PhD candidate Simone Iacopino spent 3 months conducting research and teaching at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda through a student mobility program. The objectives were to transfer knowledge about natural resource management, lay the foundations for collaboration between Makerere staff and Simone's home institution, and conduct joint research. Simone studied tree species in rural areas near Rwenzori National Park, collected plant specimens with Makerere's herbarium, and surveyed local people's perceptions of natural resources and tourism. The experience provided an opportunity to support biodiversity conservation in one of Africa's richest areas through knowledge transfer and research.

1. PhD candidate Simone Iacopino
Forest ecology group coordinated by prof. Tommaso Sitzia
Experience of cooperation with Makerere University,
Kampala (Uganda)
Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry
WG Development and Cooperation
26th November 2019

2. Uganda (1/1)
• Population: 42.7 millions
• Capital: Kampala
• cohabitation of several ethnic
groups (over 40 local
languages)
• English protectorate (1894–
1962)
• Today: presidential republic,
still member of
Commonwealth of Nations.
©Emanuele Castronovo

3. Uganda (2/2)
• Rich in forest and natural resources
• Traditional extensive farming
• Uganda's National Development Plan 2010-15:
leading the country from an agricultural society to
a modern and prosperous country by 2040
• Rapid economic growth in the last decade (7%)
• Growing tourism destination

4. Host institution: Makerere university
• Established in 1922
• 45,000 students
• Ranked third as the top prestigious universities of
Africa
• Internationalization efforts
• Programs: humanities, social science, natural
sciences, medicine, vet medicine

5. Cooperation
• Fundings for Higher Education Student and Staff Mobility (incoming and outgoing)
Objectives:
• Knowledge transfer about natural resources management
• lay foundations for a collaboration with Makerere staff
• carry out research activity together with host institution
Key action 1

6. Our stay at Makerere
• 3 months period
• Delivering lessons – seminars
• Networking

7. Research activities: study area
• Rwenzori mountains national park, afro alpine biome
• Experimental laboratory of landscape and socio- economic changes in Uganda
RMNP border

8. Research activities
• Tree species inventory in a rural valley next to Rwenzori national Park with more than 100 tree species

9. Research activities
• Collaboration with Makerere herbarium and collection of plant
specimens from Rwenzori tree inventory

10. • Questionnaire to investigate local people perception of natural resources, tourism and exotic species
• Sense of belonging
• Positive attitude towards
modern infrastructure for
tourism (tarmac road, cableway)
Research activities

11. • Studied the presence and impacts of an exotic tree
species along a 23 km transect.
• Presence/ absence recorded in 10 meters segments
• Soil sample collection
N
0.5 km
Research activities

12. Final comments and opportunities
• Moral duty to transfer knowledge on sustainable management of landscape and natural
resources, to support preservation of biodiversity in one of the richest areas of our planet.
• Open-air laboratory for testing acquired knowledge
• Research opportunities, human and professional enriching experience

13. Thank you!
For further information:
• Simone Iacopino simone.Iacopino@unipd.it
• Tommaso Sitzia tommaso.sitzia@unipd.it
Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry
Rwenzori mountains national park
All pictures in the presentation were taken by Simone Iacopino (unless otherwise specified)