It is with great pride, gratitude, and a renewed sense of purpose that I present the 2025 Annual Report of the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University.
This report reflects a year of resilience, transformation, innovation, and growing impact as the College continued to strengthen its contribution to agricultural development, environmental sustainability, climate resilience, and human capital development in Uganda, Africa, and beyond.
At CAES, we remain firmly committed to Makerere University’s vision of becoming a research intense institution that responds meaningfully to national, regional, and global development priorities. Guided by our “Innovation Intentional Agenda” and anchored in the CAES Pact for Transformational Change, we continue to reposition the College as a center of excellence in practical training, impactful research, innovation, and community transformation.
During the year under review, the College continued to advance teaching and learning through the delivery of 42 academic programmes supported by experiential and field-based learning approaches. Our commitment to practical education remained central, with approximately 60% of undergraduate training dedicated to hands-on learning through laboratories, university farms, research institutes, field stations, internships, and community engagement platforms.
The College enrolled over 16,000 students, including a growing number of graduate and international students, affirming CAES’ expanding regional and global relevance. The College also celebrated significant milestones in graduate training and academic excellence. We proudly presented 562 graduates during the 75th Graduation Ceremony of Makerere University, including 19 PhD graduates whose research addressed critical issues in climate resilience, food systems, agricultural productivity, environmental management, innovation systems, and rural livelihoods. The inaugural CAES Doctoral Symposium further strengthened our commitment to nurturing impactful, interdisciplinary, and solution-oriented research capable of addressing the complex challenges facing society today.
Research and innovation remained at the heart of our mandate. Across our three Schools, two research institutes, and specialized centres, CAES continued to generate knowledge, technologies, and innovations that are transforming communities and industries. The College implemented numerous government- and donor-funded projects addressing food security, climate adaptation, clean energy, biodiversity conservation, sustainable urban systems, agricultural commercialization, nutrition, and youth employment.
Several of our researchers and students received national and international recognition for excellence in research, innovation commercialization, and scientific contribution.
Notably, the College strengthened strategic partnerships with universities, research organizations, development agencies, governments, and the private sector. These collaborations enhanced graduate training, mobility, infrastructure development, technology transfer, and interdisciplinary research.
We also continued to invest in digital transformation and modern learning infrastructure, including the enhancement of the CAES e-Learning Studio and improvements in student mobility and practical training support systems.
As we reflect on the achievements of 2025, we remain cognizant of the emerging challenges facing agricultural and environmental systems globally, including climate change, food insecurity, ecosystem degradation, unemployment, and inequality. These challenges demand bold thinking, innovation, strategic partnerships, and a new generation of highly skilled graduates and researchers capable of driving transformative change. CAES remains fully committed to contributing solutions through research-led teaching, innovation, entrepreneurship, policy engagement, and community outreach.
I extend my sincere appreciation to the Government of Uganda, Makerere University Council and Management, our development partners, collaborators, alumni, staff, students, and surrounding communities for their continued support and confidence in CAES.
I particularly commend our staff and students whose dedication, resilience, and creativity continue to position the College among the leading institutions in agricultural and environmental sciences in Africa. As we look ahead, we remain inspired by the belief that universities must not only generate knowledge but must also shape futures, transform communities, and provide solutions to society’s most pressing challenges. Together, we shall continue to strengthen CAES as a vibrant hub for innovation, excellence, sustainability, and transformative impact.