In response to plummeting milk prices in Uganda’s cattle corridor, Kyambogo University has launched an ambitious value addition initiative aimed at turning excess milk into high-value products and improving livelihoods.
The campaign, implemented under the AgriFoSe 2030 program, is led by Judith Nagasha, the regional hub leader based at Kyambogo University. The initiative empowers women and youth in pastoral communities to convert raw milk into cosmetic products such as lip balms, hair oil, and skin jellies, creating new income streams while tackling post-harvest losses and food insecurity.
“We want to transform the milk glut into a gem,” said Nagasha. “One litre of milk can go for as low as Shs 500 during the rainy season. But during dry spells, people face hunger. Through value addition, milk can provide both income and resilience.”
Kyambogo University serves as the regional hub for AgriFoSe 2030 in Eastern Africa and collaborates with other institutions across the continent. Partner universities include: Gulu University; University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Moshi Co-operative University Tanzania; University of Gondar, Ethiopia; Chinhoyi University of Technology, Zimbabwe and Institute of Rural Development, Burkina Faso.
The collective mission is to build sustainable food systems and end hunger by 2030 through research-driven, community-based solutions. Launched in Western Uganda with 200 women, the program introduced milk-based cosmetic production in rural communities, focusing on local innovation and enterprise development.
Initially, women used indigenous knowledge to produce cosmetic products. While the effort was innovative, quality and packaging limited marketability. In response, Kyambogo partnered with the Uganda Industrial Research Institute (UIRI) to provide advanced training in production, branding and quality assurance.
Several participants have since launched mini-factories to produce cosmetics at scale and now supply local markets and supermarkets in Kiruhura district. In the next phase, the project is incorporating an energy component using cow dung to generate biogas for powering small-scale operations and cutting production costs.
“We want to reduce reliance on expensive fuels and make the enterprises fully sustainable,” Nagasha said.
Beyond the economic boost, the project also aims at mindset transformation, especially among the youth who often view agriculture as unappealing.
“Many young people return to their families after university with no jobs. By involving them in these projects, we’re addressing unemployment and encouraging them to see agriculture as a viable livelihood,” said Nagasha.
The program also promotes inter- generational knowledge transfer, encouraging mothers to involve their children in the business, ensuring sustainability through family-based enterprise models.
Nagasha emphasized the importance of action-oriented research that goes beyond academic publications.
“Too often, research ends up on library shelves. We want to translate science into practice, connecting researchers, practitioners, and communities,” she said.
The program applies the Theory of Change framework, identifying community challenges, developing solutions, and implementing practical interventions. While the project centers on women, men are also engaged particularly in areas such as land access and infrastructure.
Some men have donated land for mini-factory setups, enabling women-led groups to operate more freely.
“We use women as an entry point into the community. But we respect the household setup and engage men in the process,” Nagasha noted.
Farmers are also trained in marketing, record keeping, and basic business skills, with emphasis on product quality and standards to enable market access.
This month, Kyambogo is hosting a “Translation of Science into Policy and Practice” dialogue to link academics, communities, and decision-makers. The goal is to ensure that research findings influence real-world policies and programs that benefit rural communities.