Agriculture & Environment
New CAES Project Targets to close the Nutrition Gap of Cross-bred Dairy Cattle in Uganda
Status of Uganda’s Dairy Production
Dairy farming is a major activity in the southwestern, central, and northeastern parts of the country, with the sector contributing significantly to the economic, nutritional, and employment opportunities of the rural communities in those areas. The dairy industry contributes 9% to Agriculture GDP and about 4% of the total GDP. Dairy farming is a priority agricultural sector under NDP III (2020/2021 to 2024/2025), and a key driver of the agro-industrialisation agenda, Parish Development Model, and Uganda Vision 2040. According to expert reports, the dairy sector currently brings in the second-highest export earnings after coffee in the agricultural sector and is gradually paving its way to the number one position. The sector is currently valued at US$3.8 billion according to statistics. Production of milk increased from sh2.51b litres to approximately sh3.85b litres between 2018 and 2022, an average annual growth rate of 11%, which is among the highest of any sector in the Ugandan economy. However, the sector is undermined by a number of challenges including livestock diseases, low uptake of high grade exotic cattle, a high rate of failure for artificial insemination, limited access to extension services, and limited investments in feed resources. A report by the Economic Policy Research Centre, based on investigations into livestock production practices and milk productivity, reveals that Uganda could be making $300 million more but most farmers in western Uganda who initially embraced exotic breeds are reverting to local Ankole cattle. An exotic breed can produce up to 40 litres of milk per day compared with just three litres from local breeds.
Short Initiative to improve productivity of dairy cows
Dairy cattle in Uganda, in most cases, produce less milk than expected. This is mainly caused by improper feeding. It is therefore imperative that feed quantity and quality be improved for dairy cows in Uganda to increase milk production and subsequently household incomes. Makerere University through the Department of Agricultural Production at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), together with the National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), Ento Organic Farm Ltd, and Ghent University in Belgium, are implementing a two-year project designed to harness circular and carbon-sequestering local feed resources to close the nutrition gap of cross-bred dairy cattle in Uganda.
The project is supported by Vliruos and led by Prof. Veerle Fievez from Ghent University, Belgium. In Uganda, the project is coordinated by Prof. Fred Kabi from the Department of Agricultural Production (DAP) at CAES, Makerere University. Other members on the project are; Mr. Pius Lutakome, a PhD student and Lecturer at DAP, Makerere University; Dr Susan Diana Kerfua and Mr. Denis Asizua from NaLIRRI, and Mr. Martin Tenywa from Ento Organic Farm Ltd. The project is intended to, among other objectives, i) share state-of-the-art scientific results on negative energy balance in transition crossbred dairy cows identified through metabolic biomarkers in blood spot samples, ii) Collaboratively co-create knowledge with stakeholders along the dairy value chain on circular feeds as well as shrub- and tree-based resources with carbon-sequestering capacity, and assess their potential to close the nutrient gap, iii) cooperatively develop a roadmap with stakeholders in modeling a home grown solution to eliminating extreme hunger and poverty through sustainable dairy cattle production practices, and to close the nutritional gaps during negative energy balance experienced at early lactation period of crossbred dairy cattle.
Inception meeting
On 8th February 2024, the project team held an inception meeting to stimulate deep reflections on the contemporary global challenges on using circular feeds to close the nutritional gaps of dairy cows. The one-day meeting held at Grand Global Hotel in Kampala was also convened to develop a roadmap towards achieving the project goal, objectives and expected outcomes; to review implementation arrangements, and to confirm roles and responsibilities of the different stakeholders. It was attended by stakeholders along the dairy value chain, representatives from local government, and researchers from the Department of Agricultural Production at CAES, Makerere University. At the meeting, Prof. Veerle Fievez from Ghent University delivered a presentation on ways of harnessing circular and carbon-sequestering local feed resources to close the nutrition gap of cross-bred dairy cattle in Uganda, whereas Mr. Pius Lutakome shared part of his findings from his PhD research project. Mr. Lutakome is conducting research on crossbreed dairy cows in grazing systems of Western Uganda and measures that can be taken to improve nutritional management based on monitoring the metabolic status. Participants too engaged in focused group discussions on realities of feed and feeding practices of dairy cows in Uganda, with the aim of establishing the kind of feed given to dairy cows, source of feed, quantities given, and the frequency at which the cows are fed. This was intended to guide the way forward for successful implementation of the project. The meeting was moderated by Dr. Prossy Isubikalu from the Department of Extension and Innovation Studies at CAES, Makerere University.
Photo Gallery
Agriculture & Environment
Mak-CAES Trains Small-Scale Processors on Soybean Value Addition & Product Development
The Department of Food Technology and Nutrition (DFTN), Makerere University, in collaboration with Smart Foods Uganda Ltd, successfully conducted a five-day intensive training on soybean value addition and product development from 24th to 28th November 2025. The training was implemented with support from IITA Uganda under the Training for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Soy Compact Project, aimed at strengthening agro-processing capacities and promoting soybean utilization for improved nutrition and livelihoods.
The training program was highly practical and skills-oriented, featuring extensive hands-on sessions designed to equip participants with applicable processing and product development competencies. Most of the practical activities were hosted at Makerere University’s Food Technology and Business Incubation Centre (FTBIC). Participants also benefited from an industry exposure and experiential learning session at Smart Foods Uganda Ltd in Bweyogerere, where they gained first-hand insights into commercial-scale soybean processing operations, quality control systems, and product marketing strategies.
Key thematic areas and technologies covered during the training included soybean nutrition and associated health benefits; assessment of quality attributes of soybeans and soy-based products; application of Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP); and processing of high-quality soy products. Practical sessions focused on the production of soymilk, tofu, soy yoghurt, soy flour, and soy coffee, as well as the formulation of soy-fortified composite porridge flours. Participants were also trained in the development of various soy-based bakery products, including bread, mandazi, daddies, and baghia. In addition, sessions on marketing, branding and positioning of soy products, as well as UNBS certification requirements and documentation, were conducted to enhance market readiness and regulatory compliance.
The training attracted a total of 57 participants, comprising small-scale soybean processors and graduating university students, thereby fostering knowledge exchange between academia and industry. Overall, the training contributed significantly to building technical capacity in soybean value addition, promoting entrepreneurship, and supporting the development of nutritious, market-oriented soy-based products in Uganda. The School of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Bioengineering, under the leadership of Dr. Julia Kigozi (Dean), conducts periodical trainings for agro-processors across the country to enhance technical capacity, improve product quality, and promote the adoption of modern, safe, and sustainable food processing practices. These trainings are designed to equip agro-processors with practical skills in food safety, quality assurance, value addition, post-harvest handling, nutrition, and bioengineering innovations, thereby enabling them to meet national and international standards. Through this outreach, the School contributes to strengthening agro-industrial development, reducing post-harvest losses, supporting entrepreneurship, and improving food and nutrition security while fostering stronger linkages between academia, industry, and communities.
The Department of Tourism at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) on Thursday, 11 December 2025, hosted Prof. Sofia Asonitou from the University of West Attica, Greece. Prof. Asonitou serves as the Regional Coordinator for the Sub-Saharan Africa region under the Erasmus+ International Credit Mobility (ICM) framework at her institution.
During her engagement with the Department team led by Prof. Jim Ayorekire, deliberations centred on strengthening avenues for international academic cooperation.
The meeting highlighted several key areas of collaboration, including the initiation of student and staff exchanges under the Erasmus+ mobility program and capacity building in tourism governance. The team also explored the development of a joint masters degree program and the design of micro-credit courses aimed at addressing emerging skills gaps within the tourism sector.
Prof. Asonitou’s visit marked an important step toward deepening institutional partnerships and enhancing the global outlook of tourism education and research within CAES.
The Department of Tourism, which was carved out of the former Department of Forestry, Biodiversity, and Tourism, now operates as an independent academic unit offering a diverse and comprehensive range of programmes. The programmes are designed to equip students with the knowledge, skills, and practical experience necessary to thrive in various sectors of the tourism industry, including sustainable tourism development, hospitality management, and eco-tourism.
Agriculture & Environment
How transformative education is shaping Africa’s next generation of innovators
The African Union’s Agenda 2063 articulates a clear continental ambition; to unlock Africa’s potential to feed itself and to harness the transformative power of its greatest asset, its people. While natural resources remain abundant and diverse, Africa’s long-term prosperity hinges on the strategic cultivation of human capital through robust, forward-looking education systems.
Like many governments across the continent, the Government of Botswana, the host of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM)’s 21st Annual General Meeting (AGM), aligns closely with the Sustainable Development Goals of zero hunger and no poverty. It also upholds the collective aspirations of African Heads of State and Government expressed in the Kampala Declaration under the Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP).
Against this backdrop, the pre-AGM session on transformative education and ecosystem engagement convened hundreds of scholars, policymakers, and thought leaders from Africa and beyond. The discussions underscored a shared urgency that strategic collaboration must move from concept to action if the continent is to confront its pressing challenges of food insecurity, public health vulnerabilities, conflict and displacement, youth unemployment, and the persistent pressures of migration. The message was clear; Africa’s transformation requires not isolated interventions, but integrated, interdisciplinary solutions.
In fulfilling the CAADP agenda, universities stand at the forefront. They must leverage every available opportunity to generate workable, evidence-based solutions through science, technology, and innovation. However, they cannot act alone. National Agricultural Research Systems, the private sector, civil society, and development partners must each play an indispensable role in strengthening Africa’s education and agricultural systems. Together, these institutions form the ecosystem that will determine whether Africa can translate its ambitions into tangible progress.
The Youth Dividend
Since its establishment at Makerere University in Uganda in 2004, RUFORUM has supported the training of more than 3000 students across the continent at PhD, Masters, undergraduate and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) level. These scholars, drawn from diverse African countries and hosted in universities across the region, represent a deliberate investment in building Africa’s scientific capacity and advancing pan-African collaboration. Notably, 98% of RUFORUM-supported graduates continue to work within their home countries or regions, reinforcing national and regional development efforts.
A key contributor to this impact is the Mastercard Foundation supported initiative, Transforming African Agricultural Universities to Meaningfully Contribute to Africa’s Growth and Development (TAGDev2.0). This programme strengthens universities, Technical, and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions to drive inclusive, equitable, and climate-resilient transformation of agriculture and agri-food systems. Through experiential learning, practical skills development, and youth empowerment, TAGDev enhances the ability of young Africans to engage meaningfully in agriculture as innovators, leaders, and entrepreneurs.
Across both TAGDev 1.0 and 2.0, thousands of young women and men have been equipped to establish profitable enterprises and create employment opportunities within their communities.
This transformative impact was evident during a keynote address by Dr. Yeukai Mlambo from the MasterCard Foundation followed by a panel session where four young entrepreneurs and beneficiaries of RUFORUM MasterCard supported programmes, shared their journeys. Their enterprises span a wide spectrum. From improving and multiplying high-quality potato seed in Nakuru Kenya by Winnie Wambugu, to equipping differently abled persons (PWDs) with agronomy and entrepreneurship skills in Uganda by Zena Saliru, to skilling refugees in the west Nile region of Uganda by Gordon Victor Akejo to supporting out-of-school youth to become self-reliant by Kato Omia. These stories illustrate not only the ingenuity of Africa’s youth but also the importance of sustained investment in higher education and innovation ecosystems. They embody the youth dividend that Africa stands to gain if it continues to nurture the potential of its young people.
A moment Africa cannot afford to miss
As the conversations by the young entrepreneurs have made clear, Africa stands at a pivotal moment. The continent’s aspirations captured in Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and the CAADP commitments cannot be realised through intention alone. They demand systems that elevate human capital, institutions that collaborate rather than compete, and education models that prepare young people not merely to seek opportunity but to create it.
The stories shared by emerging entrepreneurs and young scientists are more than inspiring anecdotes; they are proof points. They show that when universities are empowered, when partnerships are genuine, and when young people are trusted with the tools and mentorship they need, transformation is already underway.
The scale of Africa’s challenges requires an equal scale in commitment by Governments, universities, research organisations, the private sector, and development partners who must deepen investments in higher education, innovation ecosystems, and youth-focused initiatives. Failure to do so risks squandering one of the continent’s most powerful assets, its demographic dividend.
Africa must therefore double down on transformative education and ecosystem-led collaboration. The momentum witnessed in Botswana should not end with the AGM. It should mark the beginning of renewed resolve to equip Africa’s young people with the skills, networks, and support they need to lead the continent’s next chapter.
The future is already taking shape in laboratories, fields, innovation hubs, and classrooms across the continent. It is time to scale what works and ensure that Africa’s brightest minds are empowered to build the strong and prosperous nations they envision. Collectively, we shall all achieve the Africa that we want.
-
General1 week agoAdvert for the Position of the Second Deputy Vice Chancellor
-
Law2 days agoDisclaimer Notice: LLB Pre-Entry Examination
-
General1 week agoUNDP and JNLC hold training in Fort Portal: Participants equipped with skills in Advocacy and Gender Equality, Team Building, Inclusive Leadership, and Financial Literacy
-
General1 week agoBreaking the Silence on Digital and Gender-Based Violence: Male Changemakers Lead Makerere University’s Strides for Change
-
Health1 week agoMakCHS Strengthens Internationalization through Strategic Global Partnerships and Mobility