http://allafrica.com/stories/201308051816.html

Kampala - UGANDA Makerere University has launched a climate change research center to enable research.

he Makerere University Center for Climatic Change Research and Innovations (MUCCRI) will develop innovations adaptive to climatic change, policy development and implementation. Prof. Samuel Kyamanywa, the Ag. Principal of College of Agriculture (CAES) said: "The University has good researchers in the sector of climatic change but had weak institutional capacity to handle climatic change adaptation studies. With the support of the Rockefeller foundation such hindrances have been dealt with."

Kyamanywa said Uganda is severely affected by climate change and is vulnerable to disasters like floods and drought yet the economy is largely dependent on agriculture and natural resources.

MUCCRI is a result of the a proposal by CAES to Rockefeller to strengthen capacity in the Eastern Africa region to deal with climatic.

Kyamanywa said: "The faculty submitted the proposal (Strengthening East African Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation Capacity through Training, Research and Policy Interventions) to the foundation and it was funded."

The University formed an advisory climate change panel to undertake critical research on climate change adaptation within the frame work of a competitive grant. The focus is to manage natural resources and generate knowledge and technologies on adaptation in climate science, livestock production, forestry, arable agriculture and agro-meteorology.

Kyamanywa said the college has achieved these objectives and formed an advisory board comprising 17 members. So far 6 research grants have been approved for funding. Students in the University stand to benefit from the project with 6 Masters of Science students having completed a scholarship program under the project. Paul Isabirye, the Assistant Commissioner of Meteorology in the Ministry of Water and Environment said the Government supports the initiative and seeks to sensitize the public on the effects of climatic change.

He said: "Vulnerable populations are poorly equipped to cope with the adverse impacts of climate change but research from this center will enable us bridge the information gap."

Changes in rainfall and temperature will alter the ecological range of plants and animals forcing some species to migrate and disrupting delicate ecosystem. This in turn increases the rate of extinction of some animals and bird species and affects the tourism sector. Isabirye said the Government in collaboration with the national Curriculum Development Center is integrating climate change in education curriculums for secondary schools and institutions of higher education.