Introduction

The Sustainable Off-Grid Solutions for Pharmacies and Hospitals in Africa (SophiA) is providing sustainable off-grid energy supplies and water free of bacteria and viruses for rural and remote health facilities in Africa, thereby accelerating the sustainable development, growth and economic transformation, and ensuring improved access to energy and health services for all.

Using various technologies, such as photovoltaics, solar thermal, electrical and thermal storage, water treatment, and natural refrigerants with low global warming potential, SophiA has developed and manufactured locally innovative, modular, affordable, and efficient solar powered systems for providing:

1. Safe and clean drinking water, free of bacteria and viruses, and deionised water for medical purposes.
2. Hot water and steam production for thermal requirements of the hospitals.
3. Cooling of medicines and food at +5°C.
4. Low temperature storage of blood plasma and vaccines at -30°C.
5. Ultra-low temperature storage of sensitive medication (e.g. some Covid-19 or Ebola vaccines) at -70°C

In addition, PV MedPort, a simple and 100% solar-powered solution has been developed and tested as a mobile health care station in small remote areas in 4 different geographical conditions in Africa.

SophiA systems have been manufactured in Africa and will provide, for the first-time, innovative solutions based on climate-friendly natural refrigerants to cover cooling demand for three different temperature ranges (-70°C, -30°C and +5°C). The systems have been tested and demonstrated at four rural hospitals in remote regions throughout the African continent covering the major geographical regions and different climatic conditions in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Malawi and Uganda.

Launch of the SophiA Project Facility at Buvuma Health Centre IV

The SophiA Project facility installed at Buvuma Health Centre IV was officially commissioned on 30^th September 2025, by the Vice Chancellor of Makerere University, represented by the Dean, School of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Bio-systems Engineering at CAES, Dr Julia Kigozi.

The event was attended by over 100 guests including local government officials, healthcare professionals, university staff and students, traders, and community members. The occasion showcased the transformative technologies introduced under the SophiA Project, aimed at enhancing energy access and health service delivery in off-grid communities.

Speaking at the event, Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu, the Project Coordinator in Uganda, outlined the advanced systems installed at Buvuma Health Centre IV. These include:

1. Electricity Generation: A 36 kWp photovoltaic (PV) solar system supported by a 13 kVA standby generator ensures continuous power supply.
2. Water Systems: Provision of safe drinking water through ultra-filtration and de-ionized water using membrane capacitive de-ionization technology.
3. Thermal Energy: Hot water and steam generation for cooking, bathing, and sterilization, using thermo-energy storage.
4. Solar Cooking: Outdoor cooking with Scheffler reflectors capable of reaching temperatures up to 200°C.
5. Refrigeration: Environmentally friendly cooling units maintain medicine at +5°C, blood plasma at -30°C, and vaccines, including for COVID-19 and Ebola, at required temperatures using natural refrigerants like propane (R290).
6. Maternity Support: Installation of Xsol water heaters to provide warm water in the maternity wing.

Additionally, a 2 kWp PV MedPort was installed at Lukale Health Centre III, offering reliable electricity for disease screening and youth outreach services. Both installations feature containerized units integrated with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for real-time monitoring and operational safety. Key safety features include external ventilated compartments for flammable refrigerants and systems to discharge surplus solar power to the ground.

The excess energy generated by the PV system not only powers the health centre at night but also supports critical services such as the neonatal unit, further extending the project’s impact.

The launch also featured a tour of the facility, with an interactive question and answer session focusing on system safety (such as propane compartment ventilation) and scalability.

Now fully operational, the systems provide over 18 hours of reliable electricity daily, surpassing national averages, and enables vaccine storage critical for outbreak response. Buvuma Health Centre IV is set to serve as a learning laboratory for Makerere University students and other institutions.

The project was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and 12 consortium partners, with support from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Local stakeholders, including the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), and Buvuma District Local Government (DLG), also contributed significantly.

Remarks by the Vice Chancellor

In his remarks delivered by Dr. Julia Kigozi, the Vice Chancellor expressed gratitude to the late Prof. Noble Bannadda for his pivotal role in crafting the project. He thanked Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu, the Principal Investigator, for successfully implementing the project at both Buvuma Health Centre IV and Mua Mission Hospital in Dezda, Malawi.  He also thanked other SophiA Project team members at Makerere University namely: Dr. Denis Muhangi (CHUSS), Dr. Sarah Bimbona (COBAMS), and Mr. Alvin Asingya (CAES), and institutional partners.

The Vice Chancellor appreciated the European Union for funding the SophiA Project alongside several other initiatives at Makerere University.

Compiled by Prof. Nicholas Kiggundu – PI, SophiA Project/member of staff in the Department of Agricultural & Bio-systems Engineering at CAES, Makerere University.

More about the project at – https://news.mak.ac.ug/2025/07/sophia-project-upgrades-health-infrastructure-at-buvuma-health-centre-iv-trains-technicians-for-maintenance-works/

The Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), in close collaboration with the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), recognizes the vital role of young researchers in shaping Africa’s future. Graduate students, in particular, bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and rigorous research to the climate and agriculture discourse. Yet, much of this knowledge remains locked in academic theses and journal articles, with limited translation into policy and practice spaces where it can have the greatest impact. To bridge this gap, RUFORUM & AGRA are launching a grant opportunity for graduate students
(Master and PhD Candidates & Post-Doctoral Fellows) enrolled in African universities to develop policy briefs and/or working papers on strengthening climate-resilient agri-food systems. This initiative is designed to support students not only to generate high-quality academic outputs but also to translate their findings into actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and other stakeholders.

The program will provide educational, skilling, and incubation opportunities, preparing young people; especially young women for the world of work. It will also enhance access to market-relevant training and practical skilling opportunities, enabling youth to gain the competencies needed by the labor market for both self-employment and wage employment. Through this call, RUFORUM & AGRA seeks to empower a new generation of African scholars to contribute directly to national, regional, and continental dialogues on climate change, resilience, and sustainable agri-food systems.

APPLICATION PROCESS

• Applicants must submit an abstract of no more than 500 words through the RUFORUM online application portal (https://rims2.ruforum.org/)
  o Instructions for submission can be accessed on this link
• Inquiries: cgs[@]ruforum.org
• RUFORUM reserves the right to make final award decisions.

IMPORTANT DATES

Call Opens: September 5, 2025

• Deadline for Abstract Submission: October 15, 2025
• Notification of Selected Abstracts: October 30, 2025
• Submission of Final Policy Brief/Working Paper: December 31, 2025

Written by Matila Tom Micah

Makerere University on 1^st September 2025 held a training and retooling workshop for stakeholders under the TORCH Project. TORCH is a collaborative initiative between Makerere University, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences-BOKU, Kyambogo University, Kabale University, University of Juba, and Busitema University. Funded by the OeAD-GmbH under the Austrian Partnership Programme in Higher Education Research for Development (APPEAR), the project seeks to strengthen cooperation between academia and local communities to promote green growth and environmental sustainability. The project aims to promote academic-community partnerships through living labs, training, research, and outreach.

The workshop, held under the theme “Towards a Clean Energy and Zero-Emission Society in East Africa: Strengthening Academic and Community Collaborations in Outreach, Training, and Research in Green Growth and a Healthy Environment”, brought together academics, students, policymakers, and community leaders. Together, they explored strategies for green growth, climate resilience, and sustainable development.

Dr. Patrick Musinguzi, TORCH’s Principal Investigator, opened the event with an overview of the project, explaining key concepts such as green growth and the innovative Living Labs approach. He underscored the urgent need for African universities to lead the charge in green growth, a development model balancing economic progress with natural resource conservation and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

While the country has adopted the Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy, Dr. Musinguzi pointed out that universities have yet to fully integrate green growth principles into curricula, research, and community engagement. TORCH aims to bridge this gap by establishing three Living Labs in the Central, South-western, and Eastern regions of Uganda, focusing on enhancing teaching, community-driven research, and policy development.

Green Growth

In his presentation, Dr. Musinguzi emphasized the importance of adopting green growth as Uganda’s path to development. He described green growth as “environmentally sustainable economic progress that encourages low-carbon, socially inclusive development.” “Green growth is not merely about environmental protection – it is about creating a future where economic prosperity, social equity, and environmental sustainability coexist,” he explained.

Why Green Growth matters for Uganda

With Uganda’s rapidly growing population placing immense pressure on land, food, and energy resources, Dr. Musinguzi pointed out that per capita land ownership had significantly decreased, while climate change impacts such as floods, prolonged droughts, and erratic rainfall continue to threaten food security.

He stressed that pursuing green growth offers Uganda multiple benefits:

1. For farmers, it ensures resilience to climate shocks, better yields, and access to innovations like solar irrigation and biogas.
2. For the youth, it opens up new job opportunities in renewable energy, waste management, and eco-friendly enterprises.
3. For policymakers, it aligns development plans with environmental sustainability while attracting green investments.
4. For households, it reduces energy costs, improves health, and enhances overall well-being.

Uganda’s policy commitments

The workshop highlighted national frameworks already in place to support green growth, including the National Environment Act (2019), the Climate Change Act (2021), and the Uganda Green Growth Development Strategy (2017–2030). These policies, coupled with Uganda’s Vision 2040, set a clear direction for a low-carbon and climate-resilient economy.

Green technologies being piloted under the TORCH Project

During the workshop, Dr. Musinguzi showcased several practical innovations being piloted under the TORCH Project. These include:

1. Solar home systems that cut fuel demand by up to 25%.
2. Rainwater harvesting tanks that save 20,000–50,000 litres of water per household annually.
3. Improved cook-stoves that reduce indoor air pollution and fuel consumption.
4. Drip irrigation systems that minimize water loss by up to 60%.
5. Biogas systems that convert organic waste into clean energy for households.

Despite these advances, uptake remains low. A 2024 UBOS report revealed that only 3% of Ugandan households currently use clean cooking fuels and technologies, way below international clean energy adoption targets.

The importance of Academia-community engagement in promoting green growth

The training emphasized the need for universities to serve as “living laboratories” for green innovations. Makerere University, through the TORCH Project, is integrating green growth concepts into its curricula, running pilot projects in communities, and training the next generation of sustainability leaders. “We are committed to bridging the gap between academic research and community transformation,” Dr. Musinguzi said. “Green growth must not remain in lecture halls, it has to be felt in farms, households, and cities across Uganda.”

Participants agreed that scaling up green growth is not just a policy ambition, but a national necessity. “With the right investments, awareness, and community involvement, Uganda can transition towards a zero-emission, climate-smart, and inclusive economy by 2040.”

Insights from Participants

1. Dr James Wasike Mangeni from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Makerere University highlighted the need to rebuild social structures and foster responsible use of resources within the university, calling on leadership to reinforce environmental management and nurture respectful behaviours among students.

2. Dr. Isaac Newton Alou from the Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management at Makerere University praised the green growth and Living Labs concepts, urging incorporation of sustainability into infrastructure projects like green and solar rooftops, and enhancing student-led data collection for impact assessment.
3. Dr. Anthony Mwije from the Department of Crop Science and Horticulture, Makerere University stressed that green growth starts with personal discipline and should be embedded in university operations, including procurement and transport. He advocated for infrastructure supporting sustainable lifestyles, such as bicycle-friendly roads and reliable public transit.
4. Dr. Olupot Giregon, Head, Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management at Makerere University raised concerns about the equitable distribution of green growth costs, especially for smallholder farmers, emphasizing stewardship and the importance of making green growth meaningful from curricula to end-users.

Living Labs: Innovation at community level

In rural Uganda, smoky cooking fires pose serious health risks for many families. The TORCH Project is tackling this issue by transforming households from passive energy users into active innovators, building a cleaner, healthier future.

At the heart of this initiative are Living Labs – community hubs where academia, industry, policymakers, and local residents collaborate to develop and test practical green technologies. These include biogas digesters that turn animal waste into clean fuel, solar power systems replacing hazardous kerosene lamps, energy-efficient stoves, and rainwater harvesting solutions.

“Living Labs empower communities, especially women, who face the greatest energy challenges, to lead sustainable transitions,” said Dr. Musinguzi. “Students also work directly with villages, gaining hands-on experience in addressing Africa’s energy needs. A significant advantage is linking these efforts to carbon credits, enabling families to generate income by reducing emissions and turning climate action into economic opportunity.”

The TORCH Project plans to expand Living Labs throughout East Africa, supported by digital tools to accelerate clean energy adoption, climate action, and poverty alleviation. More than just projects, these Labs foster community pride and position local residents as innovators in the fight against climate change.