The Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation has urged scientists and researchers at Gulu University to prioritise the commercialisation of scientific research and innovation to drive economic transformation.

Eng. Jonard Asiimwe, Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President, made the remarks during a ministerial visit to four selected public universities and targeted research and innovation laboratories.

He cautioned scientists against limiting their work to research and publications, urging them to translate their innovations into marketable products that can generate income and contribute to Uganda’s economy.

“The President of Uganda wants to see money coming out of science and technology products delivered into the economy.

For a long time, universities have been conducting research and designing products, but these have not been translated into money.

“How can researchers come in to ensure a transition to value addition?” Asiimwe asked.

He noted that Uganda’s economy had remained largely stagnant due to limited opportunities and underutilisation of industrial capacity, despite the availability of skilled university scholars who could champion industrialisation.

The Minister revealed that the government, through his ministry, had for a long time provided limited funding for research at public universities, but the investment had not yielded sufficient economic benefits.

“We will prioritise building the best laboratories at public universities in a drive to see how we can control, transform and improve the economy using our scholars,” he said.

He urged Gulu University authorities to encourage graduates to start producing their own products instead of waiting for employment, noting that even Senior Five students were developing innovative products through science and technology in their communities.

“The ministry will start providing scholarships and start-up capital to science staff and professors, as well as organising study tours to other countries for benchmarking. This is a way of motivating them,” Asiimwe said.

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He added that his technical teams would regularly visit the university to work with professors and scientists in identifying promising technologies and innovations.

The Minister further challenged academics to work closely with university management to identify challenges requiring intervention and funding, rather than concentrating on academic publications without translating research into practical solutions.

He also called for the advancement of science subjects from primary school to university, with greater emphasis on practical teaching rather than theory, saying this would help identify and nurture scientists capable of transforming Uganda’s economy.

“Can Gulu University be ready to champion the commercialisation of science into economic prosperity in the Acholi sub-region, taking advantage of Karuma’s power generation capacity by converting one unit of power into money? All this innovation must come from Gulu University,” he said.

Asiimwe advised universities to prioritise the development of ecosystems that generate economic benefits by first identifying existing challenges and opportunities before establishing industries.

“Be commanders of science, technology and innovation in your university. Graduates should use the knowledge and skills transferred to them to build on what has already been developed and transform the nation,” he advised.

Meanwhile, Dr Grace Okiror, the cassava processing project lead, said the business incubation centre at Gulu University provides a platform for piloting innovative ideas and transforming them into valuable products for community consumption through science, technology and innovation.

Okiror said the project directly and indirectly benefits local communities by purchasing raw cassava from farmers, thereby boosting household incomes and the local economy.

However, she identified inadequate labour for harvesting cassava and shortages of raw materials as major challenges affecting production.

She attributed the shortage of cassava to a prolonged dry spell experienced this year, forcing the project to source supplies from neighbouring districts, including Amuru, Gulu, Omoro and Nwoya, to maintain production and expand the visibility of its products.

She said the biggest challenge facing the project was the limited market for its products beyond the local community, where sales volumes remain low.

“We have a plan to transition into commercialisation and start exporting our products to South Sudan, where there is demand for them in large quantities,” Okiror revealed.

She explained that the project produces high-value cassava products, including premium flour, cassava starch, cassava porridge for children and fermented flour used in making local alcoholic beverages.

Okiror said the next step was to submit product samples to the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) for certification to improve consumer confidence and facilitate access to wider markets.

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She revealed that although the project had initially targeted production of three tonnes of cassava daily, limited machine capacity had restricted output to one tonne every two days.

“We are appealing to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, through the government, to provide us with equipment that will enable us to produce more than 10,000 kilogrammes a day and reach wider markets,” she said.

Samuel Kabi, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Agriculture and Environment at Gulu University, said the facility operates on a waste-free principle, using technology to minimise waste and turn by-products into economically valuable resources.

“Having a principle of no waste means turning cassava peels that would otherwise be piled up into animal feed, while wastewater is mixed with other materials and processed into ethanol for alcohol production and other economic benefits,” Kabi explained.

He said the approach aligns with the government’s ten pillars of economic growth, which emphasise wealth creation and employment opportunities.

Kabi added that after the pilot phase, the project would be expanded into communities across the Acholi sub-region to increase cassava production and supply.

He noted that cassava products could also serve as alternatives to wheat-based products in making quality bread and cakes when blended with wheat flour.

Gulu University Vice Chancellor Prof. George Openjuru Ladaah said commercialisation remained a primary institutional priority, in line with the university’s framework and the shared objectives of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, the Ministry of Education, the community and Parliament.

He said several production facilities had been established within communities, while a few were located at the university, with most products currently sold within local markets.

However, he identified intellectual property (IP) challenges as a major obstacle limiting the university’s ability to introduce its products into supermarkets.

He said the university needed to restructure its commercialisation strategy by involving experts, strengthening its directorate and recruiting entrepreneurs with business-oriented experience to support staff and students in taking their innovations to market.

“We have academics, but we lack business-oriented minds. We do not know the procedures involved in sustaining products on the market. Restructuring would help support staff and students who have products to sell,” he said.

Prof. Ladaah added that the university lacked experts who could bridge the gap between academia, research and entrepreneurship, calling for the establishment of substantive positions to support commercialisation.

He also revealed that some private researchers had successfully developed products using the university’s laboratories but later operated independently without clear arrangements for sharing benefits with the institution.

He said the university needed to establish framework agreements to guide revenue-sharing arrangements between the institution and private researchers.

The Vice Chancellor further cited high regulatory requirements imposed on small-scale producers by the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) and delays in product certification by UNBS as challenges contributing to the collapse of student-led businesses.

He called on the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation to review the national and institutional testing policy frameworks to create a supportive environment for commercialising scientific innovations.

Prof. Ladaah also appealed to the government to work with regulatory agencies to provide tax relief for start-up businesses established by students, including those emerging from innovation projects.

He urged the Minister to champion a government policy framework that enables regulatory bodies to support young entrepreneurs and business-oriented students rather than impose requirements that push them out of business.

He reaffirmed Gulu University’s commitment to supporting the commercialisation of scientific research and innovation as a pathway to economic transformation.