On September 25^th 2025, the Government of Uganda officially handed over to Makerere University one square mile of land in Banda Sub County, Kyankwanzi District, for the development of a veterinary, animal husbandry, and biosecurity innovations and training facility.

The land, part of Ranch 16, was allocated to the University by the President in 1989 for the establishment of demonstration and experimental modern facilities for Agricultural-related training. Hon. Sam Mayanja, the Minister of State for Lands, officially handed over the one square mile to Makerere University Chancellor Dr. Crispus Kiyonga in the presence of residents, local authorities, and representatives from the Uganda Land Commission, Land Protection Unit and the Office of the President.

An Agro-Industrial Park will be developed on the land as an extension of the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity (CoVAB) and the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES). This initiative will advance the broader University strategy to decentralize and expand its academic and research infrastructure to better contribute towards achieving national development goals. With Makerere University on ground, the site is set to transform into a hub of innovations and service delivery for livestock farmers across the region, delivering academic and economic value through improved veterinary services, livestock research, job creation among other benefits.

WHAT NEXT

Eager to put the land to use, Makerere University is already taking steps to operationalize the site and execute the project in line with government directives. As the University gears up to use the land, the Uganda Land Commission will open the boundaries and process a new land title in their name with Makerere University as the designated user.

Fort Portal, Uganda

Uganda’s progress toward Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) will remain limited unless deliberate efforts are made to strengthen agricultural extension services and turn policy intentions into real impact for farmers.

This was the key message delivered at a high-level policy dialogue held in Fort Portal, which brought together over 30 district officials, researchers, and policymakers from 11 districts across the Bunyoro and Rwenzori sub-regions.

The dialogue, held at Night Rose Hotel, was organized by the Environment for Development (EfD)–Mak Centre, under Makerere University, coordinated by  the EfD Global Hub at the University of Gothenburg Sweden, funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The event aimed to deepen local understanding of CSA and strengthen connections between policy frameworks and implementation at the grassroots.

In his welcome remarks, Baguma Brian James, Senior Fisheries Officer for Kabarole District, thanked the EfD team for bringing such a relevant discussion to the region. He described the event as a moment of professional and academic reflection, noting that many participants had been reawakened to concepts they once encountered in school.

“I’d like to thank you all for being part of these valuable engagements,” Baguma said. “As Kabarole District, we are actively participating in this project. Our farmers are progressing toward co-funding stages for input support.” He expressed hope that the dialogue would not only offer technical knowledge but also actionable strategies participants could take home and apply.

Representing the Director of EfD-Mak Centre, Dr. Nicholas Kilimani underscored the importance of science in guiding agricultural decisions. He reminded participants that the EfD Centre’s functions include research, outreach, and policy engagement – all of which converge in dialogues like this one.

“The theme of this dialogue Smart Agriculture resonates with Uganda’s urgent need to sustain its agricultural backbone amid mounting pressures from climate change and human activity,” Dr. Kilimani said. He emphasized that decision-making must be grounded in scientific evidence rather than conjecture, pointing out that agriculture, while essential to Uganda’s economy, continues to suffer under environmental degradation, poor planning, and the effects of climate variability.

“We are no longer in an era of trial and error. Decision-making must come from science, not hearsay,” he added. Kilimani also highlighted the power of global collaboration, noting that the EfD network spans six continents, creating a powerful exchange of knowledge to support sustainability around the world. “We are using these global synergies to contribute to a sustainable planet—of which we only have one.”

Fort Portal Deputy Resident City Commissioner, Busingye Emmanuel, officially opened the dialogue and welcomed participants to the city. He applauded the event’s focus on climate-smart agriculture but lamented the widespread failure to enforce environmental laws and coordinate government action effectively.

“Uganda is not short of laws or institutions to protect the environment. The problem is either poor coordination or outright inaction,” Busingye said. He cited the continued degradation of wetlands in Fort Portal as a key example of where environmental protection efforts fall short. While several government agencies exist to enforce these policies, their actions are often fragmented or undermined by personal and political interests.

“If we did what we are supposed to do, we wouldn’t have this level of environmental destruction,” he added. Busingye further urged participants not to treat the event as a box-ticking exercise but as a launching point for real implementation on the ground. “Let’s not attend workshops and stop there. Let us act on the ground.”

Presenting an overview of CSA, Dr. Peter Babyenda revealed sobering statistics about land use and degradation. He noted that agriculture accounts for 72% of Uganda’s land use and that 41% of this land is already degraded. If the current trend continues, by 2040, nearly 90% of Uganda’s land could be under agricultural use, intensifying environmental stress.

“Our natural forest cover once fell to 9%, though efforts to promote CSA have raised it to around 30%,” Dr. Babyenda explained. He warned, however, that only 30% of farmers in Uganda are currently practicing climate-smart techniques — a dangerously low figure given the urgency of climate change.

“CSA offers a triple win  increased productivity, improved resilience, and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions,” he said. “But adoption remains low due to costs, lack of awareness, and poor access to technologies.” Dr. Babyenda also highlighted the European Union’s upcoming regulatory requirements on deforestation-free coffee exports, warning that Uganda could lose access to lucrative markets if it fails to embrace CSA practices. “Without climate-smart agriculture, our exports will suffer,” he stated.

Dr. Florence Lwiza Nsereko delivered an evidence-based presentation on CSA case studies  and emphasized the critical role of extension services in scaling CSA. She reiterated that agriculture, deforestation, and other land-use forms like livestock production remain Uganda’s largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Yet despite an abundance of policy documents, actual implementation remains weak.

“Climate Smart Agriculture integrates productivity, adaptation, and mitigation. But its adoption remains low because our extension services lack capacity,” Dr. Lwiza said. She pointed to key barriers in extension delivery, including lack of access to training, weak institutional support, and poor perceptions about CSA among field officers. Notably, she revealed that female extension workers often outperform their male counterparts in CSA delivery.

She further noted that Western Uganda is both highly vulnerable to climate shocks and densely populated, making it a prime candidate for CSA interventions. “Western Uganda is both a climate risk hotspot and an opportunity zone. Now is the time to act,” she concluded.

Adding another layer to the discussion, Dr. Aisha Nanyiti presented research on the role of renewable energy micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in transforming agriculture across Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She argued that clean energy and climate-smart practices must be pursued together to achieve inclusive, low-carbon growth.

“Agricultural modernization and climate goals can go hand in hand — if we remove barriers to clean energy,” she said. She stressed the importance of financial access, supportive regulations, and targeted capacity building to ensure that MSMEs can support CSA.

Closing the dialogue, Deputy Speaker of Fort Portal City, Tusiime Florence, expressed gratitude to the organizers but raised concerns over the sustainability of such engagements. She urged EfD-Mak and its partners to avoid the common trend of one-off workshops that do not translate into long-term support for local governments.

“Workshops come and go, but no one returns to follow up with our communities,” she said. Tusiime called attention to the overwhelming workload and underfunding of agricultural extension officers, many of whom use their own money and have no transport to reach rural areas. “Our extension workers are overworked and underfunded. They have no motorcycles, no transport,” she said. “Yet they are expected to implement national climate and agricultural goals.”

She called for continued support and follow-through from Makerere University and the EfD-Mak Centre. “When farmers dry maize on bare soil, it’s not ignorance – it’s lack of training and support,” she noted. “If you come back and work with us, we will make CSA work.”

The Fort Portal dialogue highlighted the growing urgency to transition from policy declarations to farmer-level action, as climate shocks continue to impact agricultural livelihoods. While Uganda has made strides in crafting climate and agriculture policies — including Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and CSA frameworks — weak operationalization, limited financing, and poor coordination remain major obstacles. Stakeholders agreed that building capacity, particularly among extension workers, remains the single most effective route to scaling climate-smart agriculture and delivering tangible impact where it matters most — at the farm.

This is to call for applications from pre-final year male students of agricultural-related Bachelor’s degree programmes at Makerere University and Busitema University to participate in the Israel Agrostudies Apprenticeship programme 2025/2026.

All applicant must meet the following requirements:

1. Must NEVER have been to Israel under the Agrostudies Programme.
2. Must not have a criminal record.
3. Must be Ugandan Citizens who will not be older than 30 years by end September 2025.
4. Must submit a copy of their Ugandan National Identity as proof of citizenship and age.
5. Must have completed the pre-final year of their degree programme, i.e., they must have completed the second year for a three-year programme, third year for a four- year programme, and fourth year for a five-year programme.
6. Must have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of at least 2.80 WITH NO MORE THAN one outstanding retake at the time of application. Submission of an up-to-date academic testimonial to this effect is a must.
7. Must be in good health and must be able to pass medical examination for general body and dental health, and have a Body Mass Index between 17 to 30. The applicants shall undergo tests for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Dental, and general body check up. Proof of completion of COVID-19 vaccination is also a must.
8. Must be physically fit as a prerequisite to performing intensive practical farm work in Israel.
9. Possession of an East African Passport valid until at least the end of December 2026 will be an added advantage. Applicants should attach a copy of the datat page of the passport (i.e., the page with the photograph and details of the passport holder) as proof of possession of a passport.
10. Must have permission from the parent or guardian to withdraw from their degree programme for the duration of the apprenticeship programme and to re-integrate on return from Israel, in accordance with the relevant university policies and procedures.
11. Should be able to pay the programme fees after being pre-selected. Please note that due to increases in the costs of air tickets to Israel, medical examinations, and courier services for passports to and from Nairobi for visa processing, the programme fees for this year are expected to be higher than the $900 required for arrangements last year. The exact amount to be paid as program fees will be confirmed in due course.
12. Payments MUST ONLY be made into the designated Bank Account in the name of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University after confirmation of preselection by Management. Applicants are warned against making cash payments to anybody or anywhere else other than to the designated College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Bank account.

APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINE

The application form can be downloaded by following this link. The filled application forms together with all the supporting documents should be scanned and sent to email: agrostudies.caes[@]mak.ac.ug.

The deadline for submission is 5.00 PM on Wednesday 1st October 1st 2025.

For further inquiries, contact the programme coordinators on the following telephone
numbers: 0776-354777 / 0751-592061.

PLEASE NOTE:
I. Only successful applicants will be contacted

2. Management reserves the right to select the most suitable applicants
3. Before departure to Israel successful applicants will bring their parents to the
   University to confirm the parental consent for the applicants to participate in the
   programme
4. Use of political or other influences at any stage in this process will result in automatic disqualification of the applicant from the selection process.
5. Subsequent processing of applicants will be done at the discretion of management, which is not liable for the time lost from the academic programme, or funds spent on line items during processing of applications.
6. Applicants who deal with any other persons other than the two designated coordinators of this programme on matters concerning the programme will do so at their own risk. Neither Makerere University nor the coordinators will be held accountable for any loss incurred by the applicants during the fraudulent process.

PRINCIPAL
College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences