Agriculture & Environment
Mak Welcomes CaReFoAfrica Project Sponsored Students
*****Building Capacity for Climate-Resilient Food Systems in Africa (CaReFoAfrica) Project, a three-year intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme co-funded by the EU will sponsor various programmes at Makerere University including student and staff mobility, and traineeship.
Overview
Climate change has massive impacts on the agricultural sector in Africa. The problems of climate change affecting the sustainability of the agricultural sector and food security in Africa are urgent and complex. The science and tools to deal with climate change are developing rapidly and go well beyond classical agricultural sciences and thus requires a transdisciplinary focus.
The CaReFoAfrica project, an intra-Africa Academic Mobility Scheme co-funded by the EU aims to build human capacity in the field of climate change mitigation and adaptation in the agricultural sector of Africa. The project provides mobility scholarships for African M.Sc. and Ph.D. students, for trainees, and university staff members to travel and study abroad. The project offers a wide range of exciting academic courses at 6 African universities namely: Université d’Abomey-Calavi, University of Eldoret, Université Evangelique en Afrique, The University of the Free State (UFS), Makerere University, and Maseno University.
Under the project, two students namely: Mack Lemagite Lepulelei from Maseno University in Kenya and Emmanuella Merveille Lanyan from Abomey Calavi University in Benin have been sponsored to pursue an MSc in Animal Science for three years at the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University. Another student has been sponsored to study an MSc in Computer Science. The project has also sponsored Mr. Henry Magara, an academic staff at CAES to pursue his PhD studies at Abomey Calavi University in Benin.
Welcoming the newly recruited students
As per culture, new students admitted to Makerere University are oriented on various programmes to help them fit in and pursue their studies comfortably. On 29th November 2024, the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University held an induction ceremony for the newly admitted students. Organized by the CaReFoAfrica Coordinators at Makerere University, Dr Constantine Bakyusa Katongole and Prof. Isa Kabenge, the ceremony was attended by the Principal of CAES, Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga, the Deputy Principal, CAES, Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze, the Dean School of Agricultural Sciences, Dr. John Baptist Tumuhairwe, the Ag. Head, Department of Agricultural Production, Dr Peter Wasswa, and representatives from various administrative units of the University. The purpose of the meeting was to promote the project, welcome and recognize the students recruited under the project, establish a relationship between the students and staff, provide information about the different services at the University, and to help allay fears that would make the students uncomfortable.
In her remarks, the Principal of CAES, Prof. Gorettie Nabaonoga appreciated the PI and his team for successfully delivering the project. Welcoming the students, she noted that they bring a wealth of experiences that will contribute to the College and University internationalization agenda. She urged the students to seek support in case of any challenge, and cautioned them to work hard to complete on time. She expressed gratitude to the EU for its unwavering support to development projects at the University.
The Deputy Principal of CAES, Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze equally appreciated the project team for winning the grant. He also thanked the EU for funding the project. He briefed the students on the programmes at the College, and encouraged them to remain focused to achieve the objectives of the project.
Similarly, Dean School of Agricultural Sciences, Dr John Baptist Tumuhairwe welcomed the students, briefed them on the academic programmes at his school, and cautioned them to work hard. “The time you spend on the programme is your own making. Put in effort to complete on time.”
Representatives from the Academic Registry, Counseling and Guidance Centre, and the International Office briefed the students on the services offered in their respective units, urging them to always seek support.
In their remarks, the students commended the PI and the leadership of CAES for the parental gesture. Outlining their expectations, the students emphasized the need for support to enable them complete their studies on time. They expressed confidence that the knowledge they will acquire from Makerere University will greatly transform their communities.
Details on programmes supported by the CaReFoAfrica Project
- Student mobility
Student mobility opportunities are provided to students at Masters or Doctorate level. Student mobility can be of short term, i.e. credit-seeking mobility. This mobility leads to the academic recognition by the home institute of the study/research period spent at the host. Mechanisms to guarantee recognition of the time spent abroad and the studies or research conducted in that period by the home institute are put in place before the mobility takes place. Student mobility can take place for a complete course of an academic programme, i.e. degree-seeking mobility, leading to the award of a degree by the host university after the successful completion of the studies. Only the African universities involved in the project can host mobility of students and staff.
- Trainee mobility
The mobility of trainees entailS placement periods (traineeship) in private or public
organisations / business actors as part of the trainees’ academic programme. Trainees gain substantial and meaningful workplace experience in the project priority area(s) to increase their employability. Candidates are enrolled in a Bachelor/Master/Doctorate programme in one of the African universities involved in the consortium. At the time candidates apply for a scholarship, they must be national of and resident in an African country.
- Staff mobility
Staff mobility can involve academic, administrative, and technical staff. The related activities may vary from teaching assignments, research activities, to administrative tasks, attendance in/delivery of training courses, curriculum development activities, technical support etc. Candidates must be staff members working for one of the universities involved in the project consortium including the EU Technical Partner.
- Special needs
A budget to support students with special needs is available to scholarship holders with disabilities whose long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairments are certified by a competent national authority and of such nature that their participation in the action would not be possible without the special needs items or services.
Agriculture & Environment
Makerere hosts International Conference on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Actions
By Betty Kyakuwa and Eve Nakyanzi
Makerere University will from 28th to 30th October 2025 host the International Conference and Training Workshop on Food Systems Transformation for Climate Actions (ICTW-FSTCA 2025) under the COMSTECH Forum for Environment and Ecosystem Restoration (CFEER). COMSTECH is the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation, one of four standing committees of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) dedicated to the promotion and cooperation of science and technology activities among the member states.
Speaking at the opening ceremony on 28th October, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Uganda, H.E. Muhammad Hassan Wazir, commended Makerere University and COMSTECH for convening discussions on such a timely and relevant theme. Emphasising the urgency of collective action, he remarked, “Climate change is real. While the whole world has been feeling its impact for several years, we in Pakistan witnessed devastation. We recently experienced a large-scale cloud burst, severe flood, flash flooding and melting of the glaciers in the Himalayas.”
H.E. Wazir noted that such experiences reveal the deep vulnerabilities of global food systems and the need for coordinated solutions. The High Commissioner also applauded Uganda’s progress in infrastructure and economic stability, describing it as an attractive environment for investment and collaboration. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to work closely with African countries—particularly Uganda—in areas such as agro-processing, water-saving irrigation technologies, and climate-resilient crops, as part of the “Look Africa Policy”, an initiative launched in 2018 to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Pakistan and the African continent.
In his welcome address, the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, Prof. Barnabas Nawangwe, emphasized the importance of universities in addressing Africa’s pressing food security challenges amid high population growth and climate change. He highlighted Makerere’s century-long legacy of academic excellence, innovation, and contributions to regional development, including breakthroughs in medicine, agriculture, and technology. Prof. Nawangwe underscored the university’s commitment to research, innovation hubs, and youth entrepreneurship as key solutions for building resilient and sustainable food systems, and expressed hope that the knowledge shared at the workshop would benefit educators, students, and farmers alike.
In his keynote address, Dr. Logan Cochrane, Dean of the College of Public Policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) Qatar, outlined the pressing challenges and promising opportunities shaping global food systems today. He noted that climate change is creating new public health risks, such as malaria spreading to areas that had previously been unaffected, while also disrupting agricultural productivity. Equally concerning are shifts in global diets: more people are consuming processed, salty, and fatty foods, resulting in an unprecedented situation where, in 2025, as many children are overweight as are underweight—approximately 10% of the global population in each category. This dual challenge, he observed, underscores that food systems are not only insufficient but increasingly unhealthy. Dr. Cochrane also highlighted structural vulnerabilities, including overreliance on global food trade, limited irrigation, poor road networks, and inadequate access to markets, hospitals, and schools as factors that reduce the African continent’s efficiency and resilience.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Cochrane emphasized optimism and actionable opportunities. He shared that sustainable local production, especially of regionally relevant crops like Ethiopia’s taro and false banana, can improve nutrition and domestic food security. Strengthening regional trade networks, particularly through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Agreement, presents a US$50 billion opportunity for Africa to reduce dependence on imports.
He added that Governments can play a transformative role by enabling smallholders and the private sector through infrastructure improvements, policy support, and food reserve systems. Reducing food loss and waste, which can reach up to 50% from farm to kitchen, he noted, is another key area for efficiency gains. Furthermore, he said that social protection programs, early warning systems for pests and diseases, and school-based nutrition initiatives can safeguard vulnerable populations while supporting farmers’ livelihoods.
Finally, Dr. Cochrane highlighted the need to make agriculture “cool” for young people, by integrating technology, circular food systems, and innovative approaches to attract the next generation to agricultural careers. By leveraging these opportunities, he argued, food systems can become healthier, more resilient, and more sustainable for the future.
Mr. Alex Bambona who represented the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) highlighted Uganda’s commitment to the global food systems transformation agenda. He noted that in September 2021, Uganda joined international efforts to address food security and recognized several challenges in fully harnessing the country’s natural endowments. “Uganda is a beautiful country, gifted by nature, and has the potential to feed not only East Africa but much of the continent,” he said. However, he stressed that gaps remain, particularly in the application of science and technology to transform agriculture. Mr. Bambona also identified climate change as a significant challenge, acting as a negative driver that must be addressed for Uganda to realize its full potential in sustainable food production.
Ms. Angela Atukunda, representing the Secretary General of the Uganda National Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)/ Islamic World Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (ICESCO), highlighted Uganda’s longstanding engagement with international cooperation through its membership in the OIC since 1974, which also brought the country into ICESCO. She explained that UNATCOM, as Uganda’s National Commission for UNESCO/ICESCO, plays a key role in promoting science, innovation, education reform, and cultural heritage preservation in collaboration with government ministries, academia, civil society, and international partners.
Ms. Atukunda emphasized that platforms provided by events such as ICTW-FSTCA 2025 are crucial for sharing knowledge, shaping policy, and building partnerships to address urgent climate action needs through food systems transformation. She noted that globally, food systems account for nearly one-third of greenhouse gas emissions, and without reform in production, processing, transport, and consumption, efforts to limit global warming will fall short.
She further noted that climate change is already threatening food security through unpredictable rainfall, soil degradation, droughts, floods, and pests—impacts that disproportionately affect smallholder farmers. She stressed the importance of climate justice and the development of homegrown solutions rooted in science, indigenous knowledge, innovation, and inclusive governance.
The opening ceremony held in the Senior Common Room, Main Building was virtually addressed Coordinator Genera, OIC-COMSTEC-H.E. Prof. Dr. Iqbal M. Choudhary and the Advisor/Director, Science and Technology, ICESCO-Dr. Muhammad Sharif. ICTW-FSTCA 2025 will feature a number of discussion and working sessions on Day 1 and Day 2 and conclude on 30th October with a filed visit to the National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Namulonge and the Makerere University Agricultural Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK).
Agriculture & Environment
RUFS Empowers Smallholder Farmers to Build Resilience against Floods & Droughts
Smallholder farmers across the globe are increasingly confronted with the dual challenges of water-related stresses, ranging from devastating floods to prolonged droughts. These cyclical extremes threaten livelihoods, food security, and sustainable agricultural productivity. To effectively address these challenges, it is essential to implement resilient, integrated strategies that recognize the complex and fluctuating nature of water availability.
The Resilient Urban Food Systems (RUFS) project promotes innovative approaches that empower smallholder farmers to better manage water resources by capturing and storing excess water during periods of abundance, efficiently utilizing limited water supplies during dry spells, and building adaptive capacity to withstand and recover from extreme weather events. Through these solutions, RUFS helps create a foundation for sustainable farming that not only mitigates risks but also enhances productivity and long-term resilience in vulnerable agricultural communities.
Under the initiative titled “Strengthening Urban Food Systems Resilience to Flood and Drought Risks through New Strategic Partnerships: Consolidating Gains from the RUFS Project in Kasese Municipality and Mbale City, Uganda,” the team conducted an intensive two-day training workshop for smallholder farmers in Kasese Municipality. The workshop aimed to equip farmers with practical skills and knowledge, specifically in the production of organic pesticides and fertilizers, to enhance their adaptive capacity.
Conducted on 13th and 14th October 2025 at the residence of Bishop Stephen Nsibambi on Kilembe Road, Kasese Municipality, the training built upon insights and outcomes from the inception meeting of the RUFS Phase II held 18th–21st August 2025. The initiatives under Phase II of the RUFS Project aim to reduce damage from natural hazards, improve drainage and water storage, conserve soil moisture, decrease reliance on rainfall, and ultimately bolster resilience against water-related extremes.
The project is led by Prof. Frank Mugagga from the Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics, and Climatic Sciences at Makerere University, and funded through the AgriFoSe2030 Programme.
Achievements Registered from the Workshop
The training enhanced the resilience of smallholder farmers by equipping them to better withstand natural hazards, with a special focus on reducing their vulnerability to floods and droughts. The two-day workshop concentrated on the production and use of pesticides and fertilizers derived from locally available, nutrient-rich plants such as Tithonia (Kimyula), Wandering Jew (Naanda), Amaranthus spp. (Ddodo), Black Jack (Sere), and Phytolacca (Luwoko). It also covered the use of ash, animal and human urine, as well as techniques for harvesting and purifying rainwater.
Specifically, smallholder farmers in Kasese Municipality gained practical skills in the production of natural, effective plant teas using decomposing and hairy plants combined with ash, an eco-friendly method to enrich soil sustainably. They were trained in rainwater harvesting through trench digging and other methods, as well as rainwater purification using charcoal. Additionally, the farmers were taken through the process of producing fertilizers using a mixture of cowdung, water and ash, as well as human urine and locally available plants. Furthermore, farmers learned to make organic pesticides from readily available materials such as ash, animal urine, onions, papaya leaves, water, pepper, and soap.
Overall, the training promoted sustainable, eco-friendly farming practices while strengthening smallholder farmers’ skills in pest management and climate-resilient agronomic techniques. It was led by Mr. Henry Stanley Mbowa, Head of Research at AidEnvironment and a member of the RUFS Project.
Insights from the farmers’ representative
Mr. Sunday Salveri, a dedicated smallholder farmer from Kasese, highlighted the critical role of active farmer participation in forming and sustaining a farmer group and association. In his address, he urged fellow farmers to become more engaged and take proactive steps to improve their livelihoods through active group participation. He emphasized that increased involvement is essential for maintaining a vibrant, effective group that benefits all members. Mr. Salveri also encouraged more farmers to join the group, viewing collective effort as key to achieving economic sustainability. “Expanding membership is vital for the association’s growth and resilience,” he noted.
Furthermore, Mr. Salveri stressed the importance of applying practical business lessons learned on the ground. He suggested that farmers produce fertilizers and pesticides themselves as a way to both generate income and reduce costs for members. To facilitate knowledge sharing and skill development, he proposed establishing a demonstration site to train other farmers. Recognizing the role of family support, Mr. Salveri emphasized involving family members in these activities, highlighting that their participation is crucial for the long-term success and sustainability of agricultural endeavors.
He underscored the need to think beyond agriculture, advocating for the continued existence of the cluster and the RUFS initiative. He expressed hope that these efforts will bring sustained benefits to farmers and their families.
Courtesy Call
The RUFS team paid a courtesy call on the Bishop of Rwenzori region – Lord Nason Baluku who appreciated the team’s efforts. The meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen relationships and reaffirm mutual commitment toward the initiatives.
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