Agriculture & Environment
Universities urged to embrace AI for climate change adaptation and mitigation
African universities have been challenged to harness the power of emerging digital technologies such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) to transform the agricultural sector and mitigate the effects of climate change on the African continent.
Agriculture is the major source of livelihood in most African countries yet it is one of those that are most-affected by climate change. Faced with this challenge, universities, farmers and communities should embrace digital technologies in farming and livestock production and management.
In addition, the use of digital technologies would not only contribute to the transformation of the agriculture sector, but also make the sector interesting and attractive to the young people constituting 60% of the total population in Africa.
These deliberations featured prominently at the second RUFORUM Triennial Conference from 12th to 16th August 2024 held in Windhoek, Namibia specifically during the Scientific Session under the theme; ‘AI and Climate Change’ and another scientific session on ‘Emerging Issues-Digitization of Education.’
The Regional Universities for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), which consists of 170 African countries and 40 universities in Africa, seeks to facilitate the creation of vibrant transformative universities catalyzing sustainable development inclusive agricultural development to feed and create prosperity for Africa.
At the strategic level, participants noted that AI was a reality that had come to stay, which necessitates Universities to come up with policies to integrate AI into teaching and learning, research, and knowledge transfer.
This strategic approach was re-echoed by Prof. Patrick Okori, the Executive Secretary of RUFORUM, when he said: “Universities should focus on the integration digital technology in all processes. Digital technology should enable universities, farmers and communities to share information, knowledge and skills to enable the transformation of the agricultural sector.”
Prof. Okori emphasized that digitization of agriculture should be inclusive with the young people, women, persons with disabilities and refugees empowered to participate in the various chains within the agricultural sector.
During these interactive sessions, participants also discussed some fears about digital technologies such as AI. These include: overdependence on AI reduces critical thinking of students and learners in general; AI puts the credibility of the learners in balance-how do you detect lies; using AI and upholding the ethical standards in research, teaching and learning. There was also a serious fear of losing jobs due to AI.
The Vice Chancellor of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya, Prof. Victoria Wambui Ngumi, reminded participants that there was need to be frank and accept that the young people (Gen. Z) were ahead of their teachers in AI applications and usage.
Responding to the Vice Chancellor’s revelation (real life scenario), the Dean School of the Built Environment at Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology, Dr. Anthony Gidudu, noted that universities should invest resources to bridge the gap between the digital experts and the digital migrants. This involves committing to a deliberate effort to train and re-tool the human resources in the respective universities.
Noting the niche of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, which is anchored in hands-on training, the Vice Chancellor sought guidance from the researchers, panelists and participants on the viability of applying AI and practical courses in the conduct of hands-on training.
In his response, Dr. Gidudu revealed that AI is not an end in itself as human beings are still in control with ability to conduct research that informs AI applications and processes. He pointed out that in the various presentations focusing on research conducted by researchers from Makerere University, AI applications are informed by researchers. The researchers were on ground, undertook field studies, interacted with the farmers and community leaders. Using a real-life example, Dr. Gidudu explained that whereas an airplane uses technology and AI to advance into space, the pilot (a human being) takes charge.
Responding to the fear of losing jobs, Ketshepileome Matlhoko from the University of Free State, said: “We have to face the reality. AI will not take away your job, but an individual who knows AI will take away your job.”
On the issue of credibility, ethical standards and detection of lies, the participants agreed that universities should come up with policies on using AI ethically. For instance, there should be a point of caution in regard to overdependence on AI. “Humans must not be over dependent on AI. They must be able to make decisions that override the AI decisions,” he said.
Prof. Isa Kabenge, a researcher at Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, assured participants that AI presents an opportunity to universities to enhance research and contribute to changing livelihoods. Noting that Makerere University runs an artificial intelligence laboratory under its College of Computing and Information Sciences, Prof. Kabenge disclosed plans by Makerere University researchers to team up to establish an AI Innovations Hub, aimed at integrating AI into agricultural management.
In his presentation, Prof. Kabenge demonstrated research that involved the use of AI to monitor and track livestock production. AI models such as the Cattle Detection Model and the Cattle Identification Model provide real-time information to farmers and researchers. In the area of livestock farming, Prof. Kabenge plans to use AI in livestock health monitoring, pasture characterization and management, livestock behavior monitoring.
Dr. Catherine Mulinde, a researcher from Makerere University College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, explained that maize is one of the crops affected by climate change. She presented research on modelling land productivity and crop yields under changing climate and land use management using AI. Focusing on the maize farmers in the Kyoga Basin, Dr. Mulinde noted that AI informed their research on the productivity of land and the determinants of the productivity of maize. Despite the rampant land fragmentation issues, inorganic and organic fertilizers as well as pesticides application had a positive impact on the maize production.
In a presentation titled; Remote Sensing as an enabling technology for agriculture, Dr. Anthony Gidudu demonstrated the use of satellite imagery to develop products and services through remote sensing to transform the agricultural sector. Focusing on AI and future research prospects, Dr. Gidudu said: “Remote sensing: use satellite imagery and drone data (earth observation) combined with AI to create detailed maps of crop health, soil moisture and nutrient levels. AI algorithms can process this data to provide real-time recommendations for site-specific management.”
Focusing on the digitization of education, Dr. Drake P. Mirembe from Makerere University College of Computing and Information Sciences, rallied universities and participants to change from the traditional methods of learning to embrace the student-centered and problem-based approach, which involves knowledge co-creation by the teacher and learner. Dr. Drake P. Mirembe is also a Member of the National Taskforce on AI.
Prof. John W. Makokha from Kibabii University explained that the North Rift of Kenya has received intensive impacts of climate change. He then demonstrated the use of smart technology to predict climate change effects on terrestrial plant diversity and conservation for sustainable livelihoods in the North rift of Kenya. In this research, AI models through the North Rift Weather prediction system were designed for broader community adoption. It provides consistent data and advice on behavior of agricultural patterns.
As indicated through the presentations and demonstrations, the key message was that advances in technology such as AI should be adopted to contribute to the transformation of the agricultural sector. A multi-disciplinary approach to research should be undertaken to enable the different disciplines to enrich the application and usage of AI research and models. Engagement of farmers, leaders at the different levels and communities in general informs and enriches AI application and usage. Participants were informed that some of the AI areas for further research include: Investigation of how different agricultural practices affect land productivity and crop yields, studying the economic implications of adopting AI-based land use management strategies to farmers, integration of pest and diseases prediction and monitoring using AI; developing AI models for site-specific crop management to optimize inputs like water, fertilizers and pesticides, climate resilience and AI.
Agriculture & Environment
AfPEC Project Targets to Safeguard Ecosystems in the Mt. Elgon Region through Agroforestry
*****Funded by DANIDA, Agroforestry for People, Ecosystems and Climate Change (AfPEC), a five-year project (March 2024-April 2029) focusing on Mt. Elgon Highlands in Eastern Uganda aims to foster to use agroforestry to prevent climate change and loss of biodiversity in the region. The project will focus on four districts namely: Mbale, Bududa, Bulambuli, and Kapchorwa. Project Partners: Makerere University, Aarhus University & University of Copenhagen (Denmark), Youth Leading Environmental Change (YLEC), Seniors without Borders, Forests of the World, Stjernekommunikation, and FrellsenKaffe. Through the project, coffee farmers in the region will be supported to export their coffee to Denmark. The project team held the inception meeting on 25th-26th September 2024 in Mbale City.
Overview
Climate change and biodiversity loss are emerging as two of the greatest environmental challenges facing humanity. In Uganda, natural ecosystems such as forests and wetlands contribute considerably to people’s livelihoods and the national economy. However, rapid population growth has led to the degradation of these ecosystems due to increased demand for firewood and the conversion of land for agricultural purposes. Furthermore, the effects of climate change, including variable rainfall patterns and higher temperatures, are leading to a rise in the frequency and intensity of floods, droughts, landslides, windstorms and hailstorms (UNEP- Ecosystem-Based Adaptation in Uganda). Failure to tackle the effects of climate change threatens the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with catastrophic consequences that will hit the poorest and most vulnerable communities first and hardest (UCL Global Governance Institute, 2021). The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems around the world, for the benefit of people and nature. It aims to halt the degradation of ecosystems, and restore them to achieve global goals.
Agroforestry as a climate change adaptation strategy
Agroforestry, the purposeful integration of trees or shrubs with crops and/or livestock at the plot, farm, and/or landscape scale, is one potential climate change adaptation strategy to increase the resilience of farmers and agricultural systems against climate risk, providing a range of biophysical and socioeconomic benefits. As highlighted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports of 2022, agroforestry is a promising agro-ecological approach to climate change adaptation because of the multitude of co-benefits that many agroforestry systems provide including, enhanced food security and income opportunities, the provisioning of ecosystem services, and biodiversity conservation (Amy Quandt, et.al 2023). Agroforestry significantly impacts the environment in diverse ways that contribute to both global environmental goals and local sustainability. Despite of the benefits, promotion, implementation and sustainability of agroforestry practices is still not well addressed.
Purpose of the AfPEC project
Coffee farmers in the Mt. Elgon Region in Eastern Uganda have traditionally with success used agroforestry that protects important water catchments and biodiversity hotspots, but these areas now experience degrading soils caused by external factors such as forest loss, soil erosion and population growth. Changes in climate have also affected farming conditions favouring more drought-resistant crops and agroforestry systems with well-developed shade. Agroforestry for People, Ecosystems and Climate Change (AfPEC), a new project funded by DANIDA aims to understand the factors that motivate coffee farmers to engage in agroforestry, and to foster the use of agroforestry to minimize the effects climate change and loss of biodiversity in the region. Specifically, the project aims to document the effects of agroforestry in terms of ecosystem services and livelihood benefits, to understand motivating factors for long-term sustainable development, and to support science-based agroforestry in practice. The project will focus on four districts namely: Mbale, Bududa, Bulambuli and Kapchorwa.
Specific objectives
The project will be implemented though five work packages in line with the objectives below;
1.Quantifying the potential of agroforestry in terms of ecosystem services – Under this objective the focus is to assess the benefits of various agroforestry systems, including carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, and other ecosystem services. This research will help stakeholders understand the potential and limitations of different agroforestry approaches and contribute to mitigating climate change and biodiversity loss. Additionally, the findings will be used to select suitable native tree species for planting in highland coffee agroforestry systems.
2.Identifying livelihood benefits from agroforestry and key factors for long-term sustainable development.
3.Channelling scientific knowledge on agroforestry into practice –Given the urgent threats posed by biodiversity loss and climate change in Africa, it is imperative to translate scientific research into practical solutions. In collaboration with NGOs and local farming communities, the project team will disseminate user-friendly information and ensure that research findings directly benefit livelihoods and ecosystems. The goal is to increase local income through sustainable coffee production, carbon credits, and potentially, emerging markets for ecosystem services.
4. Building multidisciplinary capacity at university level –The project will train four PhD students from Uganda, and at least 12 master students from Denmark.
5. Promoting optimized agroforestry systems widely.
Partner Institutions
AfPEC is composed of seven partners: three university partners with multidisciplinary backgrounds, three Danish and Ugandan NGOs and a private communication company. All partners work in close collaboration with four coffee farmer communities. These include; Makerere University, Aarhus University (Department of Ecoscience), University of Copenhagen, Youth Leading Environmental Change (YLEC), Seniors without Borders, Forests of the World, Stjernekommunikation, and FrellsenKaffe.
Project team
The overall PI is Dr Anne Mette Lykke from Aarhus University. At Makerere, the project is coordinated by Prof. John Tabuti from the Department of Environmental Management and Prof. Frank Mugagga from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences. Other participants: Aarhus University, Department of Ecoscience (Jørgen Axelsen), Makerere University (Dr Josephine Esaete and Dr Kellen Aganyira), University of Copenhagen (Ida Theilade, Nerea Turreira Garcia, Stine Kroijer), Seniors without Borders (Poul Kroijer, Lone Jacobsen, Kjeld Lanng, Frans Theilby, Lars Brodersen, Jan Thorn Clausen, Hazra Okem, Ann Grace Apiita, Emmanuel Alituha, Christopher Ejiku), Youth Leading Environmental Change (Daniel Esayu, Annet Nakkazi, Richard Tusabe), Forests of the World (Jens Holm Kanstrup, Kristian Lybæk, Abiyu Lencho), and Stjernekommunikation (Jan Stjerne).
AfPEC Inception meeting in Mbale City
On 25th-26th September 2024, the project team held an inception meeting in Mbale City to get stakeholder buy-in and concretize roles of team members. The meeting was attended by 52 participants including the project team, farmers from participating districts, RDCs from participating districts, representatives from the participating NGOs – Seniors without Borders, Youth Environmentalists leading Environmental Change (YLEC) and Forests of the World, and Graduate students attached to the project.
Presentations/remarks by the project team
In his welcome address, Prof. Frank Mugagga, one of the project coordinators at Makerere University appreciated participants for honouring and turning up for the workshop, noting that it was important for the team to establish a working relationship for smooth implementation of the project. Outlining the importance of research and partnerships towards the vision and mission of Makerere University, he expressed gratitude to the funders, and the Project PI, Dr Anne Mette Lykke for her unwavering efforts towards securing the grant.
Presenting an overview of the project, the lead Coordinator in Uganda, Prof. John Tabuti explained that although agroforestry systems have been around for long, their contribution has not been well understood and adopted. Discussing the different work packages, Prof. Tabuti said the project would document both negative and positive impacts of highland agro-ecosystems to improve their contribution to ecosystems and livelihoods.
At the meeting, the Project PI, Dr Anne Mette Lykke briefed participants on ethics and the rules governing the DANIDA AfPEC Grant. She presented the partnership grant agreement, highlighting the research ethics considerations, rules on publications, communication and dissemination requirements, and data sharing and management as guided by DFC. She urged the project team to familiarise themselves with the regulations to ensure timely delivery of the intended outputs.
In his remarks, the representative of farmer groups in Mbale District, also Chairperson of Bufumbo Agroforestry Group, Mr. Hussein Mafabi appreciated the project team and funders, noting that the initiative would greatly improve their skills in agroforestry. Highlighting the factors fuelling environmental degradation in the region, Mr. Mafabi decried the lack of a clear policy on plastic waste management, calling for support to avert the crisis. He emphasized the need to translate the project results into actual policy changes to further collaboration beyond AfPEC. “AfPEC has the support of local communities who are eager and willing to participate in the project activities,” he noted.
During the workshop, representatives from the partnering NGOs including Seniors without Borders, Forests of the World, and YLEC shared their experiences working in the region, outlining success stories in coffee agroforestry that the AfPEC project can leverage to achieve its targets. Prof. Jørgen Axelsen briefed participants on the biological pest control processes, whereas Dr James Johns from Forests of the World delivered a presentation on biomass and carbon sequestration in Uganda’s smallholder agroforestry systems. Speaking to participants, Dr Poul Kroijer (Seniors without Borders) noted that through the AfPEC project, farmers in the region will be able to export their coffee to Denmark. The team expressed willingness to support the project activities.
Presentations by MSc and PhD students supported by the Project
AfPEC project will train four PhD students from Uganda, and at least 12 master students from Denmark.
During the workshop, three Masters Students from Aarhus University, Denmark and four PhD students from Makerere University who will be conducting research on different aspects of agroforestry in the Mt. Elgon Region, Eastern Uganda presented their research ideas to participants who provided enriching feedback. These are; Smilie Nielsen (MSc Human Security) who will be examining the factors that motivate young coffee farmers in Mt. Elgon Region to engage in agroforestry, Ms. Josephine Fogt Anderson (MSc Human Security) who will be studying women-nature relations in agroforestry and planting initiatives (How gender equality can be addressed in tree planting and agroforestry projects), and Ms. Matilda Willemoes who will be exploring the potential for carbon sequestration and storage in coffee Forestry systems.
The PhD students include Mr. Patrick Kayima who will study value chain and livelihood benefits of coffee agroforestry, and Ms. Patricia Adoch who will evaluate the influence of different management practices of coffee agroforestry systems on pollinators and pests in the Mt. Elgon Region. Ms. Joyce Lunyolo will conduct research on incentives for stewardship efforts in coffee agroforestry among farmers in the region, whereas Mr. Derick Kisegu will study and document the contribution of Arabica coffee agroforestry systems in mitigation and adaptation to climate change in fragile highland ecosystems of Uganda.
The students will be supervised by academics from the partner institutions namely: Prof Anne Mette Lykke, Prof. John Tabuti, Prof. Frank Mugagga, Dr. Josephine Esaete, Prof. Ida Theilade, Dr. Kellen Aganyira, Prof. Stine Kroijer, and Prof. Katrine GroFriborg.
Remarks by the Chief Guest
Addressing participants, the Deputy RDC Kapchorwa District, Mr. Martin Sakajja, on behalf of the Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) in the project area, expressed gratitude for the initiative noting that it holds immense significance for the country and world at large. “Agroforestry represents the fusion of agricultural productivity with ecological conservation—a synergy that is critical for sustainable development in our times. For generations, rural populations have depended on agriculture as their primary source of livelihood. Yet, we know the challenges farmers face: declining soil fertility, erratic rainfall, and dwindling forest resources. Agroforestry addresses these issues by promoting sustainable agricultural practices that not only enhance food security but also generate additional sources of income from forest products such as fruits, timber, and medicinal plants. Through this project, we envision empowering farmers to increase their yields while preserving the natural resources they rely on. By embracing agroforestry, we are not only reducing our vulnerability to climate change but also contributing to global climate goals. I commend Makerere University and all the partners involved in this project for their vision and dedication,” he noted.
Remarks by the representative of Makerere University
On behalf of Makerere University, Dr Henry Ssemakula appreciated the project team for the initiative noting that it aligns with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), the National Development Plan, and the Parish Development Model. “The project is also in tandem with our strategy of transforming Makerere into a research-led University responding to national, regional, and global development challenges, and contributing to global knowledge generation. Its commitment to capacity building through Masters and PhD trainings, community engagement, and internationalization is equally commendable.” He appreciated the funders for supporting AfPEC and several other projects in Uganda.
The workshop was moderated by Dr Josephine Esaete, Dr Vincent Muwanika, and Dr Kellen Aganyira from Makerere University.
On the final day of the workshop, the project team conducted a reconnaissance tour of three research sites namely; Bufumbo in Mbale, Buginyanya in Bulambuli District, and Sipi in Kapchorwa District.
More photos from the workshop
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