Browsing by Author "Ekwamu, Adipala"

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    Advanced Education and Training Programs to Support Renewable Energy Investment in Africa
    (International Journal of Education and Practice, 2017) Kimuli, Daniel; Nabaterega, Resty; Banadda, Noble; Kabenge, Isa; Ekwamu, Adipala; Nampala, Paul
    African countries have initiated programs to generate electricity from renewable sources such as; wind, solar, biomass and hydropower. These initiatives are intended to reduce the carbon footprint of these countries in the wake of heavy dependency on fossil fuels and also provide cheap and accessible electricity to rural areas. These renewable energy programs are expected to deliver regional development and economic empowerment. However, the lack of trained manpower for repair and maintenance of renewable energy technologies devices is likely to result in failure of these technologies, cause losses in revenue and reduction in consumer faith in renewable energy technologies. African universities must be at the core of solving these challenges by training specialized professionals in renewable energy at graduate level and through short courses to meet the increasing demands for qualified human resource to support the sector. Thus to establish the “readiness” of Universities in Africa to offer advanced education and training in renewable energy, a review of all Masters Courses, Ph.D. programs and short courses was carried out. The results identified 21 English-language Masters courses, 3 providers of Ph.D. studies and 9 short courses in or with significant renewable energy content. Generally, there is inadequate advanced training in renewable energy especially at Ph.D. level in Africa thus the need to attract more African Universities to offer such programs at both masters and Ph.D. levels.
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    Climate Change and Agriculture Nexus in Sub-Saharan Africa: The Agonizing Reality for Smallholder Farmers
    (International Journal of Current Research and Review, 2016) Kanyama Phiiri, George; Egeru, Anthony; Ekwamu, Adipala
    Climate change is one of the potent challenges facing smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa in the recent past owing to the pattern and magnitude with which it presents the extreme events such as floods and drought. This review finds a general consensus that climate change is already happening in the region and the projections in the early, mid and end century all point to a much warmer future with highly variable rainfall across the region. These patterns in climate parameters is expected to trigger a negative trend in agricultural production for most food and cash crops in SSA. However, a few locations particularly the highland locations over eastern Africa will be expected to become more suitable for the production of some cereals such as maize leading to increased production. Overall, at present and in the future unless strategic interventions are judiciously implemented smallholder farmers in SSA produce below the optimal levels with considerable yield gaps in nearly all the cereals, legumes and tubers grown. Efforts to unlock the potential of smallholder farmers under the current and projected climate change situation ought to focus on strategic and systemic implementation of; options that yield multiple benefits such as climate smart agriculture, investing in capacity building at both technical and farmer level, creating multiple opportunities for investment capital including availing smallholders with credit as well as mobilizing private financing. Further, investing at the development of functional early and early warning systems, investing in agricultural value chains through a strategic focus on agribusinesses and gaining and strengthening political commitment through a focus on policy and governance in agricultural frameworks and processes. Finally, a no-one fit for all paradigm ought to be upheld at all time while dealing with smallholder farmers in SSA owing to the dynamic and complex farming systems under which they operate.
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    Innovating for Skills Enhancement The centrality of field attachment programs in Agricultural Sciences in Africa
    (International Journal of Community Research and Engagement, 2016) Egeru, Anthony; Nampala, Paul; Makuma-Massa, Henry; Osiru, Moses; Ekwamu, Adipala
    Debate on the centrality of field attachments/work experience to education has gained traction in the recent past, with consensus emerging on the necessity for such experience in order to progress along one’s chosen career path (Essential Skills Ontario 2014; Hillage & Pollard 1998; Kristof-Brown, Zimmerman & Johnson 2005). Thus, work-based learning and apprenticeship–dual training systems now play an important role in facilitating employment and increasing economic competitiveness (Cornford & Gunn 1998; Simmons 2009). Traditionally, African universities, in particular departments of agriculture, embedded within their courses field attachment–apprenticeship programs, but these were generally orientated towards fulfilling the curriculum mandate of undergraduate training (Mugisha & Nkwasibwe 2014), while graduate training in most African universities rarely included such apprenticeships. Yet, research dissertations on graduate training programs continued to pile up on university shelves (Goolam 2014; Sawyerr 2004). The lack of connection between graduate training and research with communities meant that farmers from whom the information was generated lost on three grounds. First, they became simply providers of information to support attainment of higher degrees. Second, their production systems barely improved as there was hardly a functional relationship between farmers, graduate fellows and their knowledge, or between farmer activity and related curricular programs. Third, farmers were denied the valuable partnerships that should come through farm-level research. Despite universities trying to reach farmers, they continued operating within their silos and ivory towers. The university academics were becoming ‘a cyclic burden’, often seeking information from the communities without providing feedback.
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    Interactive effects of host, pathogen and mineral nutrition on grey leaf spot epidemics in Uganda
    (European Journal of Plant Pathology, 2004-02-08) Okori, Patrick; Rubaihayo, Patrick R.; Ekwamu, Adipala; Christina, Dixelius
    Grey leaf spot incited by Cercospora zeae-maydis is a new devastating foliar disease of maize in East Africa. For effective control, elucidation of the most critical elements of the grey leaf spot disease pyramid is important. This study investigated the role of mineral nutrition, pathogen variability and host resistance in the epidemic. Trials were conducted under field and controlled environments. The 28 isolates used in the controlled environment varied significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in parasitic fitness measured indirectly as disease efficiency, but no infection pattern could be attributed to known C. zeae-maydis pathotypes. Data from field trials showed that host resistance and mineral nutrition significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected disease efficiency, with highest disease development occurring in nitrogen-augmented plots. Exclusive phosphorus application had no clear effect on grey leaf spot epidemics but combined application with nitrogen significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced the predisposition effects of nitrogen to the disease. Overall, treated plots had less disease than unfertilised plots. Fertiliser application had no effect on sporulation capacity, while cultivars significantly affected it. Geographic differences in amount of disease were observed, suggesting environment influences on grey leaf spot incidence. The results suggest that the current grey leaf spot epidemics in East Africa are due to favourable cultivars, poor mineral nutrition and environmental interactions.