10) Smart sprinkler and drip irrigation system with solar-pump, (11) 1 novel climate-smart technology for supplementary irrigation, (12) Co-creation through multi-stakeholder innovation networks for economic feasibility, (13) Market access assessment and empowerment, and (14) Consumers’ valuation of NbS tea from Uganda.
Project team at Makerere
At Makerere University, the project is coordinated by Dr Alex Nimusiima from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences at CAES. Other Project members are; Dr Grace Nakabonge from the Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism; Dr Prossy Nakawuka from the Department of Agricultural and Bio-systems Engineering; Dr Twaha Ali Basamba from the Department of Agricultural Production; and Dr Alice Turinawe from the Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics.
Remarks by the VC
In his address, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University expressed excitement about the project and pledged Management support towards the realization of the objectives. “The project aligns well with our Strategic Goal 1 that aims to transform Makerere University into a research-led university, responding to national, regional and global development challenges, as well as contributing to global knowledge generation. It also speaks to our goal of increasing graduate enrolment at Makerere, and supports the agro-industrialisation agenda. This is a commendable initiative. As you aim to improve tea production and productivity, you should also plan to transform some to the yields into products that can be commercialised as one of the measures to improve the livelihoods of our people.” The Vice Chancellor appreciated Denmark for the support extended towards various development initiatives at Makerere.
The Principal of CAES, Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga commended the research team, noting that the project is in tandem with the aspirations of the University Strategic Plan (2020-2023) and the CAES Pact for Transformational Change that aims to strengthen research and innovation, and to improve graduate enrolment. “In our bid to contribute to national transformation, we want to ensure that no aspect of development is left behind. We want to form an agenda that will cause transformational change and our focus will be translational research, research that creates positive impact on the lives of our people.”
Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe on 19th July 2024 endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding between Makerere University and Oregon State University to collaborate in different aspects of academics. The MoU signing ceremony was witnessed by members of staff from the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) namely; Dr Revocatus Twinomuhangi, Dean, School of Forestry, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences; Dr Lawrence Orikiriza Head, Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism; and Prof. Jim Ayorekire from the same department. Oregon State University was represented by Dr Ian E. Munanura, an Associate Professor in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, College of Forestry, and Ms. Racheal Fahrenbach, Manager International Programs at the College of Forestry. At Makerere, the MoU will be implemented by the Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism under the leadership of Prof. Jim Ayorekire. At Oregon State University, it will be implemented by the College of Forestry.
Under the MoU, the two institutions have agree to mutually promote the following programmes, based on their respective academic and educational needs; i) Exchange of scholars and faculty staff, ii) Exchange of undergraduate and graduate students for research and study, iii) Exchange of academic information and materials, iv) Joint research activities and publications, v) Participation in conferences and academic meetings vi) Joint running of short-term academic programs, vii) Resource mobilization in respect of areas of mutual interest, and any other areas which may promote their mutual interests.
During the ceremony, the Vice Chancellor noted that programmes agreed on in the MoU were in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, and would greatly advance Makerere’s aspiration to become a research-led University. “As we move towards becoming a research-led University, we aim to contribute to the realization of Agenda 2063 which seeks to have Africa produce at least one million PhDs as one of the measures to eradicate poverty from the continent. Partnerships like this will help us achieve our target, by building our supervision capacity,” he explained, pledging support towards the implementation of the MoU.
Dr Ian Munanura on behalf of Oregon State University expressed gratitude to work with Makerere, noting that the partnership would strengthen research capacity of the two institutions and support the mentorship of the next generation of scientists to deal with the challenges facing humanity including climate change and unemployment.
About the Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism at Makerere
The Department of Forestry, Biodiversity, and Tourism under the School of Forestry, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University offers programmes namely; Bachelor of Science in Conservation Forestry and Products Technology; Bachelor of Social and Entrepreneurial Forestry; and Master of Science in Agroforestry. Specific courses offered under those programmes include; Agroforestry Systems, Practices And Technologies; Drylands Agroforestry; Advanced Community Forestry; Gender Issues In Forestry; Advanced Biodiversity Conservation; Ecophysiology and Agronomy; Forestry For Rural Development; Natural Resource Management; Tropical Forest Ecology And Management; Forestry Business Management; Entrepreneurship In Forestry; Forestry And Food Security; Indigenous Knowledge in Resource Management; Biomass Energy Production and Conservation; Land Use Planning and Watershed Management; Forest Planning and Development; Forest Ecosystems and Livelihoods; and Forest Planning and Development. The Department also conducts a wide range of research in the fields highlighted above. The training offered exposes graduates from the department to a wide range of employment opportunities.
About the College of Forestry, Oregon State University
The Oregon State University College of Forestry is an internationally recognized leader that is transforming education, research and policy for managing and sustaining working forest ecosystems in the 21st century. The College offers a world-class education that provides a wide variety of opportunities following graduation. Academic excellence is the hallmark of the College of Forestry programs at Oregon State University. Ranked as one of the premier forestry schools in the world, students find a variety of programs that offer broad education, rigorous depth and professional focus. The College is known for its collaborative research approach to advance knowledge and bring solutions to issues facing forest landscapes and ecosystems. It takes pride in creating new and innovative approaches to help partners enhance people’s lives while improving the health of lands, businesses and vital ecosystems.
Agriculture & Environment
Mak, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology Sign Collaboration Agreement
*****Under the MoU, the two institutions will among other activities, collaborate in the areas of teaching and learning, research and publication, technology transfer, and resource mobilization in respect of areas of mutual interest.
Makerere University has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST) to formalize collaboration. Under the agreement, the two institutions intend to leverage each other’s respective strengths, experience, technologies, methodologies, and resources to achieve shared and complementary goals. Areas of cooperation will include; i) Mobilization of resources in respect of areas of mutual interest, ii) Conducting research, publishing research findings, and promoting outreach to the relevant state and non-state actors, iii) Exchanging academic and technical information including transfer of technology between the two institutions within acceptable institutional structures and policies, iv) Staff and student exchanges, v) Strengthening networking and identifying partnership opportunities between the two institutions/parties, and vi) Organizing and participating in joint academic activities such as seminars, workshops and conferences in respect of areas of mutual interest. The two institutions are also in negotiations to establish an African climate school to strengthen research and training in atmospheric science/ meteorology.
On 12th July 2024, representatives from the two institutions met at Makerere University to sign the MoU and further deliberate on the proposed areas of collaboration. Besides the other proposed areas of collaboration, the meeting held at the School of Forestry, Environmental, and Geographical Sciences (SFEGS) discussed the Reverse 2+2 programme proposal, a joint education programme collaboratively designed by both parties. The programme is implemented in two phases. Phase one covers the first two years, during which students undertake full-time studies at a foreign institution, completing prescribed courses (earning transcripts from the foreign institution) and meeting admission requirements of NUIST. Phase two spans the next two years, with students studying full-time at NUIST. Upon completing the required courses, practical activities, and graduation projects offered by NUIST, students will receive a graduation diploma from NUIST and a bachelor’s degree from both institutions. At Makerere University, the MoU will be implemented by the School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, and will be coordinated by Dr Alex Nimusiima, Senior Lecturer and Coordinator of the Meteorology Unit. At NUIST, the programme will be managed by Dr. Yueyue Yu, Professor of school of Atmospheric Science.
In his remarks presented by the Dean, School of Forestry, Environmental and Geographical Sciences, Dr Revocatus Twinomuhangi, Makerere University Vice Chancellor, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe pledged support to ensure successful implementation of the programme. “The field of atmospheric science/ meteorology, the main focus of this cooperation, is very important especially for our country Uganda which depends mainly on rain-fed agriculture and also in this era of climate change where strengthening this discipline will be important for successful adaptation and mitigation of climate change,” he noted, emphasizing the importance of partnership in fostering Makerere’s aspiration of becoming a research-University.
Commenting on the MoU, the Vice President Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology committed to support the programme with hope that it will serve as a role model in the educational cooperation between Uganda and China.
About NUIST
Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (NUIST), founded in 1960 and renamed from Nanjing Institute of Meteorology in 2004, was designated as one of the national key institutions of higher education in 1978. NUIST is co-constructed by the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), the State Oceanic Administration (SOA) and the Ministry of Education. In 2017, NUIST was on the list of China’s “Double First-class” construction universities and disciplines as well as Jiangsu high level universities. Currently, NUIST has about 35800 full-time students, including 28,300 undergraduate students, 6,200 postgraduate students and 1,300 international students. There are more than 2,000 full-time faculty members, with more than 120 high-end scholars including academicians of Chinese, EU, French, and Russian Academies of Sciences, MOE Special Professors and National Distinguished Young Scholars.
NUIST has established cooperative relationship with over 100 overseas universities and colleges from over 30 countries and regions including Yale University, Harvard University, the University of Reading, the University of Manchester, South East Technological University, Carlton University, Delft University of Technology, Macquarie University and Monash University. To date, the WMO Regional Training Centre Nanjing at NUIST has trained over 4,300 senior meteorological and hydrological professionals for 158 countries and regions and become the world’s largest training centre of top quality. Diversified cooperation modes with worldwide first-class universities is a characteristic of NUIST’s international cooperation, among which to establish joint research institutes is the most effective one.
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