Propolis tincture is a new and rapidly growing bee product in Uganda, attracting investors due to its medicinal claims (Amulen et al., 2020). Despite its increasing domestic distribution, knowledge on recommended production practices and chemical composition remains limited. This gap poses public health risks, reduces consumer confidence, and may affect market. This study assessed propolis tincture processors’ (PTPs) practices, adherence to recommended practices and effects on chemical quality composition of produced propolis tincture using Aachen Model (2007).A mixed-methods design was applied (quantitative surveys and laboratory analysis). The study was conducted in Kampala, Lira, and Arua—cities hosting over 60% of Uganda’s PTPs. A census of 124 processors was undertaken, 242 tincture samples were collected from 121 processors (3 didn’t have by collection time) and analyzed using GC-MS (Agilent 7000D GC/TQ). Quantitative data were analyzed in SPSS version 22.0.Findings showed that 71% of the raw propolis sourced from own apiaries, ethanol was mainly obtained from city dealers (53.2%) or authorized suppliers (52.4%). Most processors cleaned and weighed raw propolis but 94.4% did not perform solubility tests. About 57% adhered to recommended practices, with a mean adherence score of 28 versus 49 (P < 0.01). Eighty-eight compounds were detected; higher adherence correlated with richer chemical profiles. Thirteen of the 14 most common compounds matched known bioactive ingredients for treating PTPs claimed diseases.The study concludes that while adherence is moderate, products contain compounds consistent with PTPs claims. It recommends PTPs’ compliance, UNBS enforcement and further research to quantify composition per practice.

The aim of this perspective is to further the discussion on regenerating our food system, by describing our future food system (FS) vision to be a regenerative, inclusive food system (RIFS) and providing guiding principles that work within an interactive dynamic framework to achieve this vision. The five RIFS principles outlined in this paper are intended to support and guide place-based processes for regenerating our FS. These are: (1) sense of place and purpose; (2) socio-ecological design for innovation; (3) building connections; (4) fair, just and inclusive transitions; and (5) design for renewal (it is a living process). The use of the five principles are at the heart of RIFS, supporting transformative, experiential learning and guiding the actions and responsibility of all actors involved in FS transformation towards RIFS. We argue that when all these principles occur in a transformation process, this provides the fertile ground for achieving a RIFS’s vision.

Whereas participatory research and development is widely acclaimed, an effective explicit procedure for ensuring end-user participation remains a holy grail. Our study proposes a simple participatory approach by operationalizing the Embedded Research Translation (ERT), developed by LASER PULSE, and demonstrates its application among smallholder vegetable farming communities in the West Nile sub-region of Uganda. The ERT involves integrating research findings directly into practical applications or solutions within specific contexts. It emphasizes collaboration between researchers and stakeholders, ensuring that findings are relevant, actionable, and effectively applied in real-world scenarios. It is built on four pillars: (i) partnerships between researchers and stakeholders (ii) engaging in a process of generating a relevant research (iii) product and (iv) dissemination of findings. Based on these pillars and their underlying principles, an implementation process is recommended, beginning with a start-up stage where researchers actively involve a diverse range of partners and stakeholders. This is followed by a design stage, characterized by participatory discussions, collaborative decision-making, and planning. These steps guide the implementation phase, during which partners remain actively engaged in research. Finally, the partnership collectively disseminates the findings to maximize impact and uptake. In our study, we adapted the method to Ugandan context using a five-stage procedure: In the first stage (understanding the context), researchers rapidly obtain as much information as possible about the relevant aspects of the target cropping system and the broad areas of intervention through literature review, and quantitative baseline surveys. This is followed by the second stage (co validation) in which the information is validated by stakeholders through FGDs and feedback meetings. At the third stage (co-selection of priority areas of interventions), researchers and stakeholders co-select target crops and specific constraints to be addressed. The fourth stage is co-development which involves co-ideation and co-testing of potential technologies. The final stage (dissemination) consists of scaling the co-developed technologies through the partnership and other dissemination channels.

It is uncertain whether Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2), a healthy diet for all, can be achieved in East Africa given its strong population growth, low agricultural yields, and the high perishability of nutrient-dense foods. We examine the consequences of a locally produced healthy diet on land use in a case study of the Arua district in Uganda. This type of analysis can alert policy makers to looming nutrition gaps and support the selection of alternative solution strategies. Using a linear programming (LP) model and three population growth projections, we estimate the minimum agricultural area needed in 2040 to produce a healthy diet that follows EAT-Lancet dietary diversity guidelines and supplies the average requirements of calories, proteins, Iron, and vitamin A. We also compare in scenarios to what extent i) production intensification, ii) food loss reduction, iii) by-product consumption, and iv) vitamin supplementation could reduce the required agricultural area. Results show that the necessary area to produce a healthy diet in 2040 is 160% larger than Arua’s current crop area and would greatly exceed the district’s total area. We also show that none of the changes proposed in our scenarios allows a sufficient increase in food production, suggesting that a mix of even more drastic changes across sectors will be necessary. The results underline the challenge for rural areas in East Africa like Arua to provide a healthy diet to its fast growing population, requiring integrated food system changes and policy coordination to orchestrate the increased availability of diverse and nutritious foods.

Abstract Following years of its exploitation from only wild colonies, the stingless bee (Meliponula bocandei Spinola, 1853) was recently domesticated in Uganda. Products currently harvested by the beekeepers are honey and propolis. Studies from other countries have shown that stingless bees produce honey that is distinct in physicochemical properties. Therefore, in an effort to lay a foundation for the development of quality standards for stingless bee honey in Uganda, we collected M. bocandei honey from the Western Highlands and Lake Victoria Crescent agroecological zones. A selected set of physicochemical properties (moisture content, viscosity, water activity, electrical conductivity and HMF) of the honey were determined. Results reveal the following means of the physicochemical properties: moisture content (26.45 ± 3.9%), viscosity (38.32 ± 2.25 Pa.s), water activity (0.71 ± 0.04%), electrical conductivity (0.229 ± 86.91 mS/cm), pH (4.15 ± 0.68), and HMF (5.42 ± 4.78 mg kg−1), The low mean HMF reveals that stingless bee honey from these two agroecological zones is of good quality. Overall, the mean values of the physicochemical parameters measured are within the figures in the East African Community standards for stingless bee honey. We recommend investigations to establish the diversity of forage plant resources used by the stingless bee M. bocandei in order to boost meliponiculture.

nature’s processes to build resilience and adaptation strategies that will enable them to cope with climate change and other future shocks. Regenerative Inclusive Food Systems evolve differently in different places, as they are specific to a particular place and the people living there.

Stingless bees are important resources for pollination of crops, production of medicinal honey and other products. However, throughout the developing countries in Africa, meliponiculture has received less attention in beekeeping development programmes. Here, the current situation of stingless beekeeping in Uganda is assessed. First, stingless bee species utilised for their products were collected and identified. Thereafter, the economic benefits derived from stingless beekeeping in the Western Highlands agro-ecological zones of Uganda with anecdotal reports of meliponiculture were analysed. The findings reveal that stingless beekeeping is in its early stages of development in Uganda. Four stingless bee species were identified: Meliponula bocandei, Meliponula nebulata, Meliponula ferruginea and Plebeina hildebrandtii that are currently used for honey and propolis. These stingless bee species can be selected for domestication, targeting different products such as honey, propolis and pollen to make meliponiculture more profitable. Indigenous knowledge of beekeepers that can assist in locating wild stingless bee nests for domestication was documented as it is essential for the preservation of this practice. In order to transform the stingless beekeeping industry in Uganda, training needs such as hive making, colony management, product harvesting and processing will have to be addressed.

Worldwide, honey bees are hosts of more than 20 identified bee viruses (de Miranda, Gauthier, Ribiere, & Chen, 2011); most of them are single stranded RNA viruses belonging to order Picornavirales ...

The diet of honey bees consists of protein-rich pollen and sugar-rich nectar collected separately or synchronously from flowers by foraging worker bees (Kajobe, 2006, 2007). These resources are col...

Honeybee defensive behaviour is an important trait for selection of honeybees for breeding programs. We evaluated the variation in honeybee defensive behaviour with environmental factors and hive conditions. Factors such as the difference in the agro-ecological zones, colony strength, mean elevation, type of bee hive used, and the vegetation cover were considered. The number of honeybees attacking the researchers’ protective gear within one minute of disturbance was recorded per colony and analyzed. Apis m. adansonii was found to be the most defensive. Variations in the agro-ecological zones, colony strength, and mean elevation were found to significantly influence the defensive behaviour of the honeybees. Honeybee colonies in the Mid North AEZ were the most defensive. The type of bee hive and vegetation cover did not have any influence on the defensive behaviour. From this study, we suggest that selection of honeybees that are less defensive for breeding programs should consider A. m. scutellata and honeybee colonies from West Nile and Southern Highland AEZs at higher elevations.

As plant pollinators, honey bees (Apis mellifera) play a very important role in agricultural and non agricultural crop production. In addition, honey bee products are of nutritional, medicinal, cosmetic and economic value to society. With the current changing trends in Uganda’s farming systems, it is important to determine the level of genetic variation, and extent of differentiation in the honey bee population. This will be crucial for a successful honey bee management system for improved productivity and conservation of the honey bees in the different agro-ecological zones of Uganda. To achieve this, we investigated the genetic variation in honey bees from ten agro-ecological zones of Uganda by sequencing the intergenic region of the Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) COI-COII. We observed high haplotype diversity (Hd > 0.530) within a majority of the agro-ecological zones except the Southern Highland agro-ecological zone (Hd = 0.154). Both the population structure and the phylogenetic analyses revealed the presence of two honey bee races (A. m. adansonii and A. m. scutellata) in Uganda. A. m. adansonii is more widespread in the agro-ecological zones in the northern and eastern parts of Uganda while A. m. scutellata is more spread in the southern and western parts of the country. This is the first exhaustive population genetics research on bees in Uganda, and provides results that are useful to the beekeeping industry for effective management of the honey bee population. These results should be considered while planning beekeeping activities in the country.

A vast majority of insects visit flowers for food, generally termed as floral rewards. Detailed insights on flowering phenology of plants could give a hint of habitat status and the extent to which such landscapes could support insect pollinators to render both direct and indirect ecosystem services. This study monitored flowering plants which could potentially provide both pollen and nectar sources to four African meliponine bee species (Apidae: Meliponini) naturally occurring in six diverse habitat gradients of the eastern arc mountains (Taita hills) of Kenya. Blooming sequences of identified flowering plants overlapped across seasons with approximately 80 different plant species belonging to 34 families recorded, with the highest proportions from Fabaceae and Asteraceae families dominating flowering plants that were visited (67% of the visits). A flowering calendar is presented to indicate the phenological pattern of all identified floral resources. Hypotrigona gribodoi being the most abundant species had the highest visitation rates on plants belonging to Fabaceae and Asteraceae families, followed by Meliponula ferruginea (black), Plebeina hildebrandti and Hypotrigona ruspolii. This indicates that such fragile habitat could invariably sustain nutritional requirements essential for the survival of insect pollinators such as native meliponine bee species, though bee abundance at flowers did not significantly correlate to food availability (expressed by flowering plant richness).

Beekeeping provides enormous potential for income generation, pollination and sustainable use of forest resources. In Uganda, honey production potential is enormous and in 2005; Uganda was licensed to export honey to the EU, creating an immense opportunity. However, the potential for beekeeping is not fully exploited. Many pests attack honeybees causing enormous losses. This descriptive study that took a participatory action research approach, evaluated how beekeepers managed honeybee pests. Data collection was carried out from 2009 to 2012 from four of the ten agro-ecological zones of Uganda. These zones are classified on the basis of distinct vegetation type, elevation and climatic conditions. Eleven honeybee pests and predators that affect beekeeping production were documented. The important pests causing economic losses were black ants, small hive beetles, wax moths and bee hornets. Effective methods for pest control and management applied by beekeepers included mechanical methods and bio-control. The mechanical methods included keeping the apiary tidy; avoiding throwing combs around apiaries and frequent smoking to drive out small hive beetles. At least 28% of the beekeepers developed local organic (bee-safe) methods for pest control. To manage the ants, many beekeepers applied ash at the apiaries. They hanged their hives using wires and kept their apiaries tidy. The use of hive stands placed in used engine oil also helped reduce many pests. Some beekeepers swatted bee hornets to reduce colony abscondment. The pests led to absconding of many colonies. Honey production with the traditional hives was most affected by the pests; followed by the top bar hive. Frame hives were the least affected by the pests. Many beekeepers lacked adequate information for managing the pests limiting the methods used to control the pests. There should be detailed study of the important honeybee pests in order to design best management practices. Key words : Honeybees, Honeybee pests, ants, wax moths, small hive beetles, Uganda

Varroa mites are important honey bee ecto-parasites that have caused disaster to the beekeeping industry in Europe and America. The extent of spread of these mites in Africa is not clearly known, but several sub-Saharan African countries including Uganda have been on the varroa-suspect list. We surveyed 16 districts falling in eight agroecological zones in Uganda with the aim of establishing the presence of varroa mites. Within each district, at least two subcounties were visited for honey bee sample collection and varroa detection between September 2011 and April 2013. Honey bee samples collected were screened for varroa mites by dusting with thymol. Farmers and beekeeping extension workers were interviewed on their knowledge of varroa. The results indicate that varroa mites were present in all the districts and agroecological regions sampled. Bee farmers and beekeeping extension workers were completely unaware of the presence of the varroa mites. The farmers reported no changes in honey production and honey bee foraging. We recommend empirical studies to establish the effects of varroa on local honey bee productivity and the validity of the purported resistance of the African honey bees to varroa.

Tea is the cheapest hot beverage in the world. It is consumed by various age groups in all sections of society. Three billion cups of tea are drunk daily worldwide. In Africa, Uganda is the third leading producer and exporter of tea (45,000MT) after Kenya (295,000MT) and Malawi (55,000MT). Tea is Uganda’s third most important export earner and oscillates between coffee and fish. The current production in the country is 59,000 tons of made tea per year, earning 104 million USD to the Uganda’s economy. Despite its importance to Uganda, the tea sector is faced with a number of constraints that include rising production costs, age of tea bushes, high overhead costs, bad agricultural practices, low labour productivity, climate change and dilapidated infrastructure. These challenges can be addressed through sustainable agriculture. Since the collapse of Tea Research Institute of East Africa, tea research in Uganda has been dormant for three decades, due to limitations in tea experts, finance and infrastructure. In this study, highlights in tea research were based on five aspects, that is, plant improvement (breeding), soil nutrient management, pest and disease management, transfer of technology, and key research areas of tea, which will form the basis of future tea research for the next decades to come in Uganda. This paper reviews the past, present and future of tea production and tea science in Uganda.