Partners: USAID, Tetra Tech, Makerere University

Texas A&M University was initially sub-contracted by Tetra Tech to build capacity at Makerere University on the impacts of the oil and gas sector on the biodiversity and environment of the Albertine Graben of Uganda. Many of the proposed drilling areas are located along the border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), which may result in conflict over oil between the two countries.

This project—which is comprised strictly of capacity building activities at the university level—has enabled us to gather real-time information and establish relations with the players in this potentially volatile development area. At three colleges of engineering in Uganda, we have already trained faculty and assisted in the introduction of new curriculum. Participants from Texas A&M have included economists, conservation biologists, ecologists and engineers. We hope to provide additional recommendations for courses and course development, in addition to training faculty on the impacts of the oil sector on biodiversity and the environment.