Agriculture & Environment
CAES Doctoral Symposium: PhD Students Urged to Prioritize Research with Societal Impact
The Principal of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Prof. Gorettie Nabanoga has called on doctoral students to focus their research efforts on addressing real-world challenges and contributing to national and global development.
Speaking at the inaugural CAES Doctoral Symposium, held from 10th to 11th September 2025 at Makerere University, the Principal emphasized that impactful research, not just the quantity of academic publications, should be the hallmark of a research-led university. “As a university aspiring to lead in research and innovation, our work must go beyond academic recognition. It must bring about meaningful change,” she said. “We are moving away from an era where scholars were measured solely by their publications. Today, the value of your PhD lies in how your research transforms lives and communities.”
While acknowledging the university’s requirement of three peer-reviewed publications for doctoral graduation, the Principal urged students to focus their research on critical societal challenges such as food security and nutrition, climate change, and environmental degradation. “A PhD is not merely an academic exercise or a quest for knowledge accumulation. It is a rigorous journey of inquiry, one that requires asking the right questions and seeking evidence-based solutions,” she explained.
The Principal encouraged students to take advantage of the university’s academic support systems, including the CAES GRADCARE Management System, to ensure timely completion of their programmes.
Delivering a keynote centred on addressing Africa’s most pressing societal challenges, Prof. Julius Kikooma, Director of Graduate Training at Makerere University called for a renewed commitment to research that directly responds to Africa’s development needs.
Speaking under the theme “Making the PhD Relevant to Africa’s Development Aspirations”, Prof. Kikooma underscored the critical need for research at the doctoral level to be aligned with national, regional, and global development agendas. “We gather at a time when Africa stands at a crossroads,” he stated. “On one side, the continent is grappling with complex and overlapping crises – climate-induced disasters such as floods and droughts are displacing communities, food insecurity is worsening amid a rapidly growing population, and social inequalities are deepening. Yet, on the other side, Africa holds immense promise. We are home to the world’s fastest-growing youth population, and some of the most dynamic emerging economies. The potential is vast, but it must be matched by research that is relevant, and transformative.”
Prof. Kikooma challenged universities and research institutions to fundamentally rethink the purpose and structure of doctoral education. He advocated for a shift toward more applied, interdisciplinary, and impact-oriented research that actively contributes to solving real-world problems.
He emphasized that PhD programmes must not be ends in themselves, producing dissertations that gather dust on shelves, but should instead be engines of innovation, capable of informing policy, transforming communities, and driving sustainable development across the continent.
Reiterating the critical role of graduate training in driving transformative research, Prof. Kikooma underscored the importance of deliberate and strategic efforts in realizing the aspirations outlined in the University’s Strategic Plan. A key priority of the plan is to significantly increase graduate student enrolment, with a target of having postgraduate students comprise 40% of the total student population. In alignment with this objective, Makerere University also aims for graduate students to represent 40% of all annual graduands. To support the attainment of these goals, Prof. Kikooma explained that the University had instituted a number of initiatives aimed at streamlining academic processes and reducing inefficiencies that can hinder timely completion. One notable intervention is the implementation of the Research Information Management System (RIMS), a digital platform designed to monitor and track research progress, thereby minimizing downtime and enabling better oversight of graduate research activities.
The second day of the Doctoral Symposium featured a keynote address delivered by Dr. Settumba B. Mukasa, an Associate Professor in the Department of Crop Science and Horticulture at CAES. His presentation offered valuable insights into the critical role of academic writing in shaping impactful research and advancing doctoral education. Dr. Mukasa offered practical guidance on structuring academic work, maintaining coherence and precision, and aligning writing with the expectations of scholarly publishing. His insights provided doctoral candidates with essential tools for enhancing the quality, visibility, and credibility of their research outputs.
According to Prof. Yazidhi Bamutaze, the Deputy Principal and Head of Academics at CAES, the Doctoral Symposium was organized with the primary objective of providing a platform for PhD students to present their research, receive constructive feedback, and engage in scholarly dialogue with peers and senior academics. The event aimed to foster a vibrant academic community, enhance research quality, and promote collaboration across various disciplines within the college.
During the symposium, over 50 students presented their research across the following thematic areas:
- Engineering, materials science, nanotechnology, and product prototyping, highlighting advancements in technological innovation and design;
- Stakeholder and farmer engagement, with a focus on perception, knowledge sharing, and participatory approaches to development;
- Crop resources, breeding, biotechnology, cell biology, and genomics, addressing breakthroughs in plant science and genetic research;
- Forest Resources, Meteorology, Catchment Management, and Wetlands Conservation, integrating environmental science with resource management;
- Soil and crop science, underscoring sustainable practices and soil health; and
- Food, Nutrition, and Animal Science, focusing on food security, health, and livestock management.
The sessions were moderated by academic staff from different departments at CAES including Prof. Jackie Bonabana (Department of Agribusiness and Natural Resource Economics), Dr. Denis Nseka (Department of Geography, Geo-Informatics and Climatic Sciences), Prof. John Bosco Okullo (Department of Forestry, Biodiversity and Tourism), Dr. Ellen Kayendeke (Department of Environmental Management), Dr. Patrick Musinguzi (Department of Soil Science and Land Use Management), and Dr. Robert Muagabi (Department of Food Technology and Nutrition).
Pictorial of the symposium at: https://shorturl.at/Dbmlc
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.
-
Research5 days agoMakerere University Launches Knowledge-Sharing Platform to Drive Innovation and Economic Growth
-
General7 days agoMakerere University Leaders Call for Excellence in Research and Supervision as Academic Staff and PhD Students Receive Certificates
-
Humanities & Social Sciences2 weeks agoCollege of Humanities and Social Sciences Launches Five Groundbreaking Publications
-
Health2 weeks agoThree Years of Impact: Makerere University Health User Committee Presents Status Report
-
Health1 week agoMakerere University Explores Strategic Partnership with Tsinghua University in Safety Science, Disaster Resilience and Public Health