Agriculture & Environment
Makerere Students Urged to Register Agricultural Innovations to Avoid Plagiarism
By Hasifa Kabejja & Buwule Joseph Mary
The Principal of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES) at Makerere University, Prof. Gorettie Nabonoga has urged student innovators to safeguard their intellectual property rights. Speaking at the end-of-recess exhibition organized by the School of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Biosystems Engineering to showcase student-led innovations, she cautioned students about the risks of intellectual theft.
“It is essential to take proactive measures to protect your ideas,” Prof. Nabanoga emphasized. “If you have developed something original and useful, make sure to register your innovation. Intellectual property rights are essential for securing the recognition and rewards you deserve. Remember, plagiarism is not just an academic issue – it affects business and innovation.”
She commended the students for their creativity and responsiveness to local market needs.
Held at the School premises on 24th July 2025, the exhibition, attended by students, staff and industry stakeholders, featured a wide array of student-created products, including solar-dried fruit snacks, low-cost grain sorters, biodegradable packaging from crop waste, and nutrient-rich baked goods targeting malnutrition. Students presented petri dishes from a microbial analysis of street-vended mangoes sold around Makerere University, revealing that the fruits may be unhygienic and potentially unsafe for consumption. They also demonstrated a low-cost water purification technology designed for cleaning and reusing wastewater from pilot or food processing plants. The system utilizes moringa seed powder, charcoal, sand, stones, and cotton wool to produce clean, clear water suitable for reuse, such as for cleaning. Additionally, the students showcased the use of activated charcoal and beeswax to extend the shelf life of fruits like bananas and passion fruit. These innovative, low-cost technologies have the potential to be further developed and adopted by farmers and traders to reduce postharvest losses. The innovations were developed during a 10-week recess programme that immerses students in hands-on fieldwork, research, and product development.
In his remarks, Prof. Ivan Muzira Mukisa, Head, Department of Food Technology and Nutrition, encouraged the students to envision their projects beyond the academic realm and focus on transforming them into viable commercial enterprises. “The future of agriculture lies in innovation. The students have demonstrated the potential to solve pressing challenges, create jobs, and build businesses. Their work shouldn’t end at the exhibition. It should continue into the market,” he said.
Dr. Stella Byakika, Coordinator of the recess programme, emphasized the importance of experiential learning in shaping Uganda’s next generation of agricultural leaders. “This programme goes beyond fulfilling academic requirements. It is a practical training platform where students apply their knowledge to real-world problems. We are preparing them not just to graduate, but to lead in transforming Uganda’s agricultural and agro-processing sectors,” she explained.
On behalf of her classmates, Ms. Ndegema Daphine, a Third Year student of Human Nutrition, expressed gratitude for the hands-on experience gained during their internship. “During the recess term, we had the opportunity to work directly with children suffering from severe acute malnutrition, including cases with edema and dermatosis. We participated in both inpatient and outpatient therapeutic care, which gave us a real-world perspective on the clinical management of these conditions. Unlike in the classroom, where we only study such cases theoretically, the internship allowed us to witness the treatment process a nd see patients recover first-hand. With guidance from our supervisors, we were able to conduct clinical assessments for malnutrition and edema, as well as evaluate dietary needs. We also put into practice what we had learned in our communication skills course by delivering nutrition education sessions, helping patients and caregivers understand the importance of proper nutrition in recovery and long-term health.”
Delivering her remarks, the Dean of the School of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Biosystems Engineering (SFTNB), Dr Julia Kigozi appreciated the University and College Administration for their unwavering support towards students’ projects and academic endeavours. She commended the students for their creativity and commitment to excellence in their work. “Our goal is to nurture and produce well-rounded graduates who not only excel academically but also embody an entrepreneurial mind-set, a strong work ethic, a deep sense of social responsibility, and respect for authority. These values are essential as they prepare to make meaningful contributions to society and the broader global community.”
Held annually, the recess programme equips students with field experience through community-based projects, agribusiness development, and food innovation. The culminating exhibition serves as a platform for feedback, exposure, and networking with industry professionals.
More photos from the exhibition
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.
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