DK

Donald Rugira Kugonza

Makerere University, Amity University

ORCID iD 0000-0002-4873-6637
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About

A passionate scientist, a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences since 2023, currently ranked in the top 3 animal/veterinary scientists in Uganda; an Associate Professor of Animal Sciences; teaches Animal Agriculture, Apiculture, Animal Breeding+Genetics courses at Makerere University; and a Journal Editor for Elsevier. He gets a rush from helping others succeed, is a process catalyst, a mountaineer, science mentor and a change agent. In 2017, he joined the National Academy of Sciences for his ground-breaking innovations in practical breeding of African animal genetic resources. >20 years ago, he went global & became the Vice-Chairman of the World Youth Forum.

He is highly motivated and result-driven, with over 20 years of teaching, and collaborative research engagement focused on optimizing agricultural productivity through performance improvement of a wide array of African animal genetic resources. He has studied, published on and farmed pigs, goats, cattle and various poultry; international expertise in livestock breeding and genetics as well as in apiculture.

He has published over 70 papers in Peer-reviewed Impact Journals; has authored 14 Book Chapters, three Books; and 66 Peer-reviewed Conference Proceedings. He has participated in or led over 30 research grant teams that have involved over 200 international collaborating scientists. He has supervised 30 Graduate Students from various African countries hence contributing to capacity building efforts on the continent.

He busted onto the world stage as a 23 year old when he became the Vice-Chairman of the World Youth Forum, a 130-member country organisation. He enjoys developing curricula that transform learners into doers and better citizens.

Kugonza is the Chairman of the Advisory Committee of NARO’s National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI); he is an Editor for Elsevier's Scientific African Journal and is a Sub-editor of the South African Journal of Animal Science (SAJAS).

He is a member of the Taxonomy Advisory Group (TAG) of the African Union-InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR); a 2-term Chairman of the Governing Council of the Fisheries Training Institute (FTI), Entebbe; the Secretary of the Uganda Society of Animal Science (USAS), a Fellow of the Australia Awards Programme; and is a former vice-president of the World Youth Forum (WYF); as well as a former Fellow of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

Since 2010 he has been an International Consultant on Animal Breeding. He won an award from the highly competitive “Africa-wide Young Professionals in Science” competition organized by CTA, FARA, IFS, RUFORUM, ANAFE, NEPAD, & AGRA for research on enhancing pig productivity in the Lake Victoria crescent zone.

He has presented papers at 25 scientific conferences and been a Uganda delegate at other world events. His peer-reviewed publications have over 18,000 reads/downloads, making him “the most read author” in his department over the recent years, and accumulating over 1000 citations in Google Scholar (https://scholar.google.com/citations?user =8yxmUV4AAAAJ&hl=en). He is a scientific journal sub-editor and peer reviewer of journal papers, degree theses & grant research proposals. He has academically mentored scores of Ugandans and other world citizens.

He has climbed Kigulya Hill, Uganda (1988), Mt. Kenya, Kenya (1997), Mt. Zion, Israel (1998), Uluguru Mountains, Tanzania (1999), Muhito Hill, Uganda (2000), Soroti Rock (2000), Mt. Mgahinga, Uganda (2013), Mt. Kilimanjaro, Tanzania (2014), Aberdare Ranges, Kenya (2017), and Mt. Muhabura (2020). His bucket still has Elgon, Kenya (summit), Rwenzori and Everest. Since 1998, is authorised to bear the title ‘Jerusalem Pilgrim’.

He continually helps farmer groups acquire skills in improved agricultural productivity and has worked with farmers in more than 60 Ugandan districts. He is married to One wife so far, has five children and can be contacted at the Department of Agricultural Production, School of Agricultural Sciences, College of Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. His Work Profile is at http://caes.mak.ac.ug/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/dkugonza.pdf

Employment

  • Makerere University Associate Professor
    2015 - Present
  • Makerere University Senior Lecturer
    2010 - 2015
  • Makerere University Assistant Lecturer
    2004 - 2010
  • Makerere University Assistant Lecturer - Contract
    1997 - 2004

Education

  • Amity University Bachelor of Arts (Sociology)
    2020 - 2024
  • Amity University Master of Business Administration (Human Resources)
    2014 - 2016
  • Makerere University Doctor of Philosophy (Agriculture)
    2003 - 2008
  • Makerere University Master of Sciences in Agriculture (Animal Science)
    1997 - 2000
  • Makerere University Bachelor of Science in Agriculture - Animal Science major
    1992 - 1996

Projects & Funding

Projects & funding information is unavailable.

Publications (58)