About Us

About Us - AER Phase II Project

Overview

The Agroecology Education and Research (AER) Phase II project is a collaborative initiative aimed at strengthening higher education, research, and science communication in agroecology within the Rwenzori Region. The project is a continuation of the successful AER Phase I, building on its achievements to further enhance the practical and theoretical understanding of agroecology. The project is primarily managed by Mountains of the Moon University (MMU) in collaboration with several esteemed partners, including the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), and the Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA).

Objectives

Improved Quality of Teaching

Enhancing the MSc. Agroecology program with a focus on gender diversity and inclusiveness.

Participatory Action Research

Producing high-quality, community-engaged research.

Farmer Capacity Building

Empowering farmers to engage actively in the development and adoption of agroecological research innovations.

Key Activities

Curriculum Development

Refining and optimizing the MSc. Agroecology program to incorporate Open Distance Electronic Learning (ODel).

Demonstration Farms

Upgrading and integrating institutional and community demonstration farms into practical-oriented teaching.

Farmer Training

Equipping farmers, especially women, as community-based facilitators to disseminate agroecological practices within their communities.

Research and Dissemination

Publishing research results in national and international journals, and conducting regular dissemination activities through various media.

Achievements

Continuation of practical-oriented teaching of the Agroecology Masters at MMU and UMU, with a total of 20 students at MMU and 49 at UMU.

Upgrades to institutional demonstration gardens with additional livestock, water harvesting systems, solar energy units, and a biogas unit at the MMU demo farm.

Enhancements to the community demonstration unit in Kabarole, equipped with livestock, a solar unit, energy-saving stove, and soil and water conservation structures.

Regular updates to e-resources with state-of-the-art agroecology materials and training for students in the use of online resources and reference management.

Successful exchange visit by the MMU project team to BOKU and interactions with an Armenian team implementing an APPEAR-funded project focused on promoting organic farming.

Impact

Enhance the quality and relevance of higher education in agroecology.

Increase the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices among farmers.

Foster gender diversity and inclusion in agricultural education and practice.

Strengthen the capacity of partner institutions to conduct impactful research and engage with the community.

Partnerships

Mountains of the Moon University (MMU)

Lead institution, focusing on agroecological education and community engagement.

Uganda Martyrs University (UMU)

Partner institution contributing to research and gender diversity initiatives.

BOKU (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna)

Providing expertise in agricultural sciences and supporting the dissemination of research.

Sasakawa Africa Association (SAA)

Non-academic partner experienced in farmer extension services.