Makerere introduces climate change courses

Jun 07, 2015

Makerere University has introduced new climate change courses both at the masters, post-graduate and certificate levels.


By Agnes Nantambi 
   

KAMPALA - Makerere University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences has introduced new climate change courses both at the masters, post-graduate and certificate levels.

The courses are being conducted through the Makerere University centre for climate change research and innovation.

They include disaster risk reduction management (post-graduate), Master of Science in climate sciences and short courses entitled economics of climate change and climate change for policy makers.

The courses are being conducted through the Makerere University Centre for climate change research and innovation.

‘Engage policy makers’

"The disaster risk reduction management post-graduate program has gone through all the university stages and is now before the National Council for Higher Education and as soon as we hear from it, we hope to launch it immediately, "said Prof Bernard Bashasha.

He is the principal of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at the public university.

He was speaking at a stakeholders meeting of the centre for climate change research and innovations at Protea Hotel.

Bashasha also revealed that a Master of Science in climate sciences is currently under the university processes.

 "Under the short courses, the economics of climate change is targeted at people who are into assessing climate change impacts while the climate change for policy makers is to keep the policy makers engaged at all levels, since it is easier to engage policy makers when you have been sharing knowledge with them.”

Curriculum

The issue of climate change is a hot topic of discussion all over the globe.

There is a significant sense of growing uncertainty over the near and far future due to the effects of climate change around the world.

Meanwhile, the new courses at Makerere are part of an ongoing curriculum review at the entire university.

"We are sure that these courses are probably going to be mainstreamed into the whole curriculum after completion of the entire curriculum review," said Bashasha,

Stakeholders in other sectors have been urged to demand for short courses like those in infrastructure, trade, energy etc.

The target for the Master's programme is geared towards strengthening the skills and knowledge in climate change, and also to provide a pool from which “we can pick people to act as ambassadors on climate change”.

It is understood the College has received support from the European Union through the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) to support knowledge management systems for Uganda starting in six pilot districts.

"We started this in the cattle corridors because there are reports that cattle corridors are mostly hit by the effects of climate change, so we need to know what's is really happening  in terms of available biomass, pastures, feeds, livestock numbers, livelihood change and impacts on livelihoods, " explained the principal.

"We want to understand what kind of crops are gown there, how are the people dividing their labor between livestock and crop production, do they have the skills to go to agriculture, what impact does it have on their livelihoods, nutrition of children, children school attendance, income  earning, among other things.

Dr. David Mfitumukiza, the director of the center for climate change emphasized that the formation of a climate change centre is helping in generating knowledge and disseminating information about the best practices.
 

 

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